There is generally a good deal of fuss about Leyland Cypress hedges. They have a reputation for remaining uncontrollable, for generating disputes in between neighbours, for becoming ugly and, a short while ago, for getting illness prone. There are components of fact in all these accusations but, established against these, it is quite achievable to develop wonderful Leyland hedges which are superb screens.
The Leyland Cypress ( Cupressocyparis Leylandii is its Latin name) is a cross involving two other species of conifer and is a common illustration of hybrid vigour. It is a pretty quickly growing plant, in fact the quickest evergreen with the exception of some Eucalyptus species. Even in weak circumstances, this sort of as thin chalky ailments and exposure to coastal winds, it is able of respectable advancement. It can even tolerate a sure total of shade. These added benefits however can consequence in various complications. The roots of this sort of vigorous plants can clear away substantially of the dampness and quite a few of the vitamins and minerals from the bordering soil (on your individual aspect of a hedge as well as your neighbour’s) and so it can be hard to expand just about anything in the vicinity of to a Leyland hedge. The principal difficulty having said that success from the vigour of its expansion.
A healthier Leyland Cypress can make quite a few ft of development a year. To incorporate it as a hedge needs ideally 3 sessions of trimming a year, in late spring, summer and early autumn. This is partly due to the fact it grows so quickly but also since it will not grow once again from the older, brown wooden. Only the refreshing environmentally friendly development can be clipped correctly and this is at the conclusion of all the branches. It is on the other hand achievable to keep a decent, however not best, hedge by 2 times yearly clipping. Anything significantly less and gaps will commence to show up at the base of the plants which will then glance less beautiful and end operating so perfectly as a hedge.
Leylands have also regularly been made use of as screening. They are very easily capable of forming a dense line of trees 15metres (50ft) higher in reasonable situations of soil and exposure. As with hedges, this can induce challenges with neighbours and neighborhood authorities who may perhaps resent their overbearing effects and the loss of light-weight and watch which results. There have been a lot of disputes concerning neighbours in the Uk, several resulting in costly law suits. The final result has been legislation so that it is now possible for Councils to demand any evergreen boundary hedge or monitor to be diminished to 2m large.
Ailment of Leyland Cypress have develop into significantly common not too long ago. Massive brown parts in closely clipped hedges are an progressively common web site. In Britain the Royal Horticultural Culture has carried out investigate into the dilemma (http://www.rhs.org.united kingdom/Mastering/Analysis/Assignments/cypressdieback.htm) and in addition many bodies in the US have noted popular incidence of Canker diseases. It is value remembering that there are many possibilities to Leylands which, although fewer vigorous, make very fantastic substitutes. Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata), Lawson Cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) and Yew (Taxus baccata) might substitute well based on the condition. In addition there are a lot of non-coniferous evergreen hedges such as Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) which prosper in related conditions to Leylands.
To response the first question, if I have been to have to have a dense, evergreen hedge for my personal garden I would decide on one of the solutions which are a tiny less vigorous or subject to ailment. That claimed, Leylands can often be bought quite cheaply.