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Cherry laurel hedging

#1 · 24th March 2025, 3:46 pm

Hi, I am new to asking questions like this but am desperate for help.

I have built a 2 ft high gabion wall across the bottom of my garden as we have an amazing view across farm land and the bottom of the garden drops 7 ft into a drainage rhyme so I built a concrete plinth for the wall to sit on. Look great but this week planning appeal has been granted for 200+ houses to be built in the fields (which are flood zone 3) so I need to plant fast growing Hedging for privacy. Can I drill holes in the concrete plinth and plant cherry laurels or would they not grow, if possible how deep should the soil be to enable growth please?

Thank you for your help

#2 · 27th March 2025, 7:06 am

Hi @new-gardener

Thanks for your comment, and what a pickle it sounds like you're in. Privacy is one of the key components of good garden design, feeling secure, private and therefore rested. I can see the dilemma you're in.

The quick answer is no drilling into the concrete will not work. In fact it will quickly kill the plants as the roots come into contact with the relatively new concrete.

What I would suggest is placing a 70cm wide and 60cm high/deep raised bed in front of the gabion and then plant these with the hedging to provide your screen.

Do be careful with cherry laurel enmasse is can suddenly become very dense and heavy on the eye, not to mention it has little value for wildlife and will suck all the moisture out of that part of the garden. Ideally, some additional planting around that area can help soften it and give Mother Nature a boost, too! Holly, Griselinia (if left to flower each year) and Alder hedges are much better specimens for you to try.

Here's my guide for planting hedges, too, to assist.