Yew hedging plants
Yew plants are excellent conifers for a dense, formal, tightly clipped hedge. It has bright green new foliage in spring, deepening to dark green as its matures and a pyramidal form, naturally suited for a tapering hedge. It is a quintessentially English variety, synonymous with the gardens of traditional country houses, combining well with topiary and pleated trees. Yew thrive in the shade, making it particularly useful for hedging that runs through some areas that are cast into shadow for most of the day. They are also well known for their hardiness and longevity; in fact, Britain’s oldest tree, estimated to be between 2,000 and 5,000 years old, is an English Yew. Yew produce fleshy red cone fruits in the autumn that help attract wildlife into the garden, making a tasty treat for many small birds – just be mindful they are poisonous to humans, pets and livestock. It has a slow growth rate, compact habit and elegant appearance and, as a UK native, is well adapted to the British climate. We sell yew hedging in pots all year round, which can be planted at any time of the year, providing the ground is not frozen or waterlogged and it’s not excessively windy. We also supply bare root yew plants, which can be planted between mid-October and the end of March. Check out our guide to hedging plants for more information and advice.