Guardian Hedges

If you want a hedge to deter then you can go for deciduous Hawthorn and Buckthorn, two traditional native stock proof shrubs, both give flowers in Spring and berries in the Winter or if you want an evergreen you can't go wrong with Ilex (Holly) there are many varieties with different coloured berries and variegated leaves which can be shaped as small or big hedges. If you make a small earthen bank (approx 10cm tall, breaking up the soil underneath) and plant the hedging along the top eventually you can train the side twigs to grow down the bank and provide a cat proof barrier. Grow Ivy under the hedge as this will help to fill out any spaces and provide extra biodiversity in the hedge. If you have got Privet hedges try and encourage flowers by not cutting one side, to prevent too much side growth, cut your Privet as normal but on one side (your house side so you can see the butterflies and flowers) Stop cutting at the end of June and this will allow the Privet to develop flower buds at the end of most new growth from then on that year; in late Spring the next year the privet will burst into a mass of flowers, then cut back and don't cut back the other side and so on.

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