HomeArticles by: Adrian Byrne

Author: Adrian Byrne

I am Adrian Byrne, the owner of Hedging.ie and Laurehedging.ie. I have 20-year experience in the Horticulture industry and working with customers.

Types of hedging plants for Ireland

by Adrian Byrne

Hedges are popular among amateur and expert gardeners alike. They protect from the wind and prying eyes, they are green and natural, many types of hedges are cheaper than a wooden or steel privacy screen, and they live a long time with a little care.

But the choice of hedge plants is huge. There are evergreen, deciduous, or wintergreen, conifers and deciduous shrubs, flowering shrubs, and even fruit trees. Some hedges are poisonous, some grow particularly fast. Others provide valuable food for insects and birds.

How to make the right choice

Do you primarily want to be protected from the neighbor’s gaze between spring and fall, or do you also want to be protected in winter? Depending on this, only evergreen, semi-evergreen or deciduous plants can be considered.

Do you want completely opaque protection or is it enough for you if the view is not completely free? Some plants grow extra dense, others let more light through. A fast-growing hedge will provide privacy quickly – but the plant will continue to grow once it reaches the desired height. You’ll usually need to trim these hedges twice a year.

What are the location and soil like where the hedge will be planted? Some plants prefer the sun, others thrive better in the shade. How much time do you want to spend on maintenance? Some plants need pruning more often and more fertilizing and watering than others.

A few sentences in advance about the cost of different types of hedges:

  • Many stores offer specifically hedges. In addition, the plants will always be cheaper if you buy a larger quantity.
  • Containerized plants are much more expensive than balled or rooted plants. However, you will not have any problems with the growth of the plant.
  • Individual varieties can also vary significantly in price.

Do you have children or pets? Then you might want to choose a non-toxic hedge plant. If you want to do something good for insects and birds, then you should make sure that the native fauna finds food with the plant.

There are many plants that are suitable for a hedge, just pick the one that suits you best and enjoy.

How to treat powdery mildew on laurel?

by Adrian Byrne

White coating on the top of leaves or discoloration and spots are signs of infestation with powdery mildew. How can the fungus be treated naturally?

Powdery mildew is a common fungal disease of laurel that has more than 100 different species. Some species, such as apple powdery mildew, only affect certain plants.

How to treat it?

Powdery mildew is a so-called fair-weather fungus, which means that it forms when it is warm and dry. It can be recognized as a wipeable, white, later dirty-brownish coating on the upper leaf surfaces and the flowers. The leaves turn brown and dry out, and the flowers wither. In severe infestations, entire parts of the plant may die. Powdery mildew occurs mainly on laurels, roses, asters, and on cucumbers, carrots, and gooseberries.

Prevention is always better than cure. To do this, you should also know the causes of the infestation. However, subsequent measures are not always a guarantee that the fungal disease will not break out, because it also depends on the weather. But there is a possibility to reduce the points of attack. Attention should therefore be paid to:

  • Correct choice of location;

  • Planting of resistant varieties;

  • Sufficient planting distance;

  • Regular trimming;

  • Avoid overfertilization with nitrogen, this softens plant tissue, and the fungus can penetrate easily;

  • Use fertilizer with a caloric tone;

  • Water plants from below;

  • Watering in the morning or in the afternoon;

  • Leaves must be dry by night;

  • Keep soil free of weeds;

  • Use of plant dips to strengthen the defenses.

Infested plant parts must be removed and disposed of. Subsequently, it is recommended to treat with milk. To do this, mix fresh milk with water in a ratio of 1:8 and spray the plant with it every few days. The microorganisms contained in the milk fight the fungus effectively and naturally. They also strengthen the plant.

By using all the preventive actions we described and by the timely discovery of the fungus, you will ensure that your hedge will serve you for a long time.

How to plant laurel hedge in Ireland?

by Adrian Byrne

Are you redesigning your garden or do you just want to plant a hedge, and your choice has fallen on a laurel? We can not say only that it is a good choice! A laurel hedge has many good qualities for a beautiful dense hedge. Now the only question is when is the best time to plant a laurel hedge in Ireland? You will be surprised when the best time is.

But first, let us briefly explain the characteristics of a laurel hedge. Because a laurel hedge grows quickly and forms a beautiful dense shrub, it is very suitable as a hedge plant. The laurel loves both sun and shade. At the same time, laurel hedge plants are very hardy and can survive temperatures as low as -20 degrees Celsius. A cherry laurel Novita or Genolia tolerates temperatures down to -25 degrees. At the same time, a laurel hedge is known for its fast growth, depending on the species, a cherry laurel hedge grows up to 1,5 feet per year, and this ensures that you quickly get a nice dense hedge!

The fact that you can plant laurel hedge plants at any time brings some advantages. For example, you have bought a new house but can only plant your garden during winter or late fall. For such situations, you can get ready-made hedges or cherry laurel hedge plants in a container.

In general, you can plant laurel hedge plants with root balls from the end of September to mid-May. This is always a bit dependent on the weather. Cherry laurel hedge plants in a container or as a ready-made hedge can be planted all year round!

Planting laurel hedge during frost

All laurel hedge plants from can be planted any time of the year, but not when it is minus degrees outside and there is frost on the ground. In extremely warm weather we also do not recommend planting hedge plants. This has to do with the fact that in such situations the plant cannot absorb water or nutrients. In all other situations, a high-quality laurel hedge plant is very easy and quickly satisfied with its new home! We always recommend digging the hole where the plant will be placed a little deeper and filling it up a little with nutritious soil so that the new hedge gets nutrients directly.

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When to plant Portuguese laurel hedge?

by Adrian Byrne

Are you looking for a stylish hedge? Portuguese laurel comes into its own in both a large cottage garden and a small urban garden. This variety has relatively small, dark green leaves. The foliage grows particularly dense. If left to grow, a hedge can grow up to three feet tall. Therefore, this evergreen plant provides good privacy all year round. Today we explain how and when to plant a Portuguese laurel.

About Portuguese laurel

It is a member of the rose family (rather than the laurel genus, as the name suggests). This variety initially comes, unsurprisingly, from Portugal. But this plant also feels at home in most temperate climates. If not trimmed annually, the plant can grow into a stately tree.

When to plant it?

It is best to plant a laurel in the spring, March or April. It can also be planted in the fall. Then it is best to do it in September or October. Hedge plants that would be grown in containers can even be planted throughout the year. It is important that it does not freeze at night. Also, we do not recommend planting in extreme drought. If the soil is too dry or frozen, the roots will not be able to absorb enough water and the plant may then dry out.

How to plant it?

If you want to plant a laurel, you should first put the plant in water for at least one hour. Please do not remove the jute bag that protects the root ball. It is made of biological material that will decompose itself over time. Do not put the plant too deep into the ground. Also, make sure that the soil is permeable to water. If the laurel stands in water for too long, the roots of the plant will rot, and ultimately it will wither.

The Portuguese laurel thrives in sunny to semi-shady locations in moderately dry, fresh, and well-drained soils that can be slightly acidic. The shrub is similarly adaptable to the common laurel and will grow in dry substrates. Although it is considered hardy, it needs a site protected from winter sun and cold, dry easterly winds.

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Evergreen Portuguese laurel for sale Ireland and why you should get it

by Adrian Byrne

Portuguese laurel actually feels itself at home in most climates. The twigs and branches, with their elegant, smooth, and gray bark, look modern and traditional at the same time. The foliage of the variety is very similar to that of the common laurel. The dark green leaves have a slightly wavy edge with reddish petioles.

In order for the leaves to develop their colors well, the Portuguese laurel should be planted in semi-shady or even sunny spots in the garden. A well-drained and moderately dry soil provides the best conditions for vigorous growth. However, it is important that the location is protected from cold winds and the winter sun – after all, it is a hardy plant.

All in all, if you live in Ireland and want to buy the Portuguese laurel, you do not have to be an experienced gardener, this plant will feel well in such a climate. The plant is pleasantly easy to care for and undemanding.

Buy Portuguese laurel and take advantage of its benefits

Portuguese laurel is popular as a topiary shrub in the garden. It is suitable, for example, as a hedge against prying eyes or for separating the sections of your garden. In order for the plant to keep its shape, it should be pruned every year after flowering. Young plants, on the other hand, are best cut back right from the start. This allows the branches to branch better and the plant to grow even more expansive. If the plant is getting on in years and has been neglected, it should be cut back to the old wood. This will allow to sprout diligently again and form new branches.

If you want to buy the Portuguese laurel, you are dealing with an extremely low-maintenance plant. It is a real highlight, especially in Mediterranean gardens. Whether as a hedge of its own variety, in combination with other hedge plants, or as a soloist in a planter, the Portuguese laurel should not be missing from any garden.

By the way, the plant is not only practical and beautiful to look at, but it also offers many native species of animals a refuge and a sought-after habitat. Garden lovers are thus also making a contribution to more species protection on their own doorstep. Find Portuguese laurel for sale in Ireland now and turn your garden into an even more beautiful place.

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How to choose 5ft laurel hedging for sale

by Adrian Byrne

Many laurel hedges under ideal conditions quickly grow over the head of their owners and reach an impressive size. The shrubs form an attractive green screen in a short time but should be trimmed at least once a year so that the hedge does not take up too much space in the garden.

The final growth height of the laurel depends on which variety you plant, online you can 7ft, 6ft, and 5ft laurel hedging for sale, as well as how often you cut the shrub. However, growing freely under ideal conditions, over the years shrubs can develop into impressive woody plants with a height of up to 10ft.

Tall and slender or bushy?

Laurels are available in both upright-growing varieties, such as the Rotundfolia cherry laurel and more spreading varieties, such as Prunus Herbergii. Species such as the Mount Vernon bay cherry, on the other hand, grow creeping and only reach heights of about 1,5ft. You can use these species to underplant trees or add greenery to unsightly garden corners. These groundcovers are also popular as evergreen decorations, though they should be pruned regularly to prevent them from growing too sprawling.

A laurel shrub can grow up to 1ft in height in a year and thus reach its final size within a very short time. However, since the shrubs usually grow as wide as they do tall, this can also become a problem in small gardens. Therefore, choose a laurel variety with a growth height that fits the size of your property.

Do not forget to trim

To keep the size of the cherry laurel within the desired range, the shrub should be pruned at least once a year. The best time for this is in the spring, just after flowering. Since motorized trimming tools and hedge clippers make the laurel’s handsomely shaped foliage looks like it has been plucked, pruning should always be done with rose or lopping shears. If desired, you can trim the laurel back a second time in late summer.

You do not have to dig up and destroy a laurel that has grown too large. The shrub tolerates severe pruning well and can be cut back to the old wood if necessary. It will willingly sprout again after this.

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Why you should get cherry laurel for sale in Ireland?

by Adrian Byrne

Cherry laurel copes with almost all types of soil, and it grows rapidly into a hedge. Its advantages are obvious – nevertheless, the woody plant, which is popular among hobby gardeners in Ireland, is somewhat controversial among professionals.

Shrubs have large evergreen leaves, which means boredom and monotony from the perspective of garden designers. This is also true from an ecological side. The shrub offers little added value. In addition, the strong-growing woody plant quickly gets out of shape. And it certainly suffers frost damage in winter, adds Forster.

However, many problems can be avoided with proper care and the selection of certain varieties. For example, a variety that grows well in Ireland may be susceptible to frost. There are up to 20 varieties, so you will definitely find something suitable. Amature gardeners should look for this information when buying.

Varieties that have slender and slow growth are currently popular. We suggest looking for the variety Rotundfolia, which shoots up more weakly. Among the new varieties, Cleopatra has a fairly moderate growth rate, and Genolia has a very slender growth. The variety Lusitanica is slender, winter-hardy, moderately vigorous, and can also be shaped well.

The ideal location for the cherry laurel is in partial shade. For really shady places gardeners should fall back on strongly growing varieties. However, under trees, for example, pressure from the roots of woody plants on the cherry laurel can play a role. You have to prepare the soil meticulously so that the shrubs can grow in well.

But the cherry laurel is adaptable when it comes to the condition of the soil. Only waterlogging is bad. In extremely dry weather, the bushes should be watered. It is also important to choose a good quality plant for purchase. The product should be sold in a large pot. Amateur gardeners should find a picture of the root ball on a store website, and the soil in the pot should be rooted. High-quality specimens are evenly structured and have good foliage all around.

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Is Portuguese laurel hedge the best choice for you?

by Adrian Byrne

Most hedge plants, that have leaves and even flowers, grow very quickly and therefore require frequent trimming. If you don’t do this, they very quickly take up a lot of space. Even if cutting twice a year is not a problem for you personally, it is not ideal, because cutting more than once a year promotes shot hole disease. This actually makes the “regular” cherry laurel unsuitable for the smaller garden. This is where Portuguese laurel comes in. It does not grow so fast and remains quite compact.

Trimming Portuguese laurel once a year is enough even in a small garden. For most criteria (opaque, robust, easy to grow, compatibility with other trees/plants nearby, soil requirements) that apply to hedge plants, the Portuguese Cherry Laurel wins easily over most of them. Of course, we are leaving out the appearance and taste, this is strictly individual.

Portuguese cherry laurel does not grow so fast in width. But this hedge plant tolerates being planted a little more narrowly quite well. Maybe not as dense as most other (broad-leaved) laurel species, but still sufficiently dense for most people.

Portuguese laurel is one of the easiest hedge plants to grow. It forms roots first, and until this is sufficiently accomplished, it often looks quite gray for a long time. But perhaps that’s what makes it so strong – rooting thoroughly first and then putting the energy into forming shoots.

If you forget to trim one year, it doesn’t matter, because Portuguese laurel can be cut any time, not just at a specific time of year. By the way, this is true for all laurels, but for the common laurel species, it is perhaps a little more true than for the Portuguese laurel. The cherry laurel can even be cut back to the trunk after years of not being pruned.

Do you know diseases on laurel plants and the way to protect your plants

Some find the flowers of the Portuguese laurel are too fragrant. But most people think the showy white blossoms smell very good. Insects definitely like them. They do not bloom until May, a little later than the ordinary cherry laurel. If you find these flowers gorgeous and beautiful the Portuguese laurel is definitely for you.

What are the most common portuguese laurel diseases?

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What are the most common Portuguese laurel diseases?

by Adrian Byrne

Portuguese laurel creates a great hedge with its relatively small, dark green leaf and very high density. The evergreen Portuguese laurel has leaves that have a length of about 2 inches and beautiful white flowers, that provide a classic look to the garden.

However, just like any other plant, Portuguese laurel can have a disease, especially if you buy one from a dishonest seller.

Unfortunately, laurel hedge from bad breeding is more susceptible to diseases. Therefore, it is important to buy a Portuguese laurel that has been grown by someone for whom quality is very important. Ideally, find a store that grows all hedge plants themselves with a lot of expertise, love, and an eye for healthy plants. After you have bought high-quality plants, it is important to provide the hedge with the best conditions: the soil is permeable to water, the plant is not exposed to the wind, and watered regularly.

How to recognize diseases in a Portuguese laurel hedge?

There are two types of diseases that are commonly found in Portuguese laurel hedges:

  • First, powdery mildew – this disease not only shows itself by the flour-like coating on the leaves, but the young leaves also grow curved, sometimes only on one side.

  • Second, shot hole disease – the recognizable disease pattern is small, red-black spots on the leaves. If your laurel has this one, leaves actually look as if they had been shot at with a shotgun. The affected surface dries out completely from the center until it finally falls off.

In rare cases, laurel may be infested with spider mites, scale, and mealybugs, which you can recognize by the blotchy leaves and fine webs. There are some products that help to get rid of these infestations, but be very careful when buying one and make sure that it will not harm the plant itself.

No matter what type of disease it is, the infested foliage should always be completely removed to prevent the disease from spreading even further. It is best to dispose of the clipped leaves right away without first depositing them on the ground.

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Why Choose Cherry Laurel Hedge?

by Adrian Byrne

Cherry laurel hedges divide the gardening community: some appreciate the evergreen, large-leaved privacy screen for its Mediterranean appeal, while for others the cherry laurel is simply the cliche of the new era – not only tasteless but also ecologically worthless.

Undoubtedly, cherry laurel hedges are somewhat too massively represented in one or the other new housing development. Nevertheless, this evergreen hedge has a lot of advantages.

Advantages of a cherry laurel hedge

One of the greatest advantages of the cherry laurel, or Prunus laurocerasus, is its robustness. The evergreen hedges can easily survive heat and drought and can cope with almost any type of soil – they grow as well in poor sandy soils as in heavy clay soils.

A cherry laurel hedge can also withstand so-called root pressure. This means that it will grow even in intensively rooted soil under larger trees and is also shade-tolerant. Like most hedge plants, cherry laurel hedges can be easily trimmed. You can cut older plants right back to the ground without any problems, they will reliably sprout new shoots again.

By the way, cherry laurel is largely immune to serious diseases and pests. The most common pest problems are caused by thick-mouthed weevils and shot hole disease, but neither is life-threatening. Another argument in favor of this plant: it is relatively inexpensive compared to other evergreen hedge plants, such as the glossy medlar, holly, or yew. Since the hedge grows more or less in width, you can also get by with just a few plants, there is no need to get dozens of them.

One thing to keep in mind

When you get a cherry laurel hedge, there are a few things you should know but the most important one is trimming. The hedge trimming itself is somewhat more tedious with the cherry laurel than with many other hedge plants – as long as you have high aesthetic standards. The blades of the motorized hedge shears shred the large leaves quite severely, causing the cut surfaces to dry out and turn brown. If you don’t want this to happen, you will have to trim the cherry laurel manually.

How chould you care Cherry Laurel

However, if you really like the look of cherry laurel, do not be afraid of getting it for your home. It is a beautiful plant that will completely transform your garden and does not require a lot of care.

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