PLANTING a new hedge and deciding what to grow is often down to the setting and how appropriate your choice is in the context of your garden, wider surroundings and how sheltered you are or not.

If you have semi-shade and shelter there’s nothing to stop you doing a Cornish-style Camellia hedge but for the majority of us the first decision is whether an evergreen or deciduous plant is chosen.

I love structure in the garden and rather than relying on fences or walls I’ll often turn to a hedge, straight or curved.

Yew is my top choice. Once they become established growth is pretty fast. You can achieve a really crisp edge on them and because they grow relatively slowly compared to something like a privet hedge, one cut per season is sufficient.

Yew is also as tough as they come. The one thing that will kill them off is sitting in badly drained ground where winter puddling will not be welcomed.

Other evergreens include holly, box, Lonicera both cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) and Portugal laurel (Prunus lusitanica) These grow fast and potentially large so try to choose a size-appropriate option. I prefer the more measured growth of P.lusitanica but every situation is different. Deciduous hedges can be mixed native hedges, beech or hornbeam tend to be the most widely used. I love both beech and hornbeam and like to use them where I can for those rich burnt yellow/orange colours in the autumn.

When you plant then don’t feel that the largest size you can afford is always the best, particularly if your site is exposed. Often it’s best to start with smaller plants and let them become accustomed to the prevailing weather and the younger the plant the faster that will happen.

The start may seem slow but it’ll soon motor away and your losses should be minimal. Now is a great time to use bare-root (field grown) plants which can be planted up until the end of March.

Jobs for the gardener this week:

Prune Acers, vines, Plums and Birches before Christmas to avoid bleeding from rising sap in the stems which can create entry points for disease

Reduce watering of house plants and remove any diseased leaves. Orchids should be fed very small amounts of food regularly.

Plant bare-root roses, but avoid re-planting where roses have been previously grown as this can lead to re-plant diseases

Tie wall shrubs and climbers onto their supports using flexi-tie to protect them from wind damage

Next topic: Garden books for Christmas