Edible Hedges
Edible hedges: a beautiful, biodiverse and tasty garden boundary
Edible hedges are beautiful and bountiful. They are a fantastic way to add purpose and seasonal interest to garden boundaries, amenity projects, estate hedging and landscape schemes.
By planting a mix of native British species, you could enjoy a rich harvest of berries, nuts and leaves while supporting wildlife and enhancing biodiversity. Plus, they are a great way of helping with re-wilding areas on large estates or farms and are another GYO idea that garden centres can offer to their customers too.
Why choose an edible hedge?
Edible hedges offer more than just food – they provide shelter for birds and small mammals, flowers for pollinators and foliage for caterpillars before they pupate into pollinating butterflies and moths.
A diverse hedge attracts a wide range of insects, enriching your garden’s ecosystem. Plus, the fruits and nuts you harvest can be turned into jams, jellies, syrups, and even wines.
From spring salads to autumn preserves, edible hedges bring year-round delight. Just remember not all hedging plants are safe to eat raw. Some require cooking to avoid stomach upsets, so investing in a good hedgerow cookery book – like The Hedgerow Cook Book by Wild at Heart – is highly recommended.
Top edible hedge plants to grow
are some of the best edible hedge plants and we have all these available now as bareroot plants:
Hazel (Corylus avellana)
Hazel is a naturally bushy plant with rounded green leaves and long yellow catkins. In autumn, it produces sweet hazelnuts that can be eaten fresh or roasted. Great for muesli, salads and stuffing, hazel is a classic British hedgerow plant that thrives in semi-shade.
Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
Fast-growing and tough, hawthorn forms a dense, secure hedge. Its young leaves add a nutty flavour to spring salads and its berries support wildlife through the colder months.
Small Leaved Lim (Tilia cordata)
This tree tolerates shade and pollution, making it ideal for urban gardens. Its leaves are a tasty lettuce alternative in salads and it thrives on chalky, well-drained soils.
Dog Rose (Rosa canina)
Hardy and fast-growing, Dog Rose produces vibrant rose hips in late summer. These can be used to make vitamin-rich rosehip syrup, crystallized decorations, or sweet treats like Turkish Delight.
Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)
Rowan trees are known for their bright orange berries, which make a delicious jelly with a woody flavour – perfect alongside roast meats. Though not suitable for clipped hedges, they work well as screening trees.
Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)
Blackthorn is a native tree with sharp thorns that form an impenetrable hedge. Its berries are famously used to make sloe gin and other jellies and preserves.
Elder (Sambucus nigra)
Elder produces fragrant white flowers in summer, perfect for elderflower cordial and dark berries in autumn that can be cooked into jams, wines and sorbets. The flowers also enhance vinegars, cakes and even champagne.
Wild Pear (Pyrus communis)
This native pear tree produces small, crab apple-like fruits that are great for wildlife and can be used to make jellies. If left unpruned it grows up to 15 metres and will add height and interest to your edible hedge.
Tips for growing and enjoying edible hedges
- Mix it up: Combine different species to enjoy a variety of flavours and seasonal interest.
- Cook safely: Some fruits and berries are mildly toxic raw – always check before eating.
- Harvest wisely: Collect nuts and berries in autumn and store them for winter use.
- Get inspired: Explore online recipes or pick up a hedgerow cookery book to make the most of your harvest.
- Download our free Bareroot Hedging Guide here.
Ready to plant your own edible hedge?
Edible hedges are a gift to us and nature. With a little planning, your boundary could become a source of food, beauty and biodiversity.
To order bareroot hedging from us for a commercial, landscape or amenity project, and to find out how we can help you with your hedging needs, please get in touch!
Not a business?
Visit our Wyevale Hedges. It’s designed to cater to individual customers looking to purchase hedging on a smaller, non-wholesale scale.