liven up my laurel hedge

Ray 3

Hi all,

       I planted a laurel hedge two years ago to screen off a wire fence which runs along  my back garden separating  a small field which houses my two donkeys.(The donkeys have no access to hedge due to electric fence on one side) The hedge runs for about 60 yards and is about 3 feet high at moment and very healthy.I intend to let it grow to 5 to 6 feet at most.

       What I would like is to plant something in the hedge in order to liven or  brighten it up if you will,to break the monotony of the long green hedge running along the side of the lawn.The hedge is lovely in its own right but it is missing something! Perhaps a clematis to grow through it or would that hinder a young hedges growth.Maybe a few American gum trees planted among it to add a bit of colour which I think it needs.

    Any suggestions please or would I be better off leaving it be altogether for the sake of the hedges health.

nutcutlet

I'd remove some laurel and plant something more interesting.

The laurel hedge will never be as lovely again if you let a climber loose on it.

pansyface

Having been where you are, I can assure you that trimming a laurel hedge is hard enough without having to cut round a climber that is growing through it

Ray 3

thanks folks for the advice,so that's the climbers out of the way.Any suggestions for a few small trees to add some colour please?

pansyface

What kind of soil is it?

Ray 3

Im no "monty" pansyface but all I can say is that it is very good soil no stones and I grow a nice sized veggie patch in the back garden with all usual veg and no problems.

nutcutlet

How about a crab apple or a hawthorn

pansyface

Lucky old you. How about a few spindle bushes, rowans or guelder roses. Plant them far enough in front or behind your hedge so that you can trim it.

Dovefromabove

Sometimes people think that a laurel hedge is boring because it's all one colour - that's how they see it - try looking at it differently - look at the way the shiny leaves reflect the light, sometimes they almost sparkle - and look at the deep shadows beneath the leaves and the contrast between the shadows and the sparkling light. 

It's like saying that a wonderful piece of lace is boring because it's all one colour. 

Look at the texture - somehow it's not so boring when you notice the light and the texture

Ray 3

I do take your point absolutely Dove but I just feel with a bit of colour around it,it might add to it somehow.If I were to plant a cherry blossom tree for arguments sake, could I remove a couple of laurel plants from the hedge ,say 2 or 3 (to replant elsewhere in the hedge to thicken it up) and plant the tree flush with the hedge,which I would prefer, or should I plant them in front of or behind the hedge

pansyface

The purpose of the hedge is what? Windbreak? Hiding a view? 

If you take some plants out I think you will have a summertime view of solid dark green slabs interspersed with lollipops on sticks and a wintertime view of said dark green slabs interspersed with more-or-less nothing.

If you need a solid hedge I would put the other plants in front of it.