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New Photonia hedge planting advice please

KLKL Aberdeen Posts: 86
in Garden design
I am going to replace my deciduous hedge with an evergreen photonia red robin hedge so looking for some planting advice. It will be an L shape 5x2 metres behind a low wall, as pic below. Ultimately I would like it to grow to around 2-2.5 metres at which height I would keep it trimmed.

 I’m unsure whether I should buy pot or root ball , I’ve been told root ball is more bushier and so i would require fewer and the hedge would give me privacy quicker but on the other hand the pot plants have been better nourished but will be hardier, also as they are thinner would it take longer for the hedge to fill out ?

Im also unsure as to how many I would need per metre, I’ve been told 2 by one seller and just the one by another. 




Posts

  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge South LondonPosts: 1,724
    Judging by the crickets so far...I think we're all a bit bored of Red Robin. But if you have your heart set on it... you're slowly running out of time for bare root plants. To calculate distances if you want a thick hedge I'd half the distance recommended indicated by the variety of hedging material so that it joins up faster.  https://www.hedgesdirect.co.uk/ has a good calculator for bare root plants...if you want bare root, order this weekend so you can put in the ground next week. 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • KLKL Aberdeen Posts: 86
    Crickets ? 

    Yes I spoke to hedges direct this afternoon but they were directing me towards the potted ones. My plan is to order ASAP so I can plant as soon as their delivered  but first waiting on some advice on here before ordering. 
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,238
    edited February 2020
    I recommend one planted each meter. Stick to small size shrubs. If they come to you all tall and spindly, prune it down so the wind does not get to them, especially in its early years. Try to dig a far generous deeper border in that space, they will also spread outwards as well as upwards.

    I cannot comment on which is best, but best check with them on how they are currently growing. Many shrubs like Photinias don't cope that well with extreme cold, and that means suppliers may sometimes grow them in warm conditions especially over the winter month to make them look more healthier, but this is not always ideal as once it's planted out in your front garden, it may be cut back by cold weather and wind. 

    It may be best to delay buying and planting them until as late as April if you are in a colder part of the UK.
  • KLKL Aberdeen Posts: 86
    Thanks for your advice Borderline. 
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