If you’ve an exposed garden pocket or a blustery corridor in your landscape, you’ll know the problems wind can cause. You could erect a costly fenced structure or semi-permeable artificial screen and limit the problem. OR….you could choose a fully permeable, cost-effective, eye-pleasing alternative – a living windbreak made from wind-resistant trees and hedging.
Let’s explore what the world of trees and hedging plants offers you to create just that – a long-lasting, beautiful-to-look-at, great-for-wildlife living windbreak.
Why protect from wind?
Some plants don’t fare well under windy conditions (that goes for some people, too!). A living windbreak can:
- Reduce wind speed and smooth out extreme weather in exposed locations
- Provide shelter for nature (and people!)
- Reduce wind damage and wind-rock on shallow-rooted plants – where the wind literally rips them from their soil socket.
- Give respite to pollinating insects
- Reduce loss of moisture – both from foliage and the soil
- Minimise soil erosion
- Reduce salt damage in coastal areas
- Hamper snow drifts
- Act as a natural screen for less attractive elements
- Reduce heat loss in garden buildings
Reasons enough to consider a hedge as a garden divider that can be planted in any formation, size and situation to suit any windy corridor or pocket.
Windbreak or shelterbelt?
Simply put, a windbreak can be a single line hedge or a single or double row of young trees, perfect for any garden situation
A shelterbelt? That’s a different beast. Formed from tall trees and/or shrubs and probably over 5 metres tall, a shelterbelt usually consists of three or four staggered rows of trees. Best used on larger sites where wind is a larger problem site-wide.
We’re primarily talking windbreaks in this blog post, planted and created from young trees and hedging plants. Fully permeable, filtering most of the wind and looking great, for a long time.
Right plants, right place
Hedging it is. Choose small young plants to allow for the best chance of healthy establishment. Consider site, size, position and topography – how the land lies. But first, choose the right plants.
Wind-resistant trees and hedging plants from www.treesandhedging.co.uk
Our top picks for wind-resistant hedging are Hawthorn – Crataeagus monogyna and Sea Buckthorn – Hippophae rhamnoides but there are a great number of wind-resistant trees and hedging plants to be considered when planting in exposed areas, not just for creating a windbreak:
Ready to plant a living windbreak?
Wind-resistant plants sorted. If it’s a windbreak you’re after – next step – planning, planting and maintenance.
- Think leeward and windward sides of a hedge – the former facing away from the wind, the latter towards the wind. Winds in the UK usually come from the south-west.
- A well-placed, healthy, dense hedge can reduce winds behind it to a distance up to 10 times its height.
- Plant a wider hedge than the area you are protecting – winds have a habit of sneaking around the sides if you let them.
- Choose small young plants from treesandhedging.co.uk
- Plants should be close together – plant at intervals of 30-90cm (1-3ft) within each row.
- Know your topography – consider hills and obstacles that could divert wind around and over your hedge.
- Consider a additional wind-resistant hedging to prevent wind tunnels between valleys, between buildings.
- Protect from damage with guards and shelters
- Mulch, water and keep weed-free
[…] windbreak fencing to help hedges get established. You may need to think about planting extra-tough trees and hedging such as hawthorn and pine […]