Discover horse-friendly hedges and trees that provide shelter, privacy and natural beauty while creating a safe and suitable environment for horses and livestock.
The following plants can produce good hedges in their own right or as creative mixtures. You can purchase these plants direct from Hortlands Nursery.
Acer campestre
Popular for native hedgerows, screening, and as a lower-maintenance alternative to larger maples in smaller gardens.
Carpinus betulus
A go-to choice for formal hedging (especially where beech would struggle due to wet or heavy soil), screening, and windbreaks.
Corylus avellane
Traditional mixed native hedging, coppice woodland, windbreaks, and increasingly popular for wildlife-friendly garden boundaries; also grown as a productive nut tree.
Crataegus monogyna
The backbone species in traditional mixed native hedgerows; also excellent as a standalone specimen for blossom and berries, and for security hedging thanks to its thorns.
Fagus sylvatica
One of the most popular formal hedging choices in the UK for its dense screening and autumn colour retention.
Griselina littoralis
A go-to for coastal hedging and screening where wind and salt tolerance matter more than cold hardiness — popular in seaside towns and gardens.
Rosa rugosa
Notably large, tomato-like red hips in autumn — some of the showiest hips of any hedging rose, and a genuine wildlife/ornamental feature.
Rosmarinus officinalis
Popular for low border hedging, edging paths, and kitchen garden boundaries — doubles as a culinary herb, which is a nice selling point for planting schemes.
The following trees create good shelter and shade for horses:
Follow Hortlands
Follow Hortlands on social media to keep up to date with latest horticultural news and gardening information.
Get in touch with Hortlands today to arrange a consultation.