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If you are growing crops, you will probably need to take measures to exclude animals, even if only the two-legged variety. Fences and walls only work against the least determined of your uninvited guests. Keeping the others outside may require a bit of creativity.
Barrier hedging is an excellent solution, which adds interest and provides a habitat for smaller species to increase bio-diversity, while at the same time keeping burglars, deer and so on OUTSIDE.
Plants for animalproof hedges
Plant name |
Latin name |
Characteristics |
Deciduous |
Beech | Fagus sylvatica |
Slow growing, keeps leaves in winter |
Blackthorn | Prunus spinosa |
Quick growing, viscious spines |
Field maple | Acer campestre |
Best in mixed hedge |
Hawthorn/quickthorn | Crataegus monogyna |
Quick growing, spiny |
Hornbeam | Carpinus betulus |
Slow growing, keeps leaves in winter |
Roses | Rosa rugosa |
Spiny, decorative flowers and hips, informal |
Sea buckthorn | Hippophae rhamnoides |
Spiny, informal |
Evergreen |
Berberis | Berberis x stenophylla |
Spiny, decorative flowers, informal |
Escallonia | Escallonia |
Informal, decorative flowers |
Holly | Ilex aquifolium |
Spiny |
Leyland cypress | X Cupressocyparis leylandii |
Quick growing. Difficult to restrain and may cause a nuisance |
Privet | Ligustrum ovalifolium |
Quick growing |
Yew | Taxus baccata |
Poisonous, slow growing |
©2004 Frann Leach. All rights reserved.
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