Laurel Hedging Guide

The Laurel family is extremely popular. It consists of various Laurel shrubs, hedging plants and some topiary. If you're looking for a garden plant that is practical and aesthetically pleasing on the eye, Laurel hedging ticks off all the boxes. It's a highly popular shrub that is seen in thousands of gardens throughout the UK. Hedges Direct supplies the best selection of Laurel hedging plants, from compact low-hedging to ready-grown screening we have the perfect variety to suit every gardening need. 

The types of Laurel plants we offer are evergreen, providing year-round cover and interest. Each Laurel species has a unique set of characteristics that can be utilised to help you achieve a range of gardening goals. With an abundance of practical advantages, added interest and ability to grow in challenging environments, Laurel hedging should undoubtedly be a significant contender when considering garden landscape ideas.

Cherry and Portuguese Laurel are the most popular type of hedging from this species family.

Cherry Laurel hedging is a real favourite, hence the alternate name, the Common Laurel. Cherry Laurel is a large hedge plant and primarily used for its large thick and glossy green leaves. As a result, it acts as an effective privacy screen that reduces wind and noise passing through its dense structure. This hedging plant is available to purchase from 30cm to 3.5m in height, providing you with a fantastic choice of sizes and prices to suit your needs and budget. Cherry Laurel can also have a considerable impact on the first day they are planted.

The Portuguese Laurel hedge plant boasts rich, darker green leaves along its striking deep red-pink stems. The leaves are more pointed than the rounder type found on Cherry Laurel hedging and have a flowing, elegant habit. Portuguese Laurel hedge plant is classic, evergreen hedging that develops small sprays of white fragrant flowers in spring with small red-purple berries later in the year. This particular species of Laurel hedging is available in a variety of heights and maturity to suit any garden.

Spotted Laurel, also known as Aucuba japonica ‘Crotonifolia’ or Japanese Laurel, is famous for its variegated foliage, polished green leaves with gold and yellow splashes.Small red berries also complement its distinctive foliage in summer.

Portuguese Laurel is noted for its dark glossy green leaves and dark red stems. Laurel Etna has bright green rounded glossy leaves that on initial growth have a beautiful warm bronzed appearance before turning green as they age. Laurel Etna also features soft white flowers in spring and glossy black berries in autumn. An array of British birds and other small animals adore the luscious berries that laurel hedging plants produce, bringing added wildlife value to a garden.

This lovely evergreen however, is also the perfect shrub with which to create Topiary Standards, producing plants with a long clear stem on which a ball of foliage sits proudly at the head. These delightful Laurel trees often grace gardens, walkways, entrances and even homes with their classic topiary styling.

Difficult growing sites determine whether certain types of plants will be able to establish. We all want to look outside and see our plants thriving in stable, healthy conditions and not succumb to environmental damage. There are little restrictions as to growing requirements for planting Laurel hedging, as their hardiness is the primary factor in their popularity. All of the Laurel species we supply have the ability to develop in poor soil conditions. Compact Laurel, Laurel Etna and Cherry Laurel thrive in well-drained, dry sites, whereas Spotted Laurel & Laurel 'Caucasica' grow particularly well in moist and wet soils. All our Laurel hedging will develop adequately in either dry or damp conditions. For those planting Laurel hedging in covered or shaded areas, the Laurel species we offer flourish in full shade, except Bay Laurel which can withstand partial shade.

Choosing a Laurel hedge can be overwhelming at times, so we’ve collated this useful chart to try and make selecting the right plant easier. Remember all of these Laurels are evergreen.

Powdery Mildew and Leaf Spot Fungi can be an annoyance creating browning, leaf distortion and some holes when conditions are suitable for growth. These damp conditions can also encourage Bacterial Shothole where brown lesions with a yellow circumference eventually give way to the dead material falling out, creating the 'shot-hole' appearance.

Treatment of Powdery Mildew and Leaf Spot Fungi conditions can be achieved with many fungicides readily available from garden centres. But even without treatment, plants will often grow through the issue with new leaves unaffected by the problem, which generally looks more serious than it actually is.

We're no strangers to being asked if certain Laurel hedging and trees are poisonous to household pets or humans (particularly small children). ALL parts (leaves, berries etc.) of all Laurels, are poisonous to livestock and animals. We have had no reports of children or pets being directly affected by the foliage of these hedging plants; in our experience they hold no real attraction, however it is best to avoid planting if animals of any kind are likely to come into contact. If you are concerned about your children we’d recommend choosing Bay Laurel or looking at alternative hedge plants.

Frequently asked questions