14 May 2025
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Sarah Raven outlines her favourites for garden hedging and explains how to care for them
Well make love garden designer and agriculturalist Sarah Raven is turning her attention to bush and hedges for garden pattern and biodiversity , with plans to add 3,000 metres of hedging to her Perch Hill Farm .
Since moving to Perch Hill in 1994 , Sarah has planted roughly 750 cadence of hedging , in the mental process create safe nesting habitats for wildlife and providing food for thought for bees , hedgehogs and birds . She recommends using shrubs for their ego - sustain and beautiful quality and says that for new gardener , hedging are the perfect choice , as many are downcast - upkeep and easy to care for , while also creating natural wildlife havens . Sarah ’s program to plant more in Perch Hill will make for a traditional yet well-fixed - to - care - for garden flourish with lifetime and smell .
Sarah explains : “ I think that hedges and shrubs make a perfect addition to any garden .
“ I find that introducing shrubs is a comparatively easy way to elevate your garden , helping to create a live - in look and feel . My favourites are long - permanent , hardy shrubs with glorious olfactory property , which is always a welcome addition to a garden .
Getting started with hedge can be tricky as there ’s not a great mass of advice but so many options to take from . You may not know which will fit your garden best . To make thing easy , here are some care tips for some of my favourite selection . ”
An all - rounder for wildlife – beech unripened hedging
If you have a little garden this works well and is easy to care for . Sarah suggests using five plants per beat length , setting them in a zag to boost a buddy-buddy and shaggy-haired hedge that is idealistic for wildlife tax shelter and nesting .
A modest - maintenance showstopper – Viburnum opulus‘Roseum ’
There are two types of the delightfulViburnum opulus , one which produces eye - catching crimson berries , while the 2d emerge with the most beautiful green pom pommy . Viburnums are self - sustaining and Sarah advocate gently pruning after planting , then mulch with well rotted compost or manure .
Cut back genus Viburnum by a third each year to keep them in shape .
A odorous sensory faculty – Daphne ‘ Perfume Princess ’
daphne are a stiff wintertime bush with an abundantly spicy sweetness , making them an overweening and gorgeous addition to your garden . They can be moody during planting , so attempt to obviate disturbing the roots , as this can make the plant to sulk for a yr and prevent the long - live delicate prime from go forth .
A shadowed garden ’s pipe dream – Hydrangea arborescens‘Incrediball ’
Sarah recommend hydrangea ‘ Incrediball ’ and its vast pompom peak .
These are an absolute delight and often delay upright thanks to ‘ Incrediball ’ having a unattackable neck opening and larger head than its offspring ‘ Annabelle ’ . When caring for this shrub , take away any faded flowerheads once the risk of frosts has passed , before cut back flowered stems to a strong brace of buds .
If you ’d favour a shorter , sturdier plant , Sarah suggests pruning ‘ Incrediball ’ to the solid ground , or if you ’d like a taller industrial plant , prune less .
About Sarah Raven
Sarah ’s objective is to help gardener create colour and beauty through a practical , easy - to - attain approach shot . Her love life of gardening includes growing reduce flowers and veg from seed , and designing gardens full of motley , colour and odour to help the environment and biodiversity . She also host the horticulture podcastGrow , Cook , Eat , Arrange .
