Log In
We start accepting pre-orders for bare root hedging plants in September or October. To pre-order, simply email our sales team with your requirements. We’ll provide a quote based on the quantity you need and add you to our contact board to keep you informed when the plants are ready. The bare root season usually runs from November to March, but start dates can vary depending on temperature, as the plants must be fully dormant before lifting.
What are Bare Root Plants?
Bare Root plants are grown in a field and then lifted without soil around their roots during the dormancy period. They are then graded ready for transport and planting.
Are Bare Root Plants the Most Cost-Effective Hedging Method?
Bare root plants are usually considered most cost-effective option because they need less labour and fewer materials to produce. Since they come without soil on the roots, they are also lightweight and easy to transport. This helps to keep costs down too.
If you want to plant a native hedge and don’t mind waiting for it to grow, it’s best to plant during the dormant season. You can then use bare root plants that cost just a few pence each, instead of paying several pounds for container grown ones.
Most Popular Bare Root Hedging Plants
Common dogwood (Cornus sanguinea). A fast-growing, medium-sized deciduous shrub found in many British hedgerows. It offers year-round interest with white spring flowers, rich autumn leaf colour, and colourful winter stems. Common dogwood grows well in most soils and thrives in damp or heavy ground, making it ideal for wetter sites.
Field maple (Acer campestre). A tough, native deciduous species often found in British hedgerows. It’s ideal for mixed planting schemes, thanks to its vibrant gold and red autumn colour. Field Maple is hardy, reliable, and adds seasonal interest throughout the year.
Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna). Also known as Quickthorn (or May Blossom), this is a fast-growing, native deciduous tree long used for hedging and field boundaries. It produces fragrant white flowers in late spring, just as its small, green, maple-like leaves appear. In autumn, it develops dark red berries that are highly valued by wildlife. Hawthorn responds well to clipping and quickly forms a dense, tidy hedge. Its sharp thorns make it an excellent choice for a secure, defensive boundary.
Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa). A tough, native deciduous shrub often used in hedgerows. It produces masses of small white flowers in early spring, before the oval-shaped green leaves emerge. In autumn, it bears clusters of blue-black edible berries called sloes, while the leaves turn yellow before dropping late in the year. Blackthorn has very hard, sharp thorns, making it ideal for a dense, defensive hedge when regularly clipped.
Hazel (Corlyus avellana). A small native tree commonly seen in British hedgerows. It’s often coppiced and valued for its edible nuts, known as hazelnuts, which appear in abundance in autumn. Hazel has large, round, bright green leaves held on upright stems with pendulous tips. It produces long, yellow catkins very early in spring, adding colour before most trees come into leaf. When cut back, it grows as a multi-stemmed tree, making it excellent for filling gaps and adding structure in a mixed hedge.
Dog rose (Rosa canina). A fast-growing native shrub often found in British hedgerows. It produces large, fragrant pink or white flowers in spring, followed by bright red hips in autumn. Its long, arching stems are covered in sharp thorns, making it an effective barrier against intruders. Dog Rose is also excellent for attracting wildlife, offering food and shelter for birds and insects throughout the year.
How to Plant a Bare Root Hedge
Establishing a bare root hedge in your garden may seem daunting to the uninitiated, but by following a few simple rules, success is nearly always guaranteed.
1 – If you don’t intend to set the hedge immediately upon arrival, store the plants in a cool, frost-free shed or garage.
2 – When planting out, do not remove the hedging plants from the box or bag. Exposure to sun or drying winds may lead to root desiccation and eventual failure.
3 – Do not dig huge planting pits that require laborious backfilling. If the soil is reasonably good, use the notch planting technique. Push your spade 4-6” into the ground, open up a wide slit and place the root in at the nursery soil mark.
4 – Be sure to ‘heel in’ very tight. This is most important to ensure good root/soil contact. After heeling in, you should have to tug the plant quite hard to remove it.
5 – After completion of planting, mulch the hedge with either; plastic, woodchips or similar to trap moisture in, and prevent growth of weed competition.
Pre-order your bare root plants as soon as possible to jump to the front of the delivery queue! Securing your order early also guarantees the best selection of species and a head start on the growing season.
Read More:
1. Tree Planting: Is Autumn a good time to plant?
2. Tree Planting Tips: How to correctly install your trees
3. Tree Planting: When should you plant bare root and rootball trees?
