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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2006 12:07:51 GMT
Hello I am wanting to get an "edible" hedge down one side of the front garden. Edible in so far as for wildlife as well as humans. I am looking for a mixed hedge with differing colours/contrasts and something that will give a bit of colour/interest pretty much year round. As well as food and shelter for birds in winter. Anyone have any ideas about where I can start, what types of hedging plants I could go for. I have a fairly narrow area to fill so I don't want anything that will grow to become invasive. All ideas greatly accepted  Many Thanks Paul |
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Post by sleepysunday on Dec 7, 2006 12:17:08 GMT
Pyrocantha springs to mind. The flowers are not spectacular, but the berries are a joy - and the birds love em.
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Post by Alicat on Dec 7, 2006 12:42:16 GMT
I was thinking of that one to sleepy - but couldn't remember the name. I've got one in my front garden. - looks like the birds have had a munch already. ;D - don't think it's suitable for humans though.?
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Post by sleepysunday on Dec 7, 2006 13:00:32 GMT
No it's not, but nothing is going to tick all the boxes except a hedge of plastic flowers adorned with foil wrapped chocolate ornaments and bird feeders.
Sloe bushes are dull and dowdy
Cob nuts are a bit big, and boring
Elder gets too large
Hawthorn or cotoneaster are good choices, but the berries are much brighter and prettier with pyrocantha
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2006 13:05:31 GMT
Pyrocantha looks good, just looked up some images.
I might also try a Sloe as well, I do like my gin!
Looks like I may just have to be content with food for the birds.
How quick do Rowans grown and can they be "coppiced", is that the right word? so they grow bushy rather than into a small tree. I've heard that the berries make a good jelly.
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Post by sleepysunday on Dec 7, 2006 13:13:50 GMT
The sloes won't give you gin, they will flavour the gin you buy from the shop.
Fill bottle with:
1/3 pricked sloes
1/3 white sugar
top up bottle with gin
Shake daily until sugar is dissolved (1 to 2 weeks)
Then store for at least a year
Rowan (Mountain Ash) is fast growing, and can be coppiced.
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Post by andy on Dec 7, 2006 13:16:13 GMT
Yew, Berberis, Arbutus, holly, Aucuba, Hawthorn and pyrecantha are a few worth mentioning.
You could even have a "hedge" of dwarf fruit trees or a hedge of hawthorn or pyrecantha for example and grow a grape vine through it
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Post by Spruance on Dec 7, 2006 13:22:40 GMT
Have a look at this Buckingham Nurseries link Paul. Scroll down to Edible Hedging at the bottom of the page. |
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Post by 4pygmies on Dec 7, 2006 17:05:50 GMT
If you haven't much space I would be careful with Hawthorn as it grows very quickly and is very painful to prune! I don't get many berries on the hawthorn hedge I planted down one side of the flower garden as I have to prune it quite often so the kids don't get snared....as well as the ones mentioned above you could try dog rose or buddleja with honeysuckle and ivy twining through it ( for nectar). Rowan trees are quite slow growing and although the berries are good for jelly making, iin my garden, I find that they are the very last to be eaten by the birds. Also maybe consider a thornless blackberry in there somewhere - the berries are huge and gorgeous and easier to pick.
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Post by oldmoleskins on Dec 7, 2006 17:57:08 GMT
If you do resign yourself to just feeding the birds, think about including some Yew. It's tolerant of a wide variety of soil types, nowhere near as slow as some would have you believe, evergreen - so a good screen, and thrushes love the berries.
OM.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2006 20:46:13 GMT
This is how my pyracantha looked a few weeks ago  |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2006 10:31:46 GMT
Excellent, got a lot to go on there.
Did anyone see the program about one of Kew's Gardeners eating a Yew Berry? Not the seed which is apparently the poisinous part but the flesh, he said it tasted like raspeberries. I haven't picked up enough courage to try that yet,
Many Thanks
Paul
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2006 14:38:58 GMT
pyrocanthus is good for berries but very prickly, keeps burglars at bay but not good if you have to brush past it. You need good strong leather gloves when you trim it too.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2006 12:56:41 GMT
Excellent, got a lot to go on there. Did anyone see the program about one of Kew's Gardeners eating a Yew Berry? Not the seed which is apparently the poisinous part but the flesh, he said it tasted like raspeberries. I haven't picked up enough courage to try that yet, Many Thanks Paul I've read that's the case - but would require some 'encouragement' to try. It's the gardening equivalent of the slightly pissed "let's go swimming in the canal" mutual daredevil thing... What about section of thornless blackberries on a discrete frame, perhaps backed with something evergreen? DD. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2006 12:02:58 GMT
If you haven't much space I would be careful with Hawthorn as it grows very quickly and is very painful to prune! Yes, be very careful. I have a thorn hedge next door which is well over 20 feet high. the owner will not cut it, so I side my side up (hoping it will eventually collapse his side). I use a Wolf lopper and grecian saw with a handle I made up with two television poles. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2006 14:48:01 GMT
I'm planning a Blackthorn Hedge so i can pick all those lovely Sloes as i've not been able to find any locally.  As someone suggested earlier Buckingham Nurseries have a good selection including Blackthorn. |
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