The Great British Garden

In this blog we will explore what plants are used to create a picturesque “British Garden” We will be covering the main plants you think of such as Yew and Box (Buxus) Hedging to name two of the most “British” hedges.

Box (Buxus)

Let’s start by looking at probably the most Iconic British hedging type, Box or “Buxus”, I am sure that even if you do not know the name of the plants you will recognise how they look. The varieties we stock “Sempervirens” have small dark green leaves that not only make for a perfect hedge, but also these plants are perfect for shaping into different Topiary.

More than likely the topiary plant you have seen will have been crafted from this plant (and a lot of patience!) since this plant is a very slow growing plant to get to its Ultimate height of near 5 Metres tall.

Due to the nature of these plants they are becoming tougher and tougher for Buxus plants to be grown successfully thanks to diseases such as Box Blight.

However, if you have the time and patience to look after this plant as it gets started then you will be rewarded by an extremely neat hedge that not only does a great job of screening but also looks fantastic as well!

Yew (Taxus Baccata)

Now the next plant we will look at is another Hedge, this one is called a Yew (Taxus Baccata) and can be planted as both a free-standing tree and as a hedge and will look stunning in both settings, no doubt you will have once again heard of this classic tree.

The Photo above is newly planted yew that will soon grow into a magnificent hedge.

This plant is an extremely hardy plant and is very easy to grow into a hedge, if you are wanting a flexible plant that will fit in anywhere and will look very formal, again like the Buxus plants this is commonly clipped into any shape or height.

There is a burst of growth in both Spring and Summer however you will not see much growth outside of these seasons, although in Winter you will be treated to the sight of the classic squidgy red berries that form and are an essential food for birds throughout Winter!

In summary for a great formal hedge that has been used in Britain for many years, this is the hedge for you!

Holly (Ilex)

Another common hedge found in many gardens the Holly hedge can be a prickly customer but the dark green leaves and bright red berries that form will create a dense and great looking hedge that is definitely one to consider for any garden. The Holly is more resistant to "clay" soils compared to our other plants on this list making it an extremely versatile plant no matter your garden soil type.

Depending on the specific variety you get then you may see some Hollies with softer leaves however if you look on our website Grasslands.co.uk then the "Traditional" Holly you are after are the Ilex Aquifolium Alaska as it is the best form for fruiting on the plant and for prickly leaves.

Moving away from hedging and looking more towards the flowering plants that would fit into a British garden, Wisteria is a great climbing plant and looks great as a free-standing tree.

Wisterias are an extremely hardy and vigorous growing plants with twining stems, they flower with lots of brightly coloured flowers, depending on the variety picked, the colour can differ but will no matter what will add a splash of colour into your garden!

Lavender (Lavandula) are traditional perennials that are perfect for potting or planting in a border to create a short Dwarf Hedge. They have thin silver-grey or green leaves with masses of lovely violet and blue flowers that famously attract butterflies and bees.

They are extremely common in British Gardens for a reason, because of how versatile they are and their smell. When planted on mass the plants will turn your garden into a heaven of fragrance!

The largest Lavenders can reach up to 100cm tall! But of course most gardens would prefer to keep this plant at a smaller height.

Thank you for taking the time to read through my blog on a few recommendations of plants, if  you have any questions regarding this blog please do get in contact with myself. My email address is zach@grasslands.co.uk and for more plants to add to your garden please visit our website at Grasslands.co.uk