Photinia × fraseri 'Red Robin' Pleached – Vibrant Evergreen Screening with Bold Red New Growth
Photinia 'Red Robin' is one of the most popular evergreen screening plants in UK gardens, and in pleached form, it offers a smart, space-saving solution for creating instant height, privacy and year-round colour. With its neatly trained 120 x 120cm framework above a 100cm clear stem, this pleached Photinia brings a crisp, architectural finish to garden boundaries, patios, and driveways.
What sets Red Robin apart is its vivid red young foliage, which bursts forth in spring and early summer, gradually maturing to a deep, glossy green. It’s a vibrant, living fence that looks good in every season and brings structure without the heaviness of traditional walls or fencing.
Why Grow Photinia 'Red Robin' Pleached?
Vibrant Seasonal Colour
Few evergreen plants offer such bold spring drama. The vivid red shoots of Red Robin create an uplifting display against older green leaves, adding a sense of energy and movement to the garden just when it's waking up for the season.
Elegant Structure with Space-Saving Form
Pleached trees are a clever way to introduce height and privacy without taking up too much ground space. This trained form is perfect for screening above fences, bordering patios, or dividing areas within a garden while keeping planting below clear and usable.
Year-Round Privacy
Unlike deciduous screens, Red Robin is evergreen, holding its foliage all year round. It provides consistent cover and structure, making it ideal for overlooked gardens or exposed positions needing wind protection.
Low-Maintenance and Versatile
Tough, adaptable and fast-growing, Photinia thrives in most well-drained soils and is easy to shape with light pruning. It's perfect for contemporary spaces, traditional borders, or as a soft alternative to hard fencing.
Planting & Care Guide
Position:
Prefers full sun for the best red foliage colour but will tolerate light shade. Shelter from harsh, drying winds is ideal for young plants.
Soil:
Grows well in most well-drained soils, including chalky or clay types. Avoid heavy waterlogged ground.
Watering:
Water regularly during the first season to help establish roots. In dry spells, especially when grown in containers or sandy soils, water more frequently.
Feeding:
Apply a balanced fertiliser in spring to promote lush growth and rich colour. Mulch around the base annually to conserve moisture and enrich the soil.
Pruning:
Trim after the red flush fades (late spring or mid-summer) to maintain shape and encourage a fresh burst of colourful growth. Light trims in autumn can tidy up any stragglers.
Design Ideas & Combinations
Garden Screening – Use along fences or boundaries to raise the height of your garden edge. The 120 x 120cm frame sits above fence level, giving excellent top-up screening.
Patio Borders – Frame an outdoor seating area or terrace with a row of pleached Red Robin for a living wall feel with a softer, more organic texture.
Underplanting Options – Use beneath the clear stem for low evergreen structure like Hebe, Sarcococca, or clipped Box balls. For seasonal colour, try bulbs, geraniums, or ornamental grasses.
Driveway & Entrance Framing – Pleached Photinia can add formal structure and colour to the approach of your home when planted in a row or used in pairs.
Photinia 'Red Robin' Pleached is a standout solution for gardeners looking to combine structure, privacy, and colour in one elegant package. With its bold red spring flush, evergreen presence and manageable habit, it’s ideal for modern gardens, family spaces or anyone wanting screening that feels alive and stylish.
Does the height include the pot?
No, we measure from the top of the pot to the tip of the plant except for some of the instant planted screens, in this case it will be stated in the description
How long does delivery take?
Most orders are delivered in just a few days, Smaller items are often sent with Parcelforce on a next day service, Larger items should allow up to 10 days due to the size of the items they often have to be sent on our own transport.
Where will you leave my plants?
We will leave your order at the front of your property, Parcelforce may
leave your items in a safe place if you let us know, Pallet couriers
will require a flat hard surface to deliver to, no gravel or soil, a
driveway or parking spot would be best. Most importantly Deliveries by
pallet courier will require access for a large truck (bin lorry sized)
to get near the delivery point. Deliveries sent on our own transport may come in a small van or larger truck.
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