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There are native evergreens
Not many! There are 5 British native evergreens
Yew, box, holly, scots pine, juniper
Box is now unusable due to caterpillars and blight
Yew makes a fantastic hedge but it's slow
lemonade-
What about ivy?
Pretty sure in GQT they were jizzing all over it's benefits for wildlife.
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I agree, there are not too many :)
So non-native ones can be a good solution, some also support pollinators and birds.
But the Laurel seems to be useless here in Belfast, pollinators aren't too bothered and there are no seeds or berries either.
I am using Holly and then using Honeysuckle to fill out the gaps in the Guelderose/Hazel/Rowan, it will take a while though. But there is already a fence so I am not in a hurry.
I bought a sambucus nigra black lace for one of the borders, can't wait to see it grow.
hugo7
JWestland
I don't like Portuguese laurel, it spreads in the Belfast hills and is extremely hard to kill.
Even with super strong glyphosate, the one you need a license for, often doesn't kill it.
Also no use to pollinators. For a boring hedge, privet at least makes the hedge sparrows happy.
There are native evergreens or get a non native evergreen that works, my Hazel have grown very fast. The holly is slow though to fill out.