Native hedge and shade

borgadr

Hi all.  I have a 25-metre boundary lined with some conifers which I'm having removed shortly with the intention of planting a native hedge in its place.  
The boundary runs east-west meaning the outside gets full sun and the inside (garden-facing) points north. Is there any point going to the trouble of planting a double-row if it means that the inside row (garden-side) will be permanently shaded by the outside row?

Fairygirl

Native hedging pretty much just grows regardless of aspect. Some things will do better than others, depending on soil, moisture and general conditions. That's how it works 

borgadr

Thank you!

rachelQrtJHBjb

We have plenty of hedges that run east to west with the north-facing side getting no direct sun as it flanks a bridleway and there's another hedge 4m from it. It's a double, staggered row and there are no issues. Think of farm hedges and the fact that many have a north-facing side yet grow perfectly well. I bought my bare root stock from Buckingham Nurseries and over the years have put in over 100m of hedging, some single species (hornbeam) but the majority mixed native.

borgadr

Thanks Rachel.  In the mixed hedges, for the most natural effect did you just randomly jumble up the species, or would you have continuous sections of (e.g.) hawthorn, hazel, etc interspersed with clusters of others?

Fairygirl

You'd mix them up. 
As I said- some will do better than others, depending on the conditions/aspect, but that's just standard for a mixed native hedge.

borgadr

Thanks for all the help so far!  A local nursery told me they don't stock Hawthorn because it's a silent carrier of fireblight.  I had planned to use a substantial proportion of hawthorn and I know I can easily source it elsewhere.  
But would it be socially irresponsible for me to plant it?

Fairygirl

How odd. I've never heard that before. It's widely used all over the UK as stock hedging.
Are you in the UK?

borgadr

Yes, I'm down in Kent. Hawthorn is very common down here, and a gorgeous sight in spring. I didn't see any warnings against it on GW and even an article earlier this year recommending it for hedging.

Liriodendron

Strictly speaking, the nursery is right, and hawthorn can be a "silent carrier" of fireblight.  But if hawthorn is common in your area anyway, I can't see any problem in having it in your hedge.  It's not as if you'd be introducing a "foreigner", after all...

Fairygirl

That's fascinating @Liriodendron. I've never heard of that before.
I wonder what the reasoning is by the nursery though. 
Is it more likely to 'spread' in warmer areas or something like that?