Portugal Laurel 100-120cm (3’3″-3’11”)

These are bushy, top-quality Portugal Laurel hedging plants in 7.5 litre pots.  These Portugal Laurel are also called Prunus lusitanica ‘Brenelia’.

7.5 litre pots are approx 25cm wide by 21cm deep. We recommend a digging hole approximately 40cm wide (square) by 23cm deep.  Dig over the soil in the bottom of the hole for another 30cm. This ensures the soil in the bottom of the hole is not all compacted, thus allowing the roots of the hedging plants to get into the soil easily. It also allows any excess water to drain especially in the winter months on clay soils.

How many plants?

To find out how many plants you need, first measure the length of the area you want to plant in metres or feet.

We recommend spacing plants from 2 to 3 feet (60 cm to 1 metre) apart. It depends on two factors: how quickly you want a screen hedge, and what the final height of the hedge will be. The closer plant them, the quicker they will fill the gaps and give you a screen.

However, the taller you want your hedge, the further apart you will need to space them. For example, a hedge that will be 15 feet (5 metres) or higher you will need to space them 3 feet apart to give their roots more room to expand. But if you want your hedge to be lower you can space them 2 feet apart for a quicker screen.

Whether you choose 2 or 3 feet, in the long term your hedge will look the same.

To help decide you can use our Hedge Spacing Calculator. Simply enter the length of the area you want to plant in either feet or metres, and it will work out the quantity you need at different spacings.

When to plant

You can plant pot-grown hedging any time of year. However, the ideal time to plant is autumn and winter if the ground is not frozen. If you plant in late spring or summer, they will grow just as well, but you will need to water them more often in warm weather.

How to plant

When planting, make sure you clear any weeds or grass from the area you are going to plant your hedge. Dig a hole one and a half to twice the width of the pot your plants come in. It only needs to be deep enough so that the top of the rootball is level with the soil surface. Use a spade or garden fork to loosen the soil at the bottom of the hole. This will help the plant’s roots to grow into the soil more easily.

If you are using feed or Rootgrow, then sprinkle a handful into the planting hole so that it will contact the plant roots.

Take your hedging plant out of its pot and position it in the centre of the hole, making sure it is straight, then refill the hole with the soil you have dug out and firm it down using your feet. Water it in well, even if rain is forecast.

It will also be beneficial to apply a mulch of bark, compost, or wood chippings around the base of your plants. This will help retain moisture in the soil, suppress any weeds, and provide food.

Delivery

We dispatch plants all through the year from Monday to Friday on two options. Express delivery aims to deliver within 1-2 working days, if you order before 11am, we can normally deliver next working day. Standard delivery usually delivers within 2-3 working days. You can choose your delivery date during the checkout process.  Delivery times are generally between 9am and 5pm, but customers can specifically ask for morning or afternoon delivery at an extra charge. Customers can also collect their plants on site.

We deliver to most areas in England, Scotland and Wales. We are not able to deliver to Northern Ireland. Our minimum order is £150.00 worth of plants plus delivery charge.

When placing an order, you can either order online or over the phone. Please call us on 01460 281265 (option 2) if you would like to order over the phone. We are open 7 days a week.

You will receive shipping confirmation when your order is being dispatched. Your plants will be delivered in wooden pallet crates. These are delivered by our courier directly to you by lorry. When arrived, the lorry driver will lower these crates to ground level and move them onto your driveway. They will not take the crate away; this will be left with you.

Please note: we measure the height from the top of the rootball to the tip of the plant. The heights quoted will be the height of the plants on delivery. The eventual height of the hedge will depend on pruning.

Prices are per plant and include VAT but not delivery. For delivery charges, see our Delivery page or add the plants to your basket and the delivery charge will be calculated as you go through the checkout process.

Watering

How much watering you need to do depends on the time of year you plant your hedge. If you plant in autumn or winter, between October and March, you will not need to water often because high rainfall and cooler temperatures usually means the soil does not dry out. If you plant between in spring or summer, between March and October, then you will need to water your plants up to twice a week. If it is hot and dry you may need to water every two days.

Whatever the time of year, what you are aiming to do is to ensure the roots do not dry out until the plant has developed a good root system.

See our Frequently Asked Questions Page for further information.

What are the main reasons to plant a Portuguese or Portugal Laurel hedge?

The first reason to choose Portugal Laurel or Portuguese Laurel is that it is evergreen. This means it does not drop its leaves in winter, but instead keeps its leaves all year providing privacy and shelter 365 days a year.

The second reason is its appearance. The dark green leaves and red stems look very attractive, and when they are mature they produce clusters of small white flowers. This makes Portugal Laurel one of the most colourful hedges you can grow. In addition, the dense foliage means they can be tightly trimmed to make them look very neat and tidy, perfect for formal garden styles.

Thirdly, Portugal Laurel is one of the best options for small hedges, and for growing hedges in containers. The small foliage means that even a low hedge about 1m tall will still provide a dense screen with no gaps. This also makes them ideal for containers such as troughs, which are perfect for a patio or balcony.

The next reason is that they are good for wildlife. Spring flowers attract insects, and autumn berries are good for birds.

A fifth reason is its hardiness. When established they can tolerate cold, frost, snow, heat and drought. They can grow in any soil, including clay and chalk, if it does not get waterlogged in winter.

Portugal Laurel is very easy to maintain. They only need to be trimmed once a year, normally in early to mid-summer after the birds have finished nesting. If your Portugal Laurel does need to be cut back hard, it will regenerate from old wood.

Finally, although they are used in hedging, individual Portugal Laurel make excellent specimen plants. They are very ornamental and can be pruned into decorative forms, ranging from bushy shrubs to single-stem small trees. Their dark green foliage makes an excellent contrast to lighter green colours from other plants