Suggestions for hedging shrubs please

[thorn]

our other 'problem plant' is Himilayan Balsam which I had a load of in the back fields until Peak Park got a load of volunteers to go throughout the area ripping it all up. Barely a Balsam to be seen now!

It'll be back.

 

[amandaj57]

It'll be back.

It's been gone about ten years now. They used my back fields, where it had appeared badly next to the river, to experiment with removal methods over a period of about four years, including digging out roots, pulling up then removing and burning, snapping off at the base and leaving on the ground to die. As long as it was done before flowering the last method proved just as effective as long as it was carried out for a couple of years and took a fraction of the time and effort. The only odd one that is seen now is where I keep the bees as they didn't go into that part - can't think why!
I am lucky that I am reasonably close to where the source of the river is and as they removed the patch above us where the seed would have originated from, I am not getting reinfested.
After saying this, I am just asking for it all to return this Summer!!!

 

[GuyNir]

It'll be back.

Depends at what stage they got those out.

 

[amandaj57]

I have these and the only pollinators I see on them are wasps, strangely.

Mine go crazy for cotoneaster.

 

[pargyle]

Mine go crazy for cotoneaster.

I have a cotoneaster hedge in the front garden and there is a huge one at my late mother's house they are covered in insects when in flower ... the berries are snapped up by a large variety of birds as well. The faster growing varieties do need to be cut regularly to keep them nice and dense or they can get very straggly

 

[Swn58]

I have decided to plant flowering shrubs all round the boundaries of every field,

I hope to be involved in such a project in the future myself. I thought I would share some plant thoughts.
There are some wonderful and often exotic plants out there that could be used. The problem I am having is making sure that things stay 'natural' in both looks and without affecting the environment that they will inhabit. Though a useful plant in some ways, for pollinators, look at Himalayan Balsam for example!
For me, the early part of the season, then leading into summer is not a problem. There is always a lot growing in hedgerows and meadows. It's the late summer that can see a lack of forage in some areas.
With all this in mind, I prefer enhancing what is already growing naturally. Creating a meadow area around hedge-lines is one move. One can either plant into what is already there, or strip the soil bare. There are two other choices then; either sow it with wild seeds and see what survives, or leave it to naturally generate.
I will tend to go with stripping the surface and then sowing it, because I'm impatient! I was involved with a natural meadow project that was five years 'in' and still looked like someone had done some open-cast mining. One can also promote certain plants, such as late flowering Rosebay Willowherb and Evening Primrose. Harebells and Nasturtium are just a couple more of many mid to late flowering plants.
It may look a bit bare for a couple of years, but hedge-laying is a good thing to do. It will give you a chance to introduce shrubs that will both be protected and eventually protect. The best base for me is Hazel or willow if wet a lot. Not exactly best for pollinators but great protection. Dog Rose is a late flowering hedgerow plant. There are some domestic varieties that do not look that out of place. Mallow is also good. Buddlia is always a great shrub as well.
Ceanothus attracts loads of pollinators and flowers early and late here. The star though has to be Choisia. An evergreen, It flowers early and late. It seems to survive frost and is still flowering here at the moment!

 

[Swn58]

I have Pyracantha and cotoneaster both of which get plastered in woolly aphid with the branches getting very lumpy calouses and out of shape because of it if left untreated for just a short time. I treat with my pressure sprayer and soapy water for the few shrubs I have - for something like your project you will have a much bigger problem if you go down that road maybe.

No issues ever with that here in either the Midlands,Oxfordshire, Bucks or Sussex.

 

[elainemary]

I hadn't thought of that. So far I haven't had any issues with the Ceanothus or cotoneaster I already have but it may be because there is little to attract them here at the moment. That could change when I put more in, I suppose it'll have to be a try them and change species if I find it is a problem in later additions. I am hoping to find potential problems and pitfalls with the shorter 100m section.

If you have lots of mixed planting, you'll attract all sorts of wildlife as well as the bees and they will keep any 'pests' in balance. Often seen blue tits hoovering up greenfly, blackfly etc.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Mine go crazy for cotoneaster.

Cant see the attachment. I have the ordinary creeping cotoneaster on a south facing wall and dotted about the garden snd beds and bumbles love it. The Franchetti is the one that the wasps love

 

[elainemary]

I hope to be involved in such a project in the future myself. I thought I would share some plant thoughts.
There are some wonderful and often exotic plants out there that could be used. The problem I am having is making sure that things stay 'natural' in both looks and without affecting the environment that they will inhabit. Though a useful plant in some ways, for pollinators, look at Himalayan Balsam for example!
For me, the early part of the season, then leading into summer is not a problem. There is always a lot growing in hedgerows and meadows. It's the late summer that can see a lack of forage in some areas.
With all this in mind, I prefer enhancing what is already growing naturally. Creating a meadow area around hedge-lines is one move. One can either plant into what is already there, or strip the soil bare. There are two other choices then; either sow it with wild seeds and see what survives, or leave it to naturally generate.
I will tend to go with stripping the surface and then sowing it, because I'm impatient! I was involved with a natural meadow project that was five years 'in' and still looked like someone had done some open-cast mining. One can also promote certain plants, such as late flowering Rosebay Willowherb and Evening Primrose. Harebells and Nasturtium are just a couple more of many mid to late flowering plants.
It may look a bit bare for a couple of years, but hedge-laying is a good thing to do. It will give you a chance to introduce shrubs that will both be protected and eventually protect. The best base for me is Hazel or willow if wet a lot. Not exactly best for pollinators but great protection. Dog Rose is a late flowering hedgerow plant. There are some domestic varieties that do not look that out of place. Mallow is also good. Buddlia is always a great shrub as well.
Ceanothus attracts loads of pollinators and flowers early and late here. The star though has to be Choisia. An evergreen, It flowers early and late. It seems to survive frost and is still flowering here at the moment!

Nasturtium is an excellent bee plant. I grow it around the edge of my veg beds to add a bit of colour & the bees love it. It's even started to show up in my honey analysis (it's part of the brassica family & look how they love OSR!).
For late summer, given your 'gap', you could try a border of late flowering summer perennials, that flower July - late Sept / early Oct. My bees love veronicastrum, thalictrum (common meadow rue is the best), echinacea, eryngium, echinops, sanguisorba, astilbe, agastache, purple loosetrife, tradescantia, helenium, rudbeckia & astrantia. Probably others, but these immediately spring to mind as the bees favourites.

 

[ericbeaumont]

try them and change species if I find it is a problem in later additions. I am hoping to find potential problems and pitfalls with the shorter 100m section.

Check what grows well in your part of the world, Amanda, and go with that.

An alternative: have you considered creating a woodland or orchard? Plenty of info on Derbyshire orchards here and you could work with a local group.

 

[thorn]

Don't forget to put some willow in.
You're probably a bit far north to plant white willows. Certainly in Essex and the neighbouring counties they are a very useful cash crop along field edges.

 

[Swn58]

Nasturtium is an excellent bee plant. I grow it around the edge of my veg beds to add a bit of colour & the bees love it. It's even started to show up in my honey analysis (it's part of the brassica family & look how they love OSR!).
For late summer, given your 'gap', you could try a border of late flowering summer perennials, that flower July - late Sept / early Oct. My bees love veronicastrum, thalictrum (common meadow rue is the best), echinacea, eryngium, echinops, sanguisorba, astilbe, agastache, purple loosetrife, tradescantia, helenium, rudbeckia & astrantia. Probably others, but these immediately spring to mind as the bees favourites.

Yes....we grow Rudbekia etc as well and loads of herbs. Sage, Lavender.....you cannot go wrong!

 

[Crofting Mannie]

I've just ordered plants for 200m of new hedging, going in this winter, with bees in mind.
Hawthorn, crab apple, gean, willow, Hazel and juniper.
I'm also propagating blackcurrant, flowering currant and gooseberry bushes to plant in the hedge.

You can also put in a few trees to grow as standards, perhaps lime, chestnut or sycamore will be good for your children or grandchildren when they are beekeeping.

 

[Murox]

I've just ordered plants for 200m of new hedging, going in this winter, with bees in mind.
Hawthorn, crab apple, gean, willow, Hazel and juniper.
I'm also propagating blackcurrant, flowering currant and gooseberry bushes to plant in the hedge.

You can also put in a few trees to grow as standards, perhaps lime, chestnut or sycamore will be good for your children or grandchildren when they are beekeeping.

maybe scatter some wildflower mix in the disturbed ground as well?

 

[victor meldrew]

Japanese knotweed is definitely a problem in the UK but don't think I'd want any of that! I didn't even realise it was good for bees.
My nearest neighbours live over a quarter of a mile away so the jungle would have to be pretty bad before it got to them but I still don't think I'd risk it.
False indigo is not one I am familiar with but our other 'problem plant' is Himilayan Balsam which I had a load of in the back fields until Peak Park got a load of volunteers to go throughout the area ripping it all up. Barely a Balsam to be seen now!

Knotweed is edible . This info wants puplicising amongst the tree huggers .
apparently the new shoots can be used as rhubarb!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Knotweed is edible . This info wants puplicising amongst the tree huggers .
apparently the new shoots can be used as rhubarb!

You tried it? It's bloody awful

 

[victor meldrew]

You tried it? It's bloody awful

Shhhhh! It should make a wine . If no good , then a vodka

 

[Goran]

Shhhhh! It should make a wine . If no good , then a vodka

Over here grow as invasive Jerusalem artichoke, also well attended by the bees. I was told, people used it for feeding horses and THE MOST IMPORTANT making schnapps. But bad one - strike fast and strong and after awful headache..
I can get drunk by our plum schnapps and wake in the morning like I wasn't drinking, no headache.. But I am more wine type..

 

[pargyle]

Over here grow as invasive Jerusalem artichoke, also well attended by the bees. I was told, people used it for feeding horses and THE MOST IMPORTANT making schnapps. But bad one - strike fast and strong and after awful headache..
I can get drunk by our plum schnapps and wake in the morning like I wasn't drinking, no headache.. But I am more wine type..

Ahhhh ... Cevapcici in Lepinja slaked in Chillie sauce with a layer of fried onions washed down with a flagon of Reisling and topped off with a few shots of Slivovitz - that brings back a few memories ... sat in an open air barbecue in Rijeka in 1967.

Our equivalent is a chicken kebab with everything, three pints of lager and a couple of Sambucca .....

I know ... chav food ...do I care ?