Apart from the usual leylandii, has anyone got suggestions for hedge plants?

The fence down the left side of my garden is useless, it's rotting and falling to bits but annoyingly I don't own it - and my neighbour who does is 84, suffers from angina and diabetes and can't stand for more than a few minutes so while I will talk to her about it, I'm not envisioning replacement of the fence anytime soon.

So, as I can't really afford to fence along my side of it either, I thought I'd go the hedge route.  I want to get some plants down that side anyway, and I thought a good hedge might hold the fence up - it's blown down 3 times since new year's day with the strong winds, and I've nearly had dogs going through the gaps twice - it falls down behind the garage so the dogs are there before I can see it!

Whatever I pick it's got to be fast-growing, I'll keep it pruned though.  I've got nothing against leylandii - I'm just looking for more interesting options!

Afraid, apart from Laylandii, which is fast growing but would still take at least 5 years to establish enough to look like a 'proper' hedge and  stop dogs getting through, there is nothing much you can do. Unless you want to buy Large plants which would cost as much as buying the materials for building a good fence :(
The common hedgings are Privat, both rotundii and wild. Rotundii is the oval leaf that is more domesticated than the wild more spikey leved Privet.
Hawthorn.
Escalonii (But that is more 4-5' max)
Cherry laurel
Cypressus, a bit like laylandii but slower growing, so still 6-8 years to make a hedge.
I am afraid you would be better off proping her fence up and saving up for a fence.
The other option is chain link fencing, and plant a hedge in front that will take up to 10 years to establish.
Sorry for no better news :(
Lea :)

Have a look herehttp://www.hedging.co.uk/acatalog/plugplants.html for some ideas with pictures. We have holly but it grows quite slowly, you can use laurel or beech too and some roses can be used for hedging, also potentilla I think.

Marion

Marion is right about laurel or beech too and some roses can be used for hedging, also potentilla I think.

But again, unless you have the means to buy Large plants, and garden centre plants at that size can go to £60 EACH you will be better off savbing for a fence,
There is no quick fix :(
As I thin I said, posts and chain link fencing would be a cheaper option. As cheap as I can think og at the moment. Have you anyone that can construct a fence to save you the labour costs????
Lea :)

Hi Lea
youre right, hedging does cost a fortune and takes forever- especially when you want it to look like a hedge - of course once it need cutting it seems to grow like a weed :D

I agree about the posts and chain link, its probably a much cheaper and more secure option and you can always plant some small (cheap) hedging or climbing plants like honeysuckle or clematis to make it look better.

Marion

Yep, chain link with a few Clematis montana, or russian vine(mile a minute) will give you summer colour but will die back in the winter, depends on if your dogs get annoyed by movement next door!!!!
You can pick up hawthorn/privet etc at 50p a stem at un known garden centres (ask around!!!), but will take 10 years to establish a good hedge,
Anything else you need to know, just askk :D
Lea :)

Okay thanks, I had thought about chain link - and if it'll cost me about the same, then I might as well do that.  Safer than the current situation at any rate - the fence is holding, but I don't trust it and it looks awful - you can see lots of little white bits from the street where the cable ties are :rolleyes:

http://shop.btcv.org.uk/shop/level2/72/level  .  I bought hedging plants from here last year. Lots of hedging advice on web site.  but they are only little this year - not made much better by the dog chewing on them - she pulled several up too so they have had to be replanted.  We have a post and chainlink fence - but it cost a fortune to put up - my OH didn't shop around and we got grossly overcharged.  The second fence we did was so much more affordable - from our local timber yard.  However grass grows up through the fence and is difficult to pull out.  We had to block gaps up underneath when the dog was small because ground was uneven.  Also barbed wire on the top still makes me cringe if she jumps up on it.  We put a picket fence and gate up around the side of the house that was quite reasonable - same timber yard and it looks good.  However the dog still tried to get underneath.  I have planted box hedging on the other side (she tried to eat that too) so had to put chicken wire along the bottom.  Joys of dog ownership!!!!

lol! Don't I know it :D

The fence that's up at the mo is 4' picket, does the job nicely when it isn't being blown over.  It's the same on two sides and chain link at the end where I border a golf course.

I'm still going to assume that my neighbour can't afford a new fence - there are a few very new bolts in the old one (the wood has split around a couple so fat lot of use they were!), and there must've been problems before - the last owners of my house had two dogs and the fence has obviously been knackered for some time.  So I'm guessing that if it hasn't been redone already then it's unlikely to be - so I'm ebaying and internet-ing for chain link and posts.