Six alternatives to box hedging

Over the last few weeks I've been digging out a Box hedge. What was once a lovely green division between paths and beds had sadly become rather less attractive having succumbed to the dreaded Box moth caterpillar.

Removing the hedge has given my client the opportunity to rethink this area of their garden, and in fact they've chosen not to replace with an alternative, but to widen the grass paths instead. This makes perfect sense as stepping over the low hedging was becoming a little tricky for them to navigate safely.

If you're struggling with keeping your Box hedges healthy, you're certainly not alone. And while my clients decided not to replant, there are plenty of excellent alternatives to Box available that can step in and do the job, often with fewer headaches.

The problems with Box

Box hedging has always been a popular choice. Its neat, evergreen leaves and slow-growing habit make it ideal for shaping into crisp, formal lines or traditional topiary shapes. For years, it was a low-maintenance, smart solution for edging paths, borders, and creating garden structure.

But things have changed. In recent years, box has come under real pressure from two major threats: box moth and box blight. Both of these are making it harder than ever to keep box hedges looking healthy.

The box tree moth arrived in the UK fairly recently. Its caterpillars feed voraciously on box leaves and can skeletonise a hedge in no time. If you spot pale green caterpillars with black stripes and little black heads wriggling in webbing, you’ve got box moth. Many gardeners try using pheromone traps and sprays, but keeping on top of an infestation is tough, especially if your neighbours’ plants are affected too.

Box blight is a different sort of problem – it’s a fungal disease that first appeared here in the 1990s. It causes black streaks on stems, brown patches and leaf drop, and generally leaves box hedges bare and ugly. The trouble is, once you’ve got it, it’s hard to clear, as the spores stick around in the soil and on plant debris.

Dealing with both issues means a lot more work: regular spraying, picking off caterpillars, cutting out diseased growth, and cleaning up all the fallen leaves. Even then, it’s not guaranteed you’ll get on top of them. It’s no wonder more people are thinking about replacements.

Alternatives to Box Hedging

Here are some of the most popular and reliable options:

• Ilex crenata (Japanese holly): This is probably the closest match for box. It has small, dark green leaves and clips beautifully. It’s slow-growing like box, so you won’t spend all summer trimming it, and it isn’t bothered by box moth or blight.

  
  

• Lonicera nitida: Sometimes called shrubby honeysuckle, this makes a dense, quick-growing hedge. The small, glossy leaves are easy to clip into shape. It does need more frequent trimming, but it responds well and copes with exposed sites.

  
  

• Pittosporum (especially ‘Tom Thumb’ or ‘Golf Ball’): Pittosporum is another evergreen that’s neat and easily shaped. ‘Tom Thumb’ has purple-bronze leaves, so it’s a good option if you want to try something a little different, while ‘Golf Ball’ forms a rounded ball without much help.

  
  

• Taxus baccata (Yew): Yew has been used for centuries for hedging and topiary. Its dark green needles create a very elegant hedge. With careful trimming, you can achieve ultra-neat shapes. It’s also tough and generally disease-free.

  
  

• Lavender and Rosemary: These are worth considering if you’re after a fragrant, less formal edge. Both love well-drained soil and sunshine. Lavender will give you purple flowers in summer and a lovely scent, while rosemary offers upright habit and blue flowers (plus it’s handy in the kitchen).

  
  

If you do decide to replace box hedging, it pays to dig out as much of the old root system and affected soil as you can, especially where blight has been an issue. Most alternatives will settle in well, but good thorough preparation makes all the difference.

Most of these plants should be clipped once or twice a year to keep their shape, though Lonicera nitida grows faster and might need more frequent trims. Feeding your new hedge in spring and watering it in dry weather (especially in the first season) will help it get established quickly.

Picture Credit: Michaela via Pixabay