Box blight (Cylindrocladium buxicola) was first spotted in the UK in 1998 and is now widespread, leaving its tell-tale signs of straw-coloured bare patches and black streaks on young stems as it rips through hedging and neatly clipped box topiary. If that wasn’t enough, there’s also the marauding box tree caterpillar, which munches its way through many a parterre and is best identified by the cocoon of webbing spun between leaves.
There are ways of controlling box blight (cutting out infected areas, good garden hygiene, cleaning tools and binning clippings and fallen leaves) and catching it early makes a big difference. But once it has set in it’s a long and uphill battle. I haven’t planted any box for years (respected nurserymen and women tell me it’s a no-no) and have sadly ripped out many affected plants.
It’s a shame. Box clips so beautifully and its fresh, green spring growth is inimitable, but we must be pragmatic. Fortunately, there are many alternatives to choose from to give the garden good evergreen structure, particularly important at this time of year.
Nine great hedging plants
Taxus baccata (yew) is often seen as the hedge for large, grand gardens and will reach 20 metres or more, but it can be clipped and kept much shorter, to about 50 or 60cm. Dark green, matt, compact and tough as anything, it does well in sun or shade and copes with any soil except waterlogged.
Phillyrea angustifolia (narrow-leaved mock privet) is one of my all-time favourites for its dark green, matt foliage and strong silhouette. A member of the olive family with small, long leathery leaves, it clips well and makes a great hedge. Fragrant white flowers in spring are followed by small black fruits. It is not as hardy as some but is surprisingly tough, thriving in the same conditions as olive trees. The plant copes well with dappled shade and dry soil and reaches about 3m x spread 3m without clipping.
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Teucrium x lucidrys (hedge germander), a drought-resistant, low-growing, evergreen perennial with spicy, aromatic foliage and small pink flowers in summer, is ideal for edging a path. Clip back in early spring to keep it tidy. Height 30cm x spread 30cm.
Euonymus japonicus‘Jean Hugues’ works nicely when planted densely as a hedge or evergreen clipped block (space 2 litre plants about 30cm apart). The new top growth on glossy evergreen foliage has a lime yellow tinge, which gives it a fresh look and it clips well too. Height 1m x spread 60cm.
Osmanthus x burkwoodii is a classy shrub with small, glossy, dark green toothed leaves and masses of delicious jasmine-scented flowers in April and May. It is naturally rounded but you could always give it a light clip after flowering to keep it tight and shapely. It will grow on most soils but prefers a decent fertile soil. It is quite slow growing so may be one to invest in. Height and spread up to 3m x 3m if left unclipped.
Lonicera nitida (shrubby honeysuckle or box honeysuckle) grows fast and its dense structure means it clips very well (you’ll need to clip regularly, at least twice a year, unless you like that shaggy look!). It is best for hedges about 1 to 2 metres in height but can also make good topiary pieces. Height and spread are about 3m if left unpruned.
Pinus mugo (dwarf mountain pine) is nothing like box really, but the rounded form makes it useful for solid punctuation and full stops in borders. There are a few varieties of these available such as ‘Mops’ and ‘Gnom’, which will stay quite neat if left (slowly growing to about 1 or 2 metres). But if you want to keep them more compact, clip in spring by snipping off about half the new growth (don’t cut into the old wood). Height and spread are about 1m.
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Rosemarinus ‘Miss Jessopp’s Upright’ — an edible hedge? I often plant this structural rosemary as a single plant, in blocks or as a hedge for its upright habit, aromatic, tasty foliage and blue flowers in spring. A light trim occasionally in spring or summer will keep it tidy. Plant between 35 and 45cm apart as a hedge or block in full sun on well-drained soil. Reaches 2m x spread 2m if left.
Ilex crenata (box-leaved holly) has glossy, deep green leaves and there is a variety called ‘Dark Green’ with a particularly deep foliage colour. If left this plant will reach about 5m in height and 4m in spread but it responds very well to clipping and shaping — once in late summer or in spring and late summer to keep a tighter shape. It’s classically used for cloud pruning in Japan but you can turn it into any shape you want or grow as a hedge. Thrives in full sun or partial shade in any decent garden soil.
