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Happy, Healthy Plants Guaranteed
Expertly Grown in the UK
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Happy, Healthy Plants Guaranteed
Expertly Grown in the UK
Carefully Hand Delivered

Grey Alder Hedging | Alnus incana

Easy to grow and super hardy hedge

Grown by John

South Downs National Park

Bare Root Plant (5-7 per metre)

60-90cm

£7

Pre-order for delivery Late November

Perfectly happy plants, or your money back

Specialist overnight plant delivery

The highlights

  • Deciduous hedge with catkins in spring and cones in autumn
  • Great for screening in wet and windy conditions
  • Fast growing, more than 60cm per year
  • Grows up to 8-12m, can be maintained at 2-5m

Description

  • A hardy and versatile deciduous hedge which attracts wildlife and needs very little maintenance
  • Grey Alder has smooth grey bark, small, pointed oval leaves and is covered in pink-yellow catkins from the end of winter onwards, bringing a welcome burst of colour to the winter garden
  • A great choice for a wildlife friendly hedge when planted as a single species or mixed with other native hedging
  • A fully hardy, fast growing shrub which will reach a height of up to 8m but responds well to pruning and can easily be maintained at lower heights
  • Ideal for less than ideal conditions - this hedge will tolerate cold and wet gardens and can be used as a windbreak

What To Expect

Supplied as:

Bare root
Our bare root plants are lifted fresh from the field, wrapped in a moisture retentive covering and packed straight away. You can be sure they will be fresh when they arrive. In winter, you can store for several weeks if kept in a cool, dark spot. Later in spring, when the temperature rises, you will want to plant within a few days of arrival.

Height on arrival:

60-90cm
Depending on the time of year, your shrub will arrive at a height between 60-90cm

Eventual height:

8-12m

Eventual spread:

4-8m
Spreads approx 4-8m without pruning

Time to first crop:

Habit:

Bushy, upright
This shrub has several shoots rather than a single stem, often arising from a central point but sometimes also from elsewhere. It grows in an upright form.

Hardiness:

Fully hardy
H7 - frost resistant down to -20, needs no winter protection.

Rootstock:

Spacing:

5-7 per metre
Plant 5-7 per metre as hedging

How To Grow

Good pest and disease resistance

May suffer from phytophtora root rot.

Water when newly planted

Water establishing plants during dry spells for at least a year after planting.

Full sun

Does best where the hedge will receive at least 6 hours of sunlight every day during summer and spring.

Any well drained, fertile soil

Will tolerate less than perfect conditions but prefers well drained, loamy soils. If your soil is heavy or sandy, mix in some perlite or fine horticultural grit when planting, to improve drainage.

Feeding not required

A low maintenance plant which gets its nutrients from the soil

Planting Calendar

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  • Best time to plant
  • Harvest
  • Flower

South Downs National Park

Meet John

110 years' expertise free with every plant

Straight from the capable hands of our shrub specialist John to your garden, you can be sure that each bush, hedge and plant is grown to last. Nurtured in the fields of the South Downs and professionally pruned for the best shape, these hardy feature plants will be adding structure, colour and variety to your garden for many years to come.

What customers say about us

We do our best to provide you the best experience ever

Growing with Roots

Good to know

Our plants are grown 
in the UK

Specialist UK growers we know and trust grow your plants the traditional way, with organic fertiliser and biological pest control. They pick only the healthiest plants for you, professionally pruning them so that they’ll grow strong and well shaped.

Our plants are delivered overnight

Your plants are sent to you fresh from the field in our plastic free box that’s specially designed to hold them tight, then securely delivered by specialist plant couriers - straight from the grower to your garden within 
24 hours.

We're here to help at every step

We want your plants to have a long and healthy life. Expect easy-to-follow grow guides and videos devised by our team 
of experts.

Perfect plants, guaranteed

We’re confident that you’ll be delighted 
with your new plants. Need help? Alice and her team are here to guarantee you’re 
perfectly happy.

Digging deep to answer your questions

How do I know I'm getting quality plants?

All of our plants are grown in specialist nurseries with the highest standards of plant care and sustainability. We guarantee you'll love them as much as we do! Don't just take our word for it - we've got thousands of great reviews on Trustpilot.

When will I get my plants?

The delivery timescale for each plant is on the web page (near the 'add to basket's button). You'll receive a dispatch email with an exact delivery date once your plants are on their way, so you can get the garden ready.

How will my plants be packed and delivered?

We send all of our orders through a courier network designed to handle plants. Specialist equipment ensures that no plants will be damaged during the packing process and every order is carefully finished and checked by plant-loving humans. Your plants will arrive in the most sustainable packaging possible with minimal to no plastic used.

Where do you deliver?

We deliver to anywhere in Mainland UK for our standard delivery cost. We are able to deliver most plants to Highlands and non UK mainland however this will be at an additional cost. This will be calculated at the checkout. Please note, deliveries to these locations will take longer. Unfortunately, we are not able to deliver to Northern Ireland at present.

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