Which grows quicker - laurel, holly or photinia red robin

[goalc]

I hope someone can help....

We have a fence and we want to grow a large bush/shrub/tree by it to act as screening - we have a choice of laurel, holly or photinia red robin - does anyone know which of these will grow the fastest ?

Basically we want to get to about 10-12 feet in as short a time as possible. The plant will be in a southerly facing psoition and so gets plenty of sun....

many thanks for any help

 

[nstreet]

Laurel would probably be best, our old bush used to put on about 4-5 ft in a season. Needs to be kept in check though otherwise a bush will quickly turn into a tree.

Holly is very slow, not sure about your third option.

 

[breezer]

you could alwys check the rhs website

 

[bludger]

Hello Goalc,

Have you considered escallonias? These are evergreen, fast growing if you pick the larger varieties, and also have very nice flowers. I've found that I can layer mine easily and thus get more shrubs for nowt!

I'd pick these over most other shrubs for your needs

 

[2scoops0406]

Trouble is fastest growing equals most frequent pruning.

 

[bludger]

Hi Eddie M,

I let my escallonia hedge grow and flower and then just use my petrol hedgecutter on it. It certainly doesn't look as nice as a secateur pruned hedge but it soon recovers.

 

[2scoops0406]

Have no problem with using a hedge trimmer to prune, rather than poncing about with secateurs, in fact the RHS conducted a rose pruning trial and concluded that the best method of pruning was with a hedge trimmer

 

[sandwell]

Laurel is much the fastest of the three you name. But at 12' high, and usually quite thick as well, you might find it hard work keeping it in check.

My choice would be Photinia. Would take a few years, but would make a splendid hedge in my opinion.

I have an escallonia in my front garden, very decorative, but it is a fast grower, and needs constant trimming. A bit like privet in that respect.