Taxus baccata Hedge Plants Description
English Yew (Taxus baccata), forms a dense, evergreen conifer hedge.The lovely year-round, deep-green foliage has contrasting bright-green spring growth and small autumnal red fruits for added seasonal interest. The fruits are highly sought after by local birds, however, they are harmful to humans, pets and livestock - we strongly advise not to eat them. Yew's compact, needle-like foliage is very easy to trim to shape, making it the ideal hedge plant for formal shaping and an excellent evergreen screen for privacy.
Yew is often believed to be a very slow-growing hedge plant, but in reality, it generally grows by 30/40cm per annum - not as slow as people might think. Once Yew reaches its desired height, it's easy to maintain and will look stylish and elegant in any setting. If you are looking for a classic and timeless conifer hedge plant, we recommend Yew.
A Yew hedge requires a substantial amount of water in the first couple of seasons, but it should not sit in waterlogged soil. For those who have clay, wet soil, we advise improving the drainage when planting this hedge plant. Aside for the volume of water needed for healthy growth and development, Yew is easy to grow, resilient, it can adapt to all soil types, particularly alkaline and it's the ideal hedging plant for the shade. Taxus baccata can also be used in a native garden feature, bringing attractive texture and winter cover to your landscape area. If you're considering pairing this conifer shrub with native hedge plants, Hedges Direct has a variety for you to choose from on our website, or you can contact our expert team for more information.
Yew hedging is also a fantastic option for topiary, with some of the most established gardens showcasing this stunning feature formed by Yew. We stock a range of topiary plants, including Taxus baccata topiary balls in a variety of sizes. From castles to stately homes and mature household gardens, Yew is the perfect hedge plant to be clipped into magnificent topiary shapes. This is down to its fine, densely needled habit and provides your outdoor space with an elegant feel.
For a lower-budget, dense, evergreen hedge plant, we recommend Lonicera nitida as an alternative option to Yew. Lonicera nitida has similar features and colour but requires more trimming. Buxus sempervirens (box hedge), is another excellent alternative to Yew for a lower growing, dense evergreen hedge whereas Western Red Cedar is an alternative tall-growing conifer hedge plant that is faster growing but still easy to maintain.
Extra Tall Root Balls - Minimum Order Quantity and Delivery
Please note that there is a minimum order requirement of five plants for the extra tall root balls, due to the specialised delivery required. Because of their large size and weight, these hedging plants need to be transported via articulated lorry and require a forklift to remove from the truck and into place for planting. A forklift icon on the listings indicates these products.
How to plant a Yew (Taxus baccata) hedgePrices shown are the price per plant. Planting 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 ideally 6 per metre in a staggered row. Planting densities for pot grown (which vary by pot size) and root ball (which vary by height) are shown below but again you can vary these depending on your budget and level of patience.
In addition to Yew, include a variety of colour within your garden with our colourful foliage plants. Yew is also a popular box alternative as it can be trimmed to shape and has small sized foliage. Taxus baccata cell grown, pot grown and instant hedging plants are available all year round. Cell grown and pot grown plants are available all year round. Bare roots are only available from november to late April/early May. Root Ball plants are only available from early-October to late May. Taxus is one of the most accommodating hedging plants and this means in an ordinary year we are able to lift it from the field for you to transplant it in 'rootball' form for 10 months of the year. This assumes of course that the usual aftercare is provided ie lots of water until the plants are established.
For more information on planting distances please see our
planting density advice section.
General hedge trimming should be done twice a year, once in early June and again in late September. It is important to prune at the right time, so as not to remove new growing shoots.
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 It's Quick! - most orders are despatched within 3-5 working days!! (Some trees can be 7-10 days 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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