The benefits of replacing your box hedging

Should you replace your box hedging?

Well clearly not if it looks like the hedging in the garden above, but many people have seen their gorgeous hedging and topiary balls devastated in recent years. We at CGLA are often asked it is worth continuing to fight the problem or to jump ship and replace it. We separately describe how to recognise box blight and caterpillar and their treatment – here I want to focus on the positive – grab hold of the opportunity and make the garden better as a result!

Change up the style – the benefits of replacing box hedging and topiary!

For a surprising number of clients it can be a release to hook out old box hedging and topiary. Whilst there are magnificent examples, it has in many cases been used in a particular somewhat lazy style – simply edging the beds at the front of the house and chucking in some pom poms or spirals by the front door like every other property in the area! Even done quite well this is often ‘vanilla’ and at worst it can look old fashioned and fuddy duddy. If your box hedging is telling you something, it is a great chance to replace and refresh!

1) Change the style entirely

Using the space created by removing the box to add more texture such as grasses and perennials can give a real blast of extra colour and movement.

2) Go for alternative topiary forms

Replacing “ordinary” topiary with alternative shapes and forms (such as the gorgeous “umbrella form” in the image below) can completely change the feel of the space whilst retaining neatness and formality if that is your preferred style.

Image: From our friends at Solitair Nursery

Looser forms can also work really well- providing a more “fluffy” style and a broader range of colours. Pittosporum golf ball (and ‘silver ball’) is a gift to garden designers, forming a natural ball shape, which can be clipped if you want it really neat, and act as a great foil for grasses.

3) Opt for different hedging

Yew 50cm plus

Yew remains my favourite all round hedge and topiary plant, it clips tightly and neatly like nothing else. It but wont like being kept to a really short hedge (I wouldn’t go below 50-60cm), and really hates being wet so good drainage is essential. If these 2 factors are not an issue, then yew is a great option.

Smaller hedges

There are plenty of plants that form somewhat looser hedges, but for what I would describe as “proper hedging” if evergreen is a must then for small hedging (below 50cm) then Euonymus Jean Hugues is in my opinion the best option.

Ilex crenata is the most commonly suggested alternative to box, and can look great, although in my experience it is a bit gappy and can suffer in the wet and cold we have had over the last few years- I would not use unless the soil is well drained and preferably acidic rather than a more alkaline clay.

Widely available, this lovely image is from Crocus who supply good quality plants.

Lavender can be a great informal hedge- needs to be a single variety to look good, and be planted in good sunlight or it will bolt for the sun and get leggy!

So what can I do if I need to take out my box hedging?

The possibilities are endless – plenty of nice alternatives for almost like for like swaps, or a more ambitious change of direction if that strikes your fancy. Do have a look for more inspiration on our insights pages, of particular interest may be…

Screening and Hedging for you Development Project

Transform your garden with the best plants

Feel free to contact us for ideas and advice – we can design and supply planting and specimens at a wide range of sizes and offer the best advice!

CGLA are an award winning team of Garden Designers, Landscape Architects, Landscapers and Garden Maintenance Operatives working in Buckinghamshire, London and the South East, as well as on prestigious design projects across the UK and abroad. We are currently working in Oman, Jersey and France, and welcome enquires for design, landscaping or garden maintenance. Contact us here