Pick of the very best for hedges

Griselinia ‘Dixon’s Cream’

Griselinia is a popular seaside hedge. It tolerates strong winds and salt spray but it can be damaged by severe frosts. Although not a good choice for very cold gardens, where it might struggle, griselinia will thrive in milder areas and urban gardens, where it makes a good hedge which can be maintained to a neat shape up to 2.4m (8ft). ‘Dixon’s Cream’ is the brightest variety, with pale centres to the rounded leaves, and makes a dense and neat hedge. The light colour makes a good background to purple foliage or tall red roses.

Ligustrum ‘Lemon and Lime’

Daintier and more slender than common privets, this species has smaller leaves that are lemon-yellow when young, tinted with purple. In shade they become lime-green and it makes a bright and beautiful neat hedge up to about 1.2m (4ft) high. The small leaves also make it ideal for topiary or a colourful shrub in the

border that can be trimmed at any time of year. Best in sun for brightest colour and drought tolerant once established. A good foil for dark-purple foliage such as cotinus or the orange and gold of spiraea ‘Goldflame’.

Cherry laurel ‘Etna’

Laurel is a common hedging plant and increasingly popular as leylandii is replaced in many gardens. Laurel has glossy foliage and can be maintained at a reasonable 2m (6ft 6in) high without too much trouble. ‘Etna’ gives all the usual attractions of the common species with a colourful twist: the new foliage is bronzy-orange. ‘Etna’ also has a compact habit, making it especially dense as a hedge and easy to maintain. Clipping in spring and again in July gives a double display of the beautiful young foliage. The

large leaves complement bold fatsias or the

yellow, ferny foliage of Sambucus racemosa.

This laurel makes a fantastic, dense hedge

For a bright and breezy hedge by the coast, choose griselinia

‘Lemon and Lime’ privet always looks as though the sun is bouncing off its leaves