On 31/07/2012 22:44, Sacha wrote:
On 2012-07-31 19:01:22 +0100, Tim Watts said:

Thanks to everyone so far - some promising ideas. And I have never
heard of
any of the suggestions, so I'd never have worked this out wiothout all
your
help

Cheers!

Tim

I'm afraid I'm going to disagree with those suggesting Escallonia. While
it does, indeed, make an extremely handsome hedge, imo it looks
absolutely dreadful as 'dot' planting and achieves a kind of scruffiness
that is very undesirable! If you decide to grub the whole hedge out
and replace it, then I'd certainly say look at Escallonia. But as a few
plants interspersed with established holly and hawthorn, it will look
like a ballet dancer in a coalmine, imo.

Our neighbours have a part Escallonia hedge. Problem is, the part that
isn't Escallonia grows faster, so needs cutting before the Esc gets to
flower

How about Pyracantha? there's a hedge in a nearby village made up of mixed berry colour and looks fantastic and its about 4' tall as well.

Maybe if you live in Alltnaharra holly is about the limit of what you can grow as an evergreen bush (though I bet the heather grows high enough to be hedge there). But in most inhabited locations, even in frost pockets in Shropshire, you'd get away with quite a lot more. It has to get pretty cold to kill cherry laurel. I believe it succeeded in doing that in parts of Germany recently, but it was -28 or something. Not seen much evidence of privet hedges being killed by recent winters. Nor viburnum tinus. Though these are fairly boring things.

There are various evergreen Berberis that I have seen no evidence of dying despite recent winters, and seem to be excellent hedging.

Box (buxus) is a native, growing high on hills in the Chilterns, so must be pretty hardy - though it can apparently be killed by some nasty disease going around called box blight. Christmas box (sarcococca) makes a nice hedge, or insert into one, and seems hardy enough. Some Osmanthus spp seem fine too. I could go on.

On the other hand, my bay was frozen to the ground last winter by a mere single night at -10, having survived the previous two winters. Griselinia has survived fine around where I live, but I have heard of it being killed a few places.

If I may break into this thread, could someone please tell me exactly how to
insert privet cuttings into my hedge to fill in gaps.
I have cut down my hedge to a manageable height ( 1 metre) but my neighbour
seems to think I've destroyed the "shared" hedge. The hedge had become
leggy with little growth at the bottom.... I now hope it will fillout in the
future.

TIA

Bill

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2012-07-31 19:01:22 +0100, Tim Watts said:

Thanks to everyone so far - some promising ideas. And I have never heard
of
any of the suggestions, so I'd never have worked this out wiothout all
your
help

Cheers!

Tim

I'm afraid I'm going to disagree with those suggesting Escallonia. While
it does, indeed, make an extremely handsome hedge, imo it looks absolutely
dreadful as 'dot' planting and achieves a kind of scruffiness that is very
undesirable! If you decide to grub the whole hedge out and replace it,
then I'd certainly say look at Escallonia. But as a few plants
interspersed with established holly and hawthorn, it will look like a
ballet dancer in a coalmine, imo.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
http://www.shop.helpforheroes.org.uk/

On 02/08/2012 18:52, Bill Grey wrote:
If I may break into this thread, could someone please tell me exactly how to
insert privet cuttings into my hedge to fill in gaps.
I have cut down my hedge to a manageable height ( 1 metre) but my neighbour
seems to think I've destroyed the "shared" hedge. The hedge had become
leggy with little growth at the bottom.... I now hope it will fillout in the
future.

TIA

Bill

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2012-07-31 19:01:22 +0100, Tim Watts said:

Thanks to everyone so far - some promising ideas. And I have never heard
of
any of the suggestions, so I'd never have worked this out wiothout all
your
help

Cheers!

Tim

I'm afraid I'm going to disagree with those suggesting Escallonia. While
it does, indeed, make an extremely handsome hedge, imo it looks absolutely
dreadful as 'dot' planting and achieves a kind of scruffiness that is very
undesirable! If you decide to grub the whole hedge out and replace it,
then I'd certainly say look at Escallonia. But as a few plants
interspersed with established holly and hawthorn, it will look like a
ballet dancer in a coalmine, imo.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
http://www.shop.helpforheroes.org.uk/



Get straight cuttings around 12 to 18 inches in length, place the lower
end against the soil
Then PUSH

"David Hill" wrote in message
...
On 02/08/2012 18:52, Bill Grey wrote:
If I may break into this thread, could someone please tell me exactly how
to
insert privet cuttings into my hedge to fill in gaps.
I have cut down my hedge to a manageable height ( 1 metre) but my
neighbour
seems to think I've destroyed the "shared" hedge. The hedge had become
leggy with little growth at the bottom.... I now hope it will fillout in
the
future.

TIA

Bill

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2012-07-31 19:01:22 +0100, Tim Watts said:

Thanks to everyone so far - some promising ideas. And I have never
heard
of
any of the suggestions, so I'd never have worked this out wiothout all
your
help

Cheers!

Tim

I'm afraid I'm going to disagree with those suggesting Escallonia.
While
it does, indeed, make an extremely handsome hedge, imo it looks
absolutely
dreadful as 'dot' planting and achieves a kind of scruffiness that is
very
undesirable! If you decide to grub the whole hedge out and replace it,
then I'd certainly say look at Escallonia. But as a few plants
interspersed with established holly and hawthorn, it will look like a
ballet dancer in a coalmine, imo.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
http://www.shop.helpforheroes.org.uk/



Get straight cuttings around 12 to 18 inches in length, place the lower
end against the soil
Then PUSH

Thanks David, do the cuttings have to be taken at a leaf node and the next
couple of leaves above removed?

Bill

On 02/08/2012 22:07, Bill Grey wrote:
"David Hill" wrote in message
...
On 02/08/2012 18:52, Bill Grey wrote:
If I may break into this thread, could someone please tell me exactly how
to
insert privet cuttings into my hedge to fill in gaps.
I have cut down my hedge to a manageable height ( 1 metre) but my
neighbour
seems to think I've destroyed the "shared" hedge. The hedge had become
leggy with little growth at the bottom.... I now hope it will fillout in
the
future.

TIA

Bill

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2012-07-31 19:01:22 +0100, Tim Watts said:

Thanks to everyone so far - some promising ideas. And I have never
heard
of
any of the suggestions, so I'd never have worked this out wiothout all
your
help

Cheers!

Tim

I'm afraid I'm going to disagree with those suggesting Escallonia.
While
it does, indeed, make an extremely handsome hedge, imo it looks
absolutely
dreadful as 'dot' planting and achieves a kind of scruffiness that is
very
undesirable! If you decide to grub the whole hedge out and replace it,
then I'd certainly say look at Escallonia. But as a few plants
interspersed with established holly and hawthorn, it will look like a
ballet dancer in a coalmine, imo.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
http://www.shop.helpforheroes.org.uk/



Get straight cuttings around 12 to 18 inches in length, place the lower
end against the soil
Then PUSH

Thanks David, do the cuttings have to be taken at a leaf node and the next
couple of leaves above removed?

Bill


I've never found Privet to be fussy, I've even used 3 year old cuttings
and had over 60% success, Take the cuttings end of Sept, October, strip
half way up the stem, some will say pinch out the top as well then
either just push them in the gaps, or if you don't have time heal them
in to a spare patch of ground and use ASAP after, they can start rooting
in as little as 10 weeks, depending on the weather.
David@ the Sunny end of Swansea Bay; sorry folks, that's the moon out there.

On 02/08/2012 22:51, Sacha wrote:
On 2012-08-02 22:41:11 +0100, David Hill
said:

On 02/08/2012 22:07, Bill Grey wrote:
"David Hill" wrote in message
...
On 02/08/2012 18:52, Bill Grey wrote:
If I may break into this thread, could someone please tell me
exactly how
to
insert privet cuttings into my hedge to fill in gaps.
I have cut down my hedge to a manageable height ( 1 metre) but my
neighbour
seems to think I've destroyed the "shared" hedge. The hedge had
become
leggy with little growth at the bottom.... I now hope it will
fillout in
the
future.

TIA

Bill

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2012-07-31 19:01:22 +0100, Tim Watts said:

Thanks to everyone so far - some promising ideas. And I have never
heard
of
any of the suggestions, so I'd never have worked this out
wiothout all
your
help

Cheers!

Tim

I'm afraid I'm going to disagree with those suggesting Escallonia.
While
it does, indeed, make an extremely handsome hedge, imo it looks
absolutely
dreadful as 'dot' planting and achieves a kind of scruffiness that is
very
undesirable! If you decide to grub the whole hedge out and
replace it,
then I'd certainly say look at Escallonia. But as a few plants
interspersed with established holly and hawthorn, it will look like a
ballet dancer in a coalmine, imo.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
http://www.shop.helpforheroes.org.uk/



Get straight cuttings around 12 to 18 inches in length, place the lower
end against the soil
Then PUSH

Thanks David, do the cuttings have to be taken at a leaf node and
the next
couple of leaves above removed?

Bill


I've never found Privet to be fussy, I've even used 3 year old
cuttings and had over 60% success, Take the cuttings end of Sept,
October, strip half way up the stem, some will say pinch out the top
as well then either just push them in the gaps, or if you don't have
time heal them in to a spare patch of ground and use ASAP after, they
can start rooting in as little as 10 weeks, depending on the weather.
David@ the Sunny end of Swansea Bay; sorry folks, that's the moon out
there.

Hope it's a happy birthday moon for you, David and that it's been a dry
day! Happy Birthday!

Thanks Sacha,
Dry all afternoon but we had gone out for lunch and to do a bit of
shopping, the ground is still muddy so my poor legs have a chance to
recover.
Just think, in 30 years time I'll be getting a telegram from the King.
David

"David Hill" wrote in message
...
On 02/08/2012 22:07, Bill Grey wrote:
"David Hill" wrote in message
...
On 02/08/2012 18:52, Bill Grey wrote:
If I may break into this thread, could someone please tell me exactly
how
to
insert privet cuttings into my hedge to fill in gaps.
I have cut down my hedge to a manageable height ( 1 metre) but my
neighbour
seems to think I've destroyed the "shared" hedge. The hedge had become
leggy with little growth at the bottom.... I now hope it will fillout
in
the
future.

TIA

Bill

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2012-07-31 19:01:22 +0100, Tim Watts said:

Thanks to everyone so far - some promising ideas. And I have never
heard
of
any of the suggestions, so I'd never have worked this out wiothout
all
your
help

Cheers!

Tim

I'm afraid I'm going to disagree with those suggesting Escallonia.
While
it does, indeed, make an extremely handsome hedge, imo it looks
absolutely
dreadful as 'dot' planting and achieves a kind of scruffiness that is
very
undesirable! If you decide to grub the whole hedge out and replace
it,
then I'd certainly say look at Escallonia. But as a few plants
interspersed with established holly and hawthorn, it will look like a
ballet dancer in a coalmine, imo.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
http://www.shop.helpforheroes.org.uk/



Get straight cuttings around 12 to 18 inches in length, place the lower
end against the soil
Then PUSH

Thanks David, do the cuttings have to be taken at a leaf node and the
next
couple of leaves above removed?

Bill


I've never found Privet to be fussy, I've even used 3 year old cuttings
and had over 60% success, Take the cuttings end of Sept, October, strip
half way up the stem, some will say pinch out the top as well then either
just push them in the gaps, or if you don't have time heal them in to a
spare patch of ground and use ASAP after, they can start rooting in as
little as 10 weeks, depending on the weather.
David@ the Sunny end of Swansea Bay; sorry folks, that's the moon out
there.

Again, many thanks David - I shall do as you advise and I hope success will
appease my neighbour !

Bill