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