Choosing a hedge for your Irish garden
- Elaine Staveley
- Feb 3
- 4 min read
Updated: Feb 14
Hedges are a versatile and hardworking addition to any garden. This article will help you choose the right hedge for your garden.
Hedges serve as excellent windbreaks, offering much better wind protection than solid barriers such as a wall or a fence. Additionally, hedges play a significant role in improving air quality; for example, a hedge that is 1m long and 1.5m tall can absorb as much pollution as the emissions from about 60 diesel cars annually (1).
Hedges look great, can attract wildlife, and will also help prevent flooding. They can also soften the boundary lines of your garden, offering a more natural and pleasant view than fences or walls, which tend to emphasise boundaries.
What to Consider When Choosing a Hedge
Do you need to block out an unsightly view, like a wall or a bin? Choose a hedge that will grow to the height and density that you need to block the view.
Are you hoping to attract wildlife, such as bees or birds? Native Irish hedges will generally offer the most benefit to wildlife.
Would you prefer an evergreen hedge that stays green year-round, or a deciduous one that changes with the seasons?
Consider the eventual height of the hedge. If you want a tall hedge, opt for a faster-growing variety, but keep in mind that this will require more frequent pruning.
How easy will it be to prune? Some hedges are 'spikey', such as hawthorn, barberry and blackthorn, and may need a certain level of agility to trim
How will the hedge fit into your overall planting scheme? Consider the style (formal or informal) and the colour.
If you're unsure where to begin, take a walk around your neighbourhood to see which hedging plants are growing well in your area or consider one of the 15 hedges below.
15 Hedges for an Irish Garden
Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna):Â A hardy, deciduous native hedge that thrives in most conditions. It features glossy leaves, fragrant white flowers, and red berries, making it perfect for attracting birds. Prune in winter.
Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens):Â A classic evergreen plant with small leaves and a dense, compact habit, boxwood is ideal for formal hedges. However, some gardeners are avoiding because of Box blight. To help prevent blight, ensure it has good air circulation and is well-fed. Regular pruning is required to maintain its neat, formal look.
Yew (Taxus baccata):Â An evergreen hedge that suits both traditional and contemporary gardens. Yew is relatively fast-growing and requires pruning in both summer and autumn to maintain its shape. This is a good option to replace box if your box hedge has suffered from blight. Be aware that its berries are toxic to humans.
Maple (Acer campestre):Â A great choice for a native, deciduous hedge. It has vibrant yellow leaves in autumn and adapts well to a variety of conditions. Prune in early winter.
Hazel (Corylus avellana):Â A lovely, informal deciduous hedge with dense foliage and attractive catkins in early spring. Hazel grows well in various conditions and can produce edible nuts. Prune after flowering.
Beech (Fagus sylvatica):Â Known for its soft, green, wavy leaves, beech retains its old leaves through winter until the new ones push them off. It turns coppery in the fall and needs pruning in late summer.
Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus):Â Similar in appearance to beech, hornbeam is more tolerant of poor soils and exposed locations. It holds onto its yellow-to-orange autumn leaves and has fragrant white summer flowers. Prune in late summer.
Escallonia:Â An evergreen plant with glossy dark leaves and fragrant pink or white flowers in late summer. Prune immediately after flowering.
Portuguese Laurel (Prunus lusitanica):Â With its dark, glossy leaves, this fast-growing evergreen provides a smart, dense hedge. Prune in late spring or early summer.
Sweet box (Sarcococca):Â Sarcococca hedges are perfect for shade. From December until March the hedge will have creamy white flowers with a strong, sweet scent. It will also grow well in containers. Sarcocco can be kept very small and is another good option to replace a box hedge. Prune, if required, after flowering.
Rosemary: A rosemary hedge is an attractive, yet uncommon, choice for a small hedge in Ireland. To help prevent the hedge get leggy, cut back to about 40cm after flowering in early summer. Rosemary is frost hardy, but won't survive a combination of cold and water-logging. So it is best suited to a sunny spot in milder locations of Ireland.
Rugosa Rose (Rosa rugosa):Â A thorny, upright hedge with fragrant pink or red rose flowers in summer and autumn, followed by orange-red rose hips. Will grow in difficult spots. Prune in spring and cut out any suckers that are growing alongside the hedge.
Evergreen Barberry (Berberis x stenophylla): The evergreen barberry has dark, evergreen narrow leaves and clusters of deep-yellow flowers in late spring. It is spikey which will also help deter intruders. Prune after flowering.
Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis): Its glossy dark green leaves make it a beautiful evergreen plant for hedging. It leaves can also be used for cooking. Bay is slow growing and only needs a light trim in summer to keep it in shape.
Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa): A dense, prickly native hedge with white flowers and dark sloes in autumn. It’s great for wildlife and can be used in mixed hedges. Prune in winter.h
These 15 hedges offer a variety of benefits, from privacy and wind protection to supporting wildlife and enhancing the aesthetic of your garden. Choose one that suits your needs, and you'll enjoy a functional, beautiful hedge for years to come.
(1) Giles, L. K., Branquinho, C., & McDonald, J. L. (2021). Understanding the effects of roadside hedges on the horizontal and vertical distributions of air pollutants in street canyons. Environment International, 158, 106883.