Beech Hedge Plants
Although beech plants are deciduous, its striking winter leaves stay on the hedge until they are ready to make way for new growth in spring, making beech hedging a wonderful alternative to evergreen hedging that provides year-round interest.
Fantastic on its own as a formal hedge, beech hedging also makes a wonderful addition to a native mixed hedge to provide a burst of winter colour, as well as shelter for local wildlife when the rest of the deciduous hedge loses its leaves. If you're looking for a hedge with the characteristics of Beech hedging but in a different colour option, Purple Beech hedging - also known as Copper Beech - makes a striking alternative.
Beech hedging is a relatively fast grower, achieving around 30-60cm per annum. Fagus sylvatica does require some maintenance - after a light trim to tidy if required in early summer, we recommend trimming your beech hedge in late summer or early autumn, to make sure you can retain some of the lovely leaf coverage in winter.
Fagus sylvatica grows well in sun or partial shade, and thrives in well-drained soils. However, beech hedging is not suitable for heavy clay or wet sites - we'd suggest Hornbeam hedging as a fantastic alternative in this case, as it offers a similar appearance but can cope better with trickier planting situations. Beech can be grown in windy sites as a windbreak hedge, but be aware that it may not keep all of its winter leaves in very exposed positions, such as coastal sites.
If you are looking for a more established hedge, or a privacy screen for your garden, Fagus sylvatica is also available as an instant hedging screen to immediately transform the look of your garden, offering the beautiful aesthetics of a hedge whilst giving the privacy and security of a fence.
If Beech hedging isn't the ideal hedge for you, you'll find a comprehensive selection of alternatives and suggestions for your garden via our Choosing the Right Species page, or you can call the sales team on 01257 263 873.
Planting a Beech hedgePrices shown are the price per plant, other than the discounted packs of 250, 500 and 1000. Planting distance is very much a matter of choice. For bare roots, 3 plants per metre is adequate, 5 is good, 7 plants in a double staggered row makes a dense hedge quicker. Smaller plants are generally planted at higher density than tall plants. Pot grown plants have recommended densities shown (which vary by pot size) but you can increase or reduce this density dependent on your level of patience. Cell grown should be planted at 4 per metre in a single row, or ideally 6 per metre in a staggered row. Root ball Beech is normally planted at 2-3 per metre in a single row.
Beech hedging spacingPlanting distances are very much a matter of choice - for bare roots, 3 plants per metre is adequate, 5 is good, 7 in a double staggered row will give a dense hedge quicker. Generally, smaller plants should be planted at higher density. Cell grown should be planted at 4 per metre in a single row or 6 per metre in a staggered row but particularly with this species you could consider planting more densely.
Planting density for pot grown and root ball beech hedging plants is as shown but you can vary this depending on your budget and how long you’re willing to wait to see the finished product. For more information on planting distances please see our
planting density advice section.
Cell grown, pot grown and instant beech hedging plants are available to buy all year round. Bare roots and Root ball beech hedging is only available from November to late April/early May.
Beech hedging is relatively low maintenance and by planning your beech hedging care routine carefully, you will only have to prune once or twice a year.
A beech hedge can be lightly trimmed and tidied up in June, if it’s looking a little messy, however we recommend pruning an established beech hedge in late summer. August is the ideal time, as a late summer cutting means that the plants have enough time to regrow and recover before the winter and a last flush of growth increases the winter coverage that makes beech hedging so popular.
Looking after a beech hedge is important, but it is possible to renovate an overgrown beech hedge. This sort of beech hedging maintenance should be carried out in February whilst it’s still dormant. If your overgrown beech hedge requires cutting back by more than half of its size it is best to do this gradually over two growing seasons. Firstly, cut back the top and one side of the hedge, leaving the other side for the following year.
Hard pruning is nothing to worry about, the beech hedging growth rate is particularly fast, approximately 30-60cm per year so your hedge will soon recover. With regular beech hedging maintenance, we do recommend using a slow release fertiliser, such as Bonemeal."
Free delivery is available on all orders providing they meet the minimum spend criteria for the size of box or pallet. Pallet deliveries and large box deliveries for tall plants are indicated by icons on the product table listings. Delivery costs and minimum order details for each packaging type are as follows:
| Packaging Type | Standard Delivery Charge | Minimum Order Values (incl VAT) for FREE Delivery |
|---|
| Small Box (Bare Roots up to 1.2m) | £12 delivery charge (orders up to £100 incl VAT) | Orders of £100 and over - FREE |
| Box (Pots up to and incl. 7.5L) | £12 delivery charge (orders up to £100 incl VAT) | Orders of £100 and over - FREE |
| Large/Tall Box (Tall bare roots 1.2m +) | £18 delivery charge (orders up to £120 incl VAT) | Orders of £120 and over - FREE |
| Pallet (Root balls, large pots, trees etc) | £60 delivery charge (orders up to £240 incl VAT) | Orders of £240 and over - FREE |
There are some exceptions to the standard delivery pricing structure, which relate to deliveries to more remote areas, overseas, or extremely tall plants requiring specialist delivery - for more information see the
Delivery Information Page. (Please note that due to new Brexit rules, we are currently unable to export to both Northern and Southern Ireland.)It's Quick! - Please note current delivery is 3 - 7 working days! (Some trees can be 7-10 days as standard - see product pages for info.)
Next Day Delivery is Available - We can offer next day delivery on eligible species and sizes for an additional £12 incl VAT. Call
01257 263 873 to find out if your order is eligible.
It's Convenient - no need to wait in all day to sign, we don't need a signature (the odd, larger order may require a signature but will be delivered at a mutually agreeable time)
It's Tried & Tested - we use only couriers who have shown consistency in their efficiency & care
* Please note that delivery costs are based on the final order amount in your cart
after any discounts have been applied.
Hedges Direct 12 Month Plant Guarantee
Our plants are guaranteed for 12 months after delivery subject to specific criteria. Visit our
Hedges Direct Plant Guarantee Page for full details.
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