Privet hedges or specimen shrubs/trees

[Curly green finger's]

Afternoon I’m looking to replace a 120 ft hedge and I want to use privet like the one in the photo and also have some as specimens, I could use one type for the hedge and perhaps a different one as specimens BUT all have to be very attractive to honey bees, thoughts suggestions thanks.

 

[rolande]

I might be wrong but I think all privet is attractive to bees. Green for hedge and yellow for stand alone a?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I do like a neatly trimmed box me - although sometimes the smell can be a bit overpowering.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I do like a neatly trimmed box me - although sometimes the smell can be a bit overpowering.

When was the last time you saw a neatly trimmed box? On second thoughts don’t answer that pls

 

[Curly green finger's]

I might be wrong but I think all privet is attractive to bees. Green for hedge and yellow for stand alone a?

Yellow variety? I want to get rid of an existing leylandii hedge and would like something like privet, also plant some specimens in the garden.

 

[The Poot]

Yellow variety? I want to get rid of an existing leylandii hedge and would like something like privet, also plant some specimens in the garden.

I don’t know if it’s right, but privet honey is often described as horrible. ???
How about good old hawthorn for a Spring boost - as a specimen?

 

[Curly green finger's]

I don’t know if it’s right, but privet honey is often described as horrible. ???
How about good old hawthorn for a Spring boost - as a specimen?

I’m not sure about privet honey - I know I’ve had some as a blend this season from an urban site but there’s lots of hawthorn around perhaps a later flowering variety?there’s one with red flowers but I don’t know if the bees work it.
I want something that flowers in June or later

 

[The Poot]

I’m not sure about privet honey - I know I’ve had some as a blend this season from an urban site but there’s lots of hawthorn around perhaps a later flowering variety?there’s one with red flowers but I don’t know if the bees work it.
I want something that flowers in June or later

I think the red one is a double flower and no good for bees. My neighbour has one.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I think the red one is a double flower and no good for bees. My neighbour has one.

Yeah that’s the one and if I recall I don’t think I’ve seen bees on them if you have any other suggestions let me know

 

[The Poot]

Yeah that’s the one and if I recall I don’t think I’ve seen bees on them if you have any other suggestions let me know

Look up amalanchier. There’s a shrub version and a tree version. It’s a brilliant specimen plant and bee friendly.

 

[TonyC]

We have a Mexican Orange Blossom (Choisya) hedge, which the bees love. It flowers twice a year but only needs cutting after the first flush. It is neat, dense and evergreen, and easy to keep to whatever size suits you. Ours is about 5 feet high, and the same wide. IMHO it is much better than privet, which we also have. Privet does not flower well or at all if trimmed to be tidy which needs to be several times in the growing season. If you leave privet untrimmed to flower it can get enormous quite quickly. Choisya comes in green and golden forms, but the green seems stronger in our garden. Having inherted yew hedges from our sellers 37 years ago and having since then planted hedges of privet, beech, laurel, box, choisya, hawthorn,and a mixed field hedge of hawthorn, field maple, amelanchier, rose, honeysuckle, and the dreadful blackthorn, choisya is easily the least trouble and most reliable. Perhaps worth considering.

 

[Antipodes]

Afternoon I’m looking to replace a 120 ft hedge and I want to use privet like the one in the photo and also have some as specimens, I could use one type for the hedge and perhaps a different one as specimens BUT all have to be very attractive to honey bees, thoughts suggestions thanks.
View attachment 41244

What's this one called? Bees seem to like it.

 

[Curly green finger's]

What's this one called? Bees seem to like it.

That’s laurastinum a type of viburnum
My Latin isn’t great

 

[JamezF]

My Latin isn’t great

The best I can do is:

Caesar adsum iam forte
Pompeii aderat
Caesar sic in omnibus
Pompeii sic inat

James

 

[Antipodes]

That’s laurastinum a type of viburnum
My Latin isn’t great

There is a really large old one at Port Arthur, being left to grow without clipping.
I reckon they might be slow growing. This year the flowering has been absolutely spectacular.

 

[rolande]

I don’t know if it’s right, but privet honey is often described as horrible. ???

I've seen this in a few old books, it may well be right but in all honesty I can't imagine how much you'd need to taint a honey crop. There's masses of the stuff growing on the local cliffs but I've never had honey affected negatively by it.

 

[ericbeaumont]

seen this in a few old books

I can imagine that in 1847 an author took against the flavour, since when the label has been repeated and copied without a thought to the value of the comment.

The taste does mellow after a while in the bucket but anyway, we need more flavour in this country, not less! I agree with Rolande: it'll be in the mix and all the better for it.

 

[Sutty]

I read somewhere that privet is mildly toxic to bees, though I've also seen them happily foraging on it.
Not much good for bees but I have a bay hedge which is lovely, and we're never short of bay leaves!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

The best I can do is:

Caesar adsum iam forte
Pompeii aderat
Caesar sic in omnibus
Pompeii sic inat

James

The only latin I ever had quoted to me was nils illegitemi carborundum. I guess it's correct?

 

[TonyC]

@Jamez - Thank you for that, I had forgotten the last line. It may be kind if you were to provide a translation for those who were not taught latin.

My own favourite latin phrase is "Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes" which is slightly mistranslated as "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts". or as we say now " There is no such thing as a free lunch".