Dawn’s top 10 plants for perfect hedges

Taxus baccata

English yew is slow growing – about 30cm (12in) per year – but well worth the wait if you want a formal, clipped hedge. H20m (65ft) S10m (33ft)

Acer campestre

A native, deciduous hedge perfect for rural areas. The red-tinged green leaves turn a delicious buttery yellow in autumn. H12m (39ft) S3m (10ft)

Buxus sempervirens

Provided you’re free from box blight this small-leaved, easilyclipped evergreen makes a perfect hedge for formal gardens. H and S3m (10ft)

Cotoneaster franchetii

Its evergreen arching branches of greygreen foliage are covered in orange berries in autumn, making it a magnet for birds. H and S3m (10ft)

Fagus sylvatica

Wavy-edged beech leaves turn from soft green to a coppery autumn colour and are held on plants right through winter. H25m (82ft) S10m (33ft)

Thuja plicata

Slower growing than Leylandii, the Western red cedar creates a dense, tall hedge with wonderfully aromatic leaves. H35m (115ft) S8m (26ft)

Berberis ottawensis

‘Auricoma’ A fastgrowing, prickly hedge, ideal for deterring intruders. Its striking red deciduous leaves turn fiery in autumn. H and S2.5m (8ft)

Crataegus monogyna

Fast-growing hawthorn is particularly wildlifefriendly with its thorny stems, May blossom and abundance of autumn berries. H6m (19ft) S8m (26ft)

Rosmarinus officinalis

‘Miss Jessop’s Upright’ Ideal for dry, sunny sites on relatively poor soils, this evergreen herb makes a highly scented screen. H and S2m (6½ft)

Ilex aquifolium

Holly is slow growing, so needs little maintenance, and its dense form and prickly leaves make it a good intruder deterrent. H10m (33ft) S4m (13ft)