Company details for:

Hedges Direct Ltd

(14)

Five Acres Nursery,
Dawbers Lane,
Euxton,
Chorley,
Lancashire,
PR7 6EE,
United Kingdom

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Products

Cherry Laurel

Cherry Laurel

The Common or Cherry Laurel is a vigorous, dense evergreen shrub with large, glossy, bright green leaves, which makes an ideal hedge. It produces modest white flowers in spring and red berries in autumn, but both are insignificant and really it is chosen for its vibrant foliage.

Cherry Laurel growth rate
Cherry Laurel growth rate is relatively fast at approx 30/60cm which makes it a very economical way to achieve a good height of evergreen hedge. It should be trimmed to shape in spring or autumn.

Cherry Laurel cell grown and pot grown plants are available all year round. Bare roots are only available from November to late April/early May. Root Balls are available from mid-October to mid-April
Portuguese Laurel

Portuguese Laurel

Portuguese Laurel (Prunus lusitanica Angustifolia) boasts luscious dark green, pointed, glossy leaves on striking deep pink or maroon stems. Portuguese Laurel has a classical quality to it, similarly to Bay Laurel, that makes it ideal for formal situations. This evergreen hedging plant has small fragrant white flowers (loved by bees and butterflies) in the summer and small red fruits (incredibly popular with birds), turning black, in autumn. Prunus lusitanica Angustifolia is easy to grow in all soils and situations (including dry shade although it will need to be kept moist and fed until established) and is a particularly good choice for chalk soils (avoid coastal positions).

Portuguese Laurel hedging features
Foliage: Evergreen, glossy, dark green leaves
Features: White flowers and winter berries. Stems are dark pink
Growth Rate: Moderate - approx. 30/60cm per year
Hedge Height: 1m - 5m hedges
Hardiness: Fully hardy - hardier in fact than the popular Cherry Laurel
Soil Type: Any - notably good on chalk
Position: All but coastal
Perfect For: Formal hedging
Hornbeam

Hornbeam

Hornbeam is very similar to Beech (Fagus sylvatica) in appearance but its leaves have deeper veins. Carpinus Betulus hedging tolerates poor soils and exposed sites better than Beech. It is a hardy, native, semi evergreen (holding its leaves through winter although it does tend to lose more leaves than Beech), with green catkins in late spring through to autumn, turning to fruit suitable for wildlife - see our other reccomended native suggestions. Hornbeam's winter appearance is very similar to Beech with copper coloured leaves but they aren't quite as bright in colour, more of a brown/grey compared to the orange/brown of Fagus sylvatica leaves

Ideal for heights of up to 5 metres, Hornbeam makes the perfect hedge for keeping out noise and wind, as well as providing a fantastic privacy screen. Not only a good option if you are looking for privacy, Hornbeam excells in poorer conditions so if you planting with limitations such as shade, clay/wet soils or windy sites then Carpinus betulus may be the right hedge for you. Another use of Hornbeam hedging is within mixed native packs, because while it makes an exceptional single species hedge it also shines when combined with other species. Hornbeam is available in all root types and can be purchased as cell grown, pot grown, bare roots, root balls and instant hedging.

Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) 40/60cm in 2 litre pots
Price:£3.99 (Excluding VAT at 20%)

Recommended planting density = 3 to 5 per metre
Hawthorn

Hawthorn

Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna is a popular native deciduous hedging plant also known as Quickthorn, May Blossom, May Thorn or May Flower. The clues are in the names - its thorny and it flowers in May. It heralds the arrival of spring, by bursting into leaf within a few days of the initial buds appearing, has an abundant and spectacular display of white scented blossom, and it develops glossy red haws in autumn, which sustain our native birds (especially starlings, thrushes, blackbirds and redwings) and Hawthorn supports more than 150 species of insect, a rich food source for birds such as wrens and blue tits. Dense branches covered with sharp thorns provide a safe place to roost and nest. For more bird friendly hedging, see our incredible range of hedge plants with thorns and hedges with berries.



Leylandii

Leylandii

Leylandii is the fastest growing hedge plant of all (grows by approx 75-90cm p.a.), Leylandii has a bad reputation when it is not kept to a maintainable height, but this is a very popular choice amongst those who recognise its superb attributes and those looking for a good height on a small budget. Regular clipping of the mid green, spray like citrus scented foliage, in midsummer and autumn, can make this a superb, dense, formal garden hedge, ideal as a windbreak and for noise reduction. We also offer Golden Leylandii, a brightly coloured hedging conifer that makes a great alternative to classic Leylandii hedging.

For a similar conifer appearance but which can be cut back into old wood, please consider Western Red Cedar or see our Conifer Hedging page. If conifers aren't for you, we offer an array of evergreen alternatives.

Photinia

Photinia

With a very long flowering period from late spring throughout summer and into early autumn, these selected Potentilla varieties are excellent for informal low hedging. They are compact plants and once established they need very little maintenance other than a quick trim to shape in autumn and removal of any straggly shoots and to encourage optimal flowering, an annual mulch or couple of handfuls of fertiliser mixed into the soil with a trowel. Potentilla thrives in moist soil and although they prefer reasonably rich soil they will tolerate poor soil as well. They are very durable plants and will tolerate drought, flood, and extreme cold and will therefore thrive in seaside locations - view our fantastic collection of plants suited to these extreme weather conditions. They do well in both sun and all but the most dense shade. They are deciduous and will grow to approx 1.5m maximum height but are also very easy to keep at under 1m. You can view our full range of plants suited to similar heights in our low growing hedge plants section.
Bamboo

Bamboo

We sell a number of varieties of Bamboo which are an excellent choice for a low maintenance, tall hedge. What they all have in common is that they are evergreen; grow very tall very quickly and have beautiful strong canes (in different colours). Bamboo can have a tendancy to be invasive so they are best in areas where there is room to spread, or kept planted in a pot twice the size of the root (even underground); or grown in slightly dry soil which is not their preference. In good conditions they will grow up to 6m tall. To achieve their full height, they like a moist soil so we recommend planting them slightly below ground level (just an inch or two) so that there's a dish around the canes to hold some rainwater.
Beech

Beech

Beech is relatively fast growing, at about 30-60cm p.a. so it does need to be trimmed in late summer/early autumn. The autumn clipping is essential for the leaf coverage to be retained throughout winter.

Beech (Fagus sylvatica) is not grown for its flowers or fruit but for its superb foliage of delicate fluttery leaves with wavy edges, initially a gentle soft golden green, then bright green and finally coppery.

Strictly speaking, our native Beech is deciduous, but its crisp winter leaves, which stay on the plant until pushed off by the new bright green growth in spring, make it a great alternative to an evergreen hedge.


Griselinia Littoralis

Griselinia Littoralis

Griselinia is a dense evergreen hedge plant with soft, glossy apple green leaves on soft green stems. It does well when trimmed to shape and quickly establishes a mature hedge.

Its growth rate is average at approx. 30cm p.a. and it is easy to trim so it's a great low maintenance evergreen hedging plant (though all hedges need maintenance!). Griselinia prefers full sun and a light, well-drained soil and is one of the most suitable species for seaside gardens.
For a colourful, variegated variety, see our range of Griselinia Dixon's Cream hedging, or take a look at our large range of colourful hedging plants.


Holly

Holly

Holly (Ilex aquifolium) is an ideal hedging plant for many reasons. It is slow growing, so needs little maintenance, its dense form and prickly leaves are a good intruder deterrent, its berries on pollinated female plants provide food for native birds throughout the winter and it can be trimmed into a superb formal decorative hedge which provides an excellent windbreak and is also pollution resistant. Being evergreen, Holly keeps its fantastic foliage year round providing you with year round interest and winter cover. Holly is also a very popular choice to include in a native mixed hedge (it is one of the few native evergreens) to provide some winter colour and protection for wildlife. Consider adding a number of our native plants to a mixed feature as this will create a hedge full of diverse colours, shapes and textures. You can also see our whole collection of prickly hedge plants which can be planted alongside Holly for an outstanding, intruder-proof barrier.
Lonicera

Lonicera

This is a dense, bushy, fast growing evergreen and a very popular choice for those who want a medium height evergreen hedge (up to about 2m). Its densely packed leaves, borne on long stems, are tiny so it forms a very dense hedge. It has a high tolerance of clipping which makes it ideal as a neat, formal hedge. Lonicera Nitida is a very common hedging plant despite few people knowing its name - we hope our photograph helps to make it recognisable. You may have heard it referred to as Poor Man's Yew.

Due to its fast growth rate and tiny leaves on supple stems, it's also a very popular choice for topiary . It is easily trimmed in Summer and Autumn. Lonicera Nitida is suitable for shady sites, and most soil types, but not wet or windy sites, or seaside gardens. Don't let hindering planting conditions deter your gardening goals, we supply a huge range of hedging plants for shade and plants for exposed sites.
English Yew

English Yew

English Yew Hedge (Taxus baccata) is the classic British conifer hedge plant, called the King of Hedges. Yew is a dense, dark, evergreen species with bright green spring growth and autumnal red fruits which are much sought after by birds but harmful to humans, pets and livestock. It is often thought to be very slow growing but actually normally grows by 30/40cm pa so not as slow as many people think - but once it reaches its desired height, its easy to maintain.
Western Red Cedar

Western Red Cedar

Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) is a great alternative to Leylandii hedging, as it is slower growing but still provides a dense, evergreen, conifer hedge. The glossy leaves are mid to dark green, aromatic when crushed, and hang gracefully in sprays. It can produce small cones. Its average growth rate is 45/60cm and it should be clipped to shape in early autumn.

Western Red Cedar grows in sun or shade and in any well drained soil - see our entire plants for shade collection here.Unlike Leylandii, Western Red Cedar can be cut back into old wood.

The tall stature and delightful green shades of Western Red Cedar makes it the ideal background to smaller, colourful plants as it magnifies their colours making them stand out within a garden. Western Red Cedar is also highly scented and is known to exhibit scents similar to pineapple. Crush its leaves between your hands and enjoy its smell as this process enhances its delightful smell.
Common Privet

Common Privet

Privet is a widely grown evergreen/semi evergreen, meaning that it is generally evergreen but may lose some or all of its leaves in very hard winters although it shoots right back again in Spring. Privet has rich green leaves and forms creamy white flowers in July, which are attractive to butterflies and birds, but are generally clipped away. Privet is almost indestructible once established and a very popular choice. It is quite fast growing (approx 30cm pa) and should be trimmed a couple of times during the summer to encourage the formation of a dense, formal garden hedge, resistant to pollution and therefore popular in urban and suburban gardens. Privet will grow well virtually anywhere other than wet sites and is suitable for coastal situations although it may defoliate a bit in Winter near the coast - view even more options for plants for exposed sites here. Its leaves and flowers are harmful if eaten.

We also have Golden Privet and Wild Privet.
Lavender

Lavender

Lavender is an extremely popular hedging shrub, whose distinctive look can be easily identified, bringing classical English essence to a garden. Famous for the wonderful spires of blue, purple and white flowers and the delightful fragrance that they produce, Lavender is grown around the world for its beauty, but also for it’s the harvesting of its essential oil, amongst other products.

The sweet scent that Lavender produces, which can be described as pine-like and floral, comes from its attractive grey-green foliage. Being evergreen, Lavender provides you with its wonderful foliage and pleasant aroma through every season.

In summer, Lavender displays short cylindrical flower heads that radiate fantastic colours. You’ll enjoy these profuse flowers every bit as much as the butterflies and bees who adore the spectacular colours and when left unpruned, the flowers develop seeds that make a tasty treat for many garden birds.

We supply a selection of Lavender hedging plants that produce flowers of different shades of blue, purple and white. Whether you prefer the dark colour of Lavender Hidcote, or the supple tones of Dwarf Lavender, at Hedges Direct we have the best Lavender plants for you.
Box

Box

The Box hedge plant (Buxus sempervirens) is the ideal species for formal low hedges or pathway hedging as well as being a classic topiary plant. Buxus sempervirens has very dense small round dark evergreen leaves. It is a slow growing plant with an average rate of growth of approx 10-15cm p.a. and it should be trimmed in late spring with hand shears if possible, keeping the blade of the shears parallel to the hedge surface.

Buxus sempervirens is a native, shade tolerant plant that is suitable for most soil types and sites other than wet or windy sites
Pyracantha ''Firethorn''

Pyracantha ''Firethorn''

Pyracantha is a dense, spiny evergreen shrub so ideal as an intruder deterrent but this variety is also chosen for its profuse, long lasting orange berries in autumn and we also love it for its highly scented creamy flowers in May. It is a tough, hardy plant which grows quite quickly (approx 50cm p.a.) and should be pruned after flowering to expose the spent flowers, which will become berries, to sunshine. It's very easy to grow in most soils and sun or partial shade but is not suitable for seaside gardens, very dense shade, or very windy sites. The network of armoured stems make it a great nesting site for small birds - with "breakfast in bed" in winter when they feast on the ripe berries.

We also stock Pyracantha Yellow Berries & Pyranctha Red Berries
Oleaster (Elaeagnus x ebbingei)

Oleaster (Elaeagnus x ebbingei)

One of our favourites, Oleaster is a tough evergreen shrub, with small but highly scented creamy white flowers in autumn followed by small orange fruits in spring. Yes, that's right, flowers in Autumn and fruits in Spring! The leaves are dark green with silver speckles and silver coloured undersides which look particularly lovely where the wind will blow the leaves to expose the undersides. It is quite fast growing at approx 30-45cm pa, and should be clipped to shape in autumn. Oleaster is ideal for shady, dry, seaside or windy sites but not cold, wet or very alkaline sites.
Escallonia Hedge (Red)

Escallonia Hedge (Red)

Escallonia is a super evergreen shrub with dark green glossy leaves and masses of bright flowers from June to October. It is suitable for most soils and situations and is particularly well suited to coastal situations but is not shade tolerant and does not like extremely cold positions. It is relatively fast growing at approx 30/45cm p.a. It should be pruned for shape after flowering. We have numerous varieties available - See our ultimate guide to Escallonia hedging plants for more information.
Bare Root Hedging

Bare Root Hedging

Bare root hedges are only available when they are dormant, from November until mid/late May, depending on weather conditions and whether the plant has been cold stored.

We have a wide range of UK grown bare root hedging plants available at very competitive prices and are happy to mix varieties into any combination you wish or you can order one of our Mixed Native Hedge Packs which contains especially selected species to provide a long period of interest and wildlife support.


We also have discounted packs of 50, 100, 250, 500 or 1000 Beech, Box, Blackthorn, Cherry Laurel,Hawthorn, Holly, Hornbeam, Privet, English Yew, and Griselinia
We have discounted bundles of these species because they are the most popular but if you want large quantities of any other species - or a mixture - we can offer similar discounts but you'll need to phone us on 01257 263873.
Plant Feed & Fertiliser

Plant Feed & Fertiliser

Rootgrow Mycorrhizal Fungi - Ideal for application during planting. We recommend Rootgrow for all planting projects. It ensures a well-established root system, better drought tolerance, healthier growth and superior establishment. We consider this a must, as do the Royal Horticultural Society.

Bonemeal Root Builder - Ideal for application during planting and for aftercare. An organic, slow release fertiliser which can be used instead of Rootgrow for budget planting, or (more commonly) as a top-dressing in the Spring.

Seaweed bio-stimulant - Ideal for application as an aftercare product. This feed works particularly well in conjunction with Rootgrow as the liquid seaweed can speed up the mycorrhizal colonisation by up to 60%

Afterplant Evergreen Bio-Active Fertiliser - Ideal for application as an aftercare product for ervergreens. Complementing the use of Rootgrow as a planting aid, Afterplant is the perfect companion to evergreen plants, both ground and container grown
Instant Hedging

Instant Hedging

Our range of instant hedging is made up of some of our most popular varieties. These super specimens are grown in troughs or bags that measure 1 metre in length (some varieties in 50cm lengths) and create a dramatic, instant hedge effect. Depending on the age of the plant, they are carefully clipped up to 10 times to produce the instant hedge result. Our choice of instant hedges includes: Beech (Fagus sylvatica), Box (Buxus sempervirens) and Privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium) to name but a few.

Benefits of planting instant hedging troughs:
-Immediate, impressive impact
-Mature plants that have already knitted together
-Suitable for planting all year round
-Creates show garden quality and effect
Root Ball Hedging

Root Ball Hedging

Root balls are gorgeous, large, heavy, mature plants. They are fantastic value for money because they are grown in fields rather than pots and carefully lifted with specialised equipment specifically for each customer, minimising the time they are out of the soil.

Root balling is a method of growing evergreen and a few deciduous species and is generally an autumn/ winter/ early spring plant. Most species are available mid October to mid May. With the exception of Box (Buxus sempervirens) which is available year round and Yew (Taxus Baccata) which is a very accommodating hedging species. Yew is generally available as a root ball for a longer period (normally mid september until mid May)
Rootgrow

Rootgrow

Each pack of Rootgrow contains organic mycorrhizal (pronounced my-cor-y-zal) fungi - a friendly fungi for plants which greatly promotes healthy growth.
Bamboo Canes

Bamboo Canes

Support Canes should be used in windy locations to help support freshly planted bare roots whilst the roots establish

Our Canes are made from Bamboo
60cm in Length
Helps Support Bare Root Plants

About us

Trading since 2005, Hedges Direct are specialist suppliers of hedging, pleached and ornamental trees, living screens, topiary and turf.

With decades of experience in the horticultural industry and a culture firmly focused on quality and service, we are able to supply specimen plants for any size project or garden, all with an industry leading delivery turnaround.

Our award-winning sales and service team are available 7 days a week, offering bespoke quotes and expert advice. We offer next day, weekend and specified delivery dates and we’ll deliver direct to your home or your client’s address, on a day to suit you, with no signature required.

With our own plant nursery and an extensive network of growers across the UK and Europe, if we don’t stock it, we can usually source it so please get in touch with your requirements.

Find our most popular hedging species on the home page of our website along with special offers and all your hedging solutions including :
  • Evergreen Hedging
  • Pot Grown Packs
  • Extra Large Root Balls
  • Conifer Hedging
Hedges Direct have been supplying ITV’s Love Your Garden television series since 2013.

Hedges Direct are proud to have been recognised as a Platinum Trusted Merchant by Feefo.

The Hedging Network

As a nationwide supplier of hedging plants (amongst other things) we are regularly asked by our customers for recommended horticulture experts in their area. The Hedging Network was created to bring together a selection of reputable and experienced landscapers and garden designers from around the country, in order to display their contact details in one location.

Joining The Hedging Network allows your company details to be visible to the thousands of potential customers browsing our website every day. As an Approved Member, our sales team are able to refer customers directly to you when placing their order. We’ve received a lot of positive feedback from Approved Members and it’s completely FREE to join!

In addition to your contact details being visible within our database, a direct link to your website will also be included so that browsing customers can easily access more information if it was needed. An Approved Member has full access to our approved badge which can be displayed on your website so you can showcase your membership and advertise that your company demonstrates the high level of quality service and expertise required to meet The Hedging Network criteria. We also broadcast our new joiners on our social media pages, reaching even more clientele.

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