Gardeners have been trimming box plants into weird and wonderful shapes for centuries, right back to Roman times! Box (Buxus sempervirens) was a must-have for Tudor palace gardens and is still one of the best-known hedging plants. Sadly, in recent years, the box has struggled in our gardens, first with box blight and then the arrival of the box tree caterpillar, which can quickly defoliate entire plants. Unwilling to give up their neatly trimmed hedges, gardeners have gone on the hunt for alternatives to box hedging, and here are five of the best.
Top 5 alternatives to box hedging
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Yew (Taxus baccata) is one of the best alternatives to box, and has been a popular choice for topiary for centuries. It’s dense and bushy and can be trimmed to shape. It’s also one of the few conifers that will grow back when cut back into old wood, making it possible to renovate plants that have got out of control. The new leaves are bright green, contrasting strongly with the darker green mature foliage. Yew grows in sun or shade and in any soil that isn’t waterlogged. Trim it in spring and autumn to keep it looking neat.
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Privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium) is robust and quick-growing, coping well with most soil conditions and happy in sun or part shade. It’s also tolerant of pollution, making it a good choice for urban gardens. Privet forms a dense shrub which can easily be pruned to shape, although this does mean losing the sprays of white flowers which appear in summer. Trim in May and August to keep it looking neat.
If your box hedge has had its day, come in and see us! With our extensive range of hedging plants, we’re sure you’ll find the perfect alternative.
