Further Information

How to plant a Yew (Taxus baccata) hedge

Prices 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. Prices shown are the price per plant unless otherwise stated.

Pruning Advice

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.

Delivery & Returns

Everything you need to know about your delivery: Free delivery - this is available on most orders when you reach a minimum order value for your packaging type which is based on the size and quantity of plants that you order. Details are in the delivery information table below.

Packaging Type	Standard Delivery Charge	Minimum Order Values for FREE Delivery
Boxes (Bare roots and pots up to and inc 7.5L)	£7.99 delivery charge (orders up to £60)	Orders of £60 and over - FREE
Pallets (Root balls, large pots 10L+, trees etc)	£60 delivery charge (orders up to £350)	Orders of £350 and over - FREE
Pleached Trees (Specialist Delivery)	£450 delivery charge (orders up to £1500)	Orders of £1500 and over - FREE

Nominated Day Delivery – Choose a day that suits you for your delivery. If nominated delivery is available on the products you’ve chosen, you’ll be able to select this option at checkout. Fees for this will depend on the product selected and your delivery address.

For full delivery information, including geographical exceptions, see our delivery page

English Yew Hedge Plants Taxus baccata

From £2.99

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Known as the King of Hedges, the English Yew Hedge Plant (Taxus baccata) is an evergreen species with an elegantly stylish appearance. A true British classic, English Yew is the most popular conifer hedge, admired for its versatility, ease of maintenance and year-round interest. Taxus baccata is also perfect for creating eye-catching topiary shapes, as well as making an excellent boundary hedge for small and large gardens alike.

EVERGREEN
NATIVE
AVERAGE GROWING
HAS BERRIES

Planting Conditions: Suitable for normal to clay soils, full sun to full shade situated in inland or exposed sites
Growth Rate: Average growth rate, expect 20-40cm per year
Height: Easily maintained at 1-5m
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Taxus baccata Hedge Plants Description

Taxus baccata (English Yew) is a dense, evergreen conifer hedge which boasts vibrant green foliage during spring, with small red fruits appearing in the autumn - which, although delightful in appearance and loved by birds, are harmful to humans, pets and livestock. English Yew's compact, needle-like foliage is incredibly easy to trim. Even for inexperienced gardeners, sharp or simple lines are easy to achieve to create a refined, classic hedge shape. However, for anyone who enjoys getting creative with their topiary, English Yew is very popular as Taxus foliage can be trimmed into wonderful shapes - the perfect choice if you are keen to create a statement or feature piece.

English Yew hedging has an average growth rate of around 30 - 40cm per annum and can be easily maintained at a height of 1 - 5m, so it's no wonder that this ever-popular hedging plant is great for bringing privacy to your outdoor area. Once it has reached the desired height, the stylish and elegant Taxus baccata is incredibly low maintenance.

During the first few seasons, English Yew hedging needs a substantial amount of water, but be careful to make sure the soil doesn't become waterlogged - if you have clay, wet soil, we'd advise improving the draining when planting Taxus baccata. Aside from the volume of water, English Yew is wonderfully resilient and easy to grow, adapting well to all soil types, particularly alkaline. It also grows well in shaded areas.

English Yew is a truly versatile hedge - as well as looking stunning as a boundary hedge in gardens of all sizes, Taxus baccata can be an effective filter for external noise, wind and pollution. It can also be used as part of a native garden feature to bring striking texture and winter cover, or to create magnificent topiary shapes. We stock a vast array of eye-catching topiary plants, including Taxus baccata topiary balls or cones and pyramids. Its fine, densely-needled habit lends itself perfectly to clipping into shapes, making English Yew as popular for household gardens as it is for castles and stately homes.

If you're looking for a dense, evergreen hedge on a lower budget, Lonicera nitida is a lovely alternative, as is the lower-growing Buxus sempervirens (box hedge). Western Red Cedar is also a good alternative to English Yew as it's a fast-growing conifer hedge plant that is similarly low maintenance.

What are root types?

Root types explained.

Bare root
Field grown, bare roots are young plants that are only planted when they are dormant, from autumn to spring. We lift bare root plants and despatch them during the season but they can be pre-ordered in summer. As they are cheaper to grow, they are one of our most affordable hedge planting options.
Pot grown
Pot grown plants can be planted year round and make a convenient option. They come in a wide range of sizes, from 10cm to 2.5m so they're suitable for the majority of planting requirements.
Root ball
Also field grown, root ball plants are scooped out of the ground using machinery to keep their root system intact and wrapped in bio-degradable, hessian sacks. They are mature plants that provide dense coverage very early on, ideal for when you need a thick hedge quickly.
Instant
Grown in troughs or bags that measure 50cm-1 metre in length and carefully clipped during the growing season. Our instant hedging troughs create a dramatic, instant hedge effect.