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  BensBotanics July 8, 2012 at 9:41am

  The golden Leyland Cypress is marginally slower growing so might be a good choice, but it's use depends very much on what the customer's garden is like- as you'll know already individual golden leaved plants are difficult to place in a planting scheme- just imagine what a whole yellow hedge would be like in the wrong place! Green Leyland Cypress would be a better backdrop for most planting schemes.

  It's the customer's responsibility to maintain the hedge, whether by cutting it themselves or by paying someone else (hopefully you!) to cut it twice a year, but despite the workload involved a well-maintained Leyland Cypress hedge has several benefits:

  • it quickly makes a good chunky evergreen barrier
  • it is largely pollution proof
  • if it's nice and bushy the dense network of branches provides nesting sites for birds, out of the reach of cats

  Balance three fairly good positives against the main negative- two cuts a year- and you've got an excellent choice of hedge. The bad reputation of Leyland Cypress is entirely due to the people not looking after their hedge properly.

  In terms of fast growing hedges nothing can even come close to Leyland Cypress, so the only alternative would be a solid 6ft 6" fence, maybe adding a narrow trellis above (some councils hold that 6ft 6" is the absolute maximum height for a fence and will serve notice against a trellis extension); although it's going to be a much bigger initial cost for the customer a good fence will save them in the long-run, although fences still need maintenance....

  My own view is that if the customer wants a Leyland Cypress hedge and accepts the need for regular maintenance then you should plant Leyland. I'd plant at 14" spacings for yellow, 18-20" for green myself.
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  Paul McNulty July 8, 2012 at 9:43am

  Trouble with Lleylandii is that, if it's allowed to overgrow by a new householder or something, it'll never be possible to reduce it in width or height without dead, brown patches. Thuja is much nicer, will regrow better if in the future it's ever needed, and smells lovely as you cut it.
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  Chris Auld July 8, 2012 at 10:05am

  When i asked to plant Lelandii hedges i always try and talk the customer into using Laurel instead, it has many advantages over Leylandii. It is far more tolerant of shade, can be cut back as hard as you like, doesnt get affected by red spider mites like leylandii does and is in my opinion a far more attractive plant. It is only marginally slower growing than Leylandii too.
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  Paramount Plants and Gardens July 8, 2012 at 10:40am

  Leylandii is still the very best option for the cheapest, bushiest and fastest growing hedge.  It is not the plant that is the problem but the grower of the hedge.  Many customers have kept their leylandii hedges trimmed to the height they want and a family friend has kept his at around 7ft for over 30 years - it is a beautiful thick hedge which looks very similar to yew now.  Definitely Leylandii is much higher maintenance than planting a shrub but this is ideal if you want to continue with maintenance - pruning is recommended 2-3 times a year to keep the hedge looking neat.  Thuja is a nice and fairly easy option but it is much more expensive.

   

  Other easy hedging options are Photinia Red Robin and Cherry Laurel which grow around 30-40cm per annum but nowhere near as fast as Leylandii which can grow up to 100cm per annum.
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  Robert Wilkins July 8, 2012 at 11:19am

  I agree with the answers regarding if pro-actively managed Leylandii makes an excellent hedge. But two other aspects:

  1) Budget, Leylandii is the cheapest screening Conifer, many customers have limited budget. Although aesthetically landscapers may have better alternatives,  function can be just as important - often just a screen is what the client wants.

  2) It will create  a monochrome backdrop, which can be used to highlight specimens with more visual amenity.
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  Stuart @ Eco Garden Maintenance July 8, 2012 at 12:58pm

  I dont recommend leylandii to anyone anymore due to the number of hedges i see with spider mite and conifer aphid damage. Its everywhere around here. I cant go down one street without seeing the brown dead patches. 
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  AndyCharles-EnborneGardeningCo July 8, 2012 at 1:27pm

  Im a castlewellan fan too. They look great especially with the sun on them. A word against photonia red robin though - I find the year-round leathery leaf drop both unsightly and a real pain. And you're forever cutting the best bit off to keep the height right!
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  Dave Lockney July 8, 2012 at 6:06pm

  Thanks for all the replies -as always great advice on here.  I think its going to be leylandii due to cost and the immediacy of creating a decent screen. I did like the idea of other species but i think cost is the thing.  The hedge is only part of the job to create a quickish childfriendly garden.   Will give the customer a couple of photo options off the net to decide which variety and let you know!
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  Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd July 8, 2012 at 8:48pm

  It's all about Thuja plicata. Almost as fast growing as leylalandii and can be cut back and will more than likely rejuvenate.
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  Paul McNulty July 8, 2012 at 11:08pm

  
  Fair enough if they are going for conifer, but what were their thoughts about the more long-term issues? If you are wanting a conifer hedge beyond a few years then Thuja is better, as I said. If they are thinking less than a few years, or are seriously unwilling to spend a few quid extra over the years, are they going to pay for the sort of regular cutting needed to maintain a closely-clipped Lleylandii?

  This does seem to be the classic case of a client wanting something that will grow incredibly fast for no money, then they expect it to cost no money to maintain. They will be the first people to blame the gardener who advised them to plant the things when the neighbours have complained to the council about the 30' hedge!
  Dave Lockney said:

  Thanks for all the replies -as always great advice on here.  I think its going to be leylandii due to cost and the immediacy of creating a decent screen. I did like the idea of other species but i think cost is the thing.