bay ball (30-35cm) £29.99
Position: full sun or partial shadeSoil: fertile, moist but well-drained soilRate of growth: slow-growing Flowering period: March to May Flower colour: clusters of greenish-yellow flowersOther features: black autumn berries on female plants; contact with the foliage may aggravate skin allergies; the mature leaves may be used fresh or dried in bouquet garni, for flavouring stocks and saucesHardiness: frost hardy (needs winter protection)These evergreen bay laurel balls are great for flanking a set of steps, a doorway or path. Provide a sheltered, sunny or partially shady site and winter protection in cold areas since the lustrous, aromatic, dark green leaves, valuable for their culinary use, are susceptible to wind scorch.Garden care: Keep well-watered during the growing season and feed with a slow-release fertiliser such as Osmacote. Clip established plants lightly twice during the summer months to retain a balanced shape, using secateurs not shears.Goes well with: Taxus baccata, Ligustrum delavayanum ‘Cone’, Phlox divaricata ‘White Perfume’, Pulmonaria officinalis ‘Sissinghurst White’, Polemonium caeruleum ‘Brise d Anjou’, Astrantia major ‘Alba’

rose (shrub) – 25 plants – 30-40cm £24.99
Position: full sun or partial shadeSoil: fertile, well drained soils, but tolerant of mostRate of growth: fastFlowering period: July to AugustFlower colour: white with a pink flushOther features: attractive red hips in autumnHardiness: fully hardyTo find out more about how to plant a hedge, click hereThe Royal Horticultural Society bare root hedging range is a very low cost way of planting a hedge. The bare root plants are only available to buy and plant when dormant. (November-March) These plants, with known seed provenence, are grown in 220 acres of rich Herefordshire soil. As they are dispatched directly from the fields, rather than through a nursery, they are much fresher than imported or even stored plants. RHS bare root plants are grown through low input horticultural methods. Plants are rotated with pigs annually, to improve soil condition. Water is harvested in the winter for use in the summer. No heat or polytunnels are used and, as the plants are dispatched direct from the fields, transport is kept to a minimum.Tough, tolerant and fast growing, the sprawling stems of this native rose will form a thick impenetrable hedge in record time. The pink-flushed, white flowers have a lovely scent and appear throughout summer. As they fade, glossy red fruits (hips) form, which add interest well into autumn. A wonderful addition to a wildlife-friendly garden as the hips are very attractive to birds. The prickly stems however will make unwanted visitors think twice before they try to cross. Happy and undemanding in most settings, it is particularly useful in coastal areas.Garden care: For best results, plant them out as soon as they arrive into well prepared soil. As the flowers appear on stems that have grown in the previous year, pruning should be kept to an absolute minimum if you are growing them for a good display of flowers and hips. To keep it looking fresh though, you can cut back a couple of the older stems to around 30cm above ground level, from late autumn to early spring.Please note that as we grow the hedging especially for you, we need to take full payment when you place your order so as to reserve stock for you. The bareroot plants will then be despatched to you during November.

bay laurel (1/4 standard) £24.99
Position: full sun or partial shadeSoil: fertile, moist but well-drained soilRate of growth: slow-growing Flowering period: March to MayHardiness: frost hardy (needs winter protection)With its lustrous, dark green leaves, this evergreen bay laurel standard makes an elegant centrepiece for a formal vegetable garden or potager, or planted in a smart contemporary pot either side of a doorway, will frame an entrance. Clippings of the aromatic leaves are valuable, fresh or dried, for flavouring savoury stocks and sauces. It is pretty tolerant of most conditions, provided it is sheltered from strong, cold winds, and is not kept too wet in winter. Garden care: Keep well-watered during the growing season and feed with a slow-release fertiliser such as Osmacote. Clip established plants lightly twice during the summer months to retain a balanced shape, using secateurs not shears. Size Guide1/4 standard plants have a 45cm clear stem beneath a 20cm head1/2 standard plants have a 50cm clear stem beneath a 25cm head3/4 standard plants have a 80cm clear stem beneath a 55cm headStandard plants have a 1m clear stem beneath a 55cm head