Yew Hedging

Here at Grasslands, we strive to provide the highest quality plants at great prices. Our nursery and website boasts an impressive range of different hedge types for a variety of gardening needs. From small starter plants to more established yews hedging ready to form your garden borders, our brilliant collection of yews can help you to achieve that traditional British garden look.

Synonymous with stately homes and royal residences, yew hedges provide lush, evergreen and natural barriers in gardens and landscapes up and down the country, getting rid of the need for artificial walls or fences. Their emerald green conifer foliage is perfect for creating a privacy screen, as well as having the ability to reduce noise from neighbouring properties or nearby roads. Yew hedges are also great at absorbing roadside pollution and emissions, making your garden ‘green’ in every sense of the word.

Caring for your yew

As with any hedge, pruning is a must when it comes to caring for your yew. This type of hedge is known for its ability to tolerate some very harsh pruning, meaning it will excuse most mistakes. This makes yew hedging ideal for ameuter gardeners, so don’t be afraid to get your clippers out when you find that your yew is becoming a bit wild.

Upon initial planting of your yew - ideally occurring between October and March - it is essential to cut back any side growths that appear to be straggling. This will ensure the edges of your hedge remain reasonably straight sided as the plant develops. Additionally, remember not to cut the top of your hedge during its first year. A yew can grow upto 40cm in just one season if given the right conditions and refraining from trimming its upper shoots will help your hedge increase in height rapidly during its first 12 months.

When it has achieved the height you want, you can begin to trim the growing areas accordingly. For best results, allow the hedge to grow roughly 10cm higher than you initially wanted before cutting it down to size. Finally, it’s recommended that pruning be done in April, June and July during the first few years of a yew tree’s life. After that, your hedge can simply be clipped as and when it is required. 

The evergreen yew hedge usually experiences its main growth spurt during the spring months, with a second, slightly smaller flourish coming in late summer. This later spurt provides a brighter green colour which eventually darkens as the plant matures. In the winter months, the yew hedge will produce red berries which birds such as robins and wrens will visit your garden to feast on. However, it is important to note that these berries are not for human consumption, so it’s best to keep children away from these berries at this time.

We offer a range of different types of yew hedging, from the three litre potted plant that comes in heights of 70-80cm to the 50 litre pot that comes in heights of up to two metres. We also currently offer an online discount on all hedges of up to 15 per cent when you purchase £4000 worth of hedges.

Need advice?

At Grasslands, we are passionate about providing an informative and personalised service. If you have any questions regarding which size of yew hedge you should buy, or any other queries regarding the upkeep and care of your hedges, then feel free to get in contact with us. We are open each day from 9:00am to 4:30pm at our Knutsford nursery site. Alternatively, give our expert team of gardeners a ring and they will be more than happy to help you with any questions you may have.