Ryan Mahon Chelsea garden 2025
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RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025 /in , /by

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025

Wild About Chelsea

We are delighted to support Garden Designers at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show again this year.

We are supplying Yew Practical Instant Hedge™ for Sadie May Stowell’s “Explore Charleston” installation at the show. We have more hedging in Ryan McMahon’s garden in the All About Plants category.

The RHS’s All About Plants category has tasked designers to look at how plants, wildlife and people adapt and interact with the environment around them. All the gardens in this category are supported by Project Giving Back, a grant-giving charity that supports gardens for good causes at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The designs in this category have a particular focus on unusual and specialist plants.

Seawilding

Ryan McMahon’s Seawilding garden captures the spirit of Scotland’s west coast landscape, with a saltwater pool planted with seagrass, the UK’s only native ocean plant. The garden focuses on plants native to the west coast of Scotland, such as globeflower, a wildflower of the Scottish wet meadows, and string sedge. We are supplying our Practical Instant Hedge™ in Native Mix which frames this innovative Garden.

RHS Chelsea Flower Show is filled with amazing garden designs, gorgeous floral displays and exclusive shopping. This year’s show is 20 – 24 May 2025.

Practical Choice

Our hedging range makes a perfect choice for show gardens, which is why many garden designers choose our Practical Instant Hedge™ year after year. The hedges come in 1m long pieces across evergreen and deciduous species, all of which are grown at our Buckinghamshire nursery. The production method ensures that this mature hedge is easy to handle with no transplant shock and that it can be planted all year round.

See for yourself

Come and visit our nursery in Iver, Bucks and talk to our Horticultural team about your projects. Call us on 01753 652022. You can also email us at hedge@pracbrown.co.uk. Or browse our website for evergreen screening trees, specimen trees and instant hedges.

 

(French Laurustinus
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Special Offer on Pleached Trees /in , /by

Special Offer – 20% off Pleached Trees

We always have a range of quality trees for decorative or screening purposes in stock in our Buckinghamshire nursery. These include a comprehensive range of pleached trees, and we are delighted to offer a discount of 20% off the price of these elegant screening trees.

Pleached Trees

Pleached trees are an extremely effective form of screening and improving privacy in gardens, without reducing the living space in the garden. Typically, pleached trees have a clear stem up to 1.8-2m high, with the frame above this height. Frame sizes can vary but are typically  1.2m x 1.5m.

Choice

Examples of species, sizes and prices include:

Tree Clear Stem Girth Frame Size List Price 20% off price
Elaeagnus ebbingei 1.4m 12/14cm 0.8 x 1m £560 £448.00
Ilex aquifolium ‘Nellie R. Stevens’ 1.8-2m 14/16cm 1.2 x 1.2m £951 £760.80
Ligustrum japonicum 2m 18/20cm 1.2 x 1.8m £877 £701.60
Magnolia grandiflora ‘Gallisoniensis’ 1.8m 16/18cm 1.5 x 1.2m £747 £597.60
Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’ 1.8-2m 10/12cm 1.8 x 1.2m £594 £475.20
Prunus laurocerasus ‘Novita’ 1.8m 12/14cm 1.2 x 1.2m £848.25 £678.60
Viburnum lucidum 1.8m 16/18cm 1.5 x 1.2m £1,173 £938.40

See our latest availability list to see what pleached trees we have in stock and available for your project now.

Bulk Order

An additional 20% discount will be applied to ex VAT orders of trees worth a total of £3000 or more, after all previous discounts have been applied.
Please note: The prices are ex-nursery Iver and are valid until the end of February 2025. E&OE. Discount applies to the tree stock value of the order only, not to delivery and planting etc.

Visit The Nursery

We would be delighted to show you around our Tree and Hedge nursery in Iver, Buckinghamshire, whether you are interested in screening trees or instant hedges.
We are located near to the M4, M25 and M40 junctions, about 6 miles from Heathrow Airport. Also, we are just 15 miles from central London and 1 mile from Iver Station, which has regular trains from London Paddington.
Please phone us first 01753 652022 to book a nursery visit and we will ensure we have an expert on hand to show you around.
We look forward to meeting you and helping you with your enquiry.

Pleached Japanese privet available at Practicality Brown now
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Pleached Trees /in , /by

Pleached Trees

The “what, why and how” to use them

What is a pleached tree?

‘Pleaching’ is a method of training trees by tying-in and interlacing flexible young shoots along a supporting framework.  A pleached tree has a single clear stem and a crown of branches that have been carefully trained and pruned over several years, so that their branches are interwoven to form a continuous, slim, living canopy. Historically, pleached trees have been used in formal garden designs and estate landscapes to add both beauty and function.

Ideas for Using Pleached Trees

Using multiple pleached trees of the same kind can create structural forms that divide and define spaces at height. They can make a formal avenue on a large plot, screen an area that is overlooked, create an enclosed ‘room’ or a shady tunnel.

Espalier trees are similar, whereby fruit trees are pleached on horizontal frames, so that sun can shine on the fruit.  Trees trained in this way will require regular maintenance to prune and tie-in new growth back onto the frames.

Pleached and espalier trees are good ways of bringing trees into smaller gardens and are an effective form of screening and improving privacy, without reducing the living space in the garden.

Sizes of Pleached Trees

Clear stem and frame sizes vary; pleached trees tend have a clear stem of 1.8-2m (typically fence panel height) and a frame size of 1.2m wide by 1.5m high, although these can vary by species.

How much space do pleached trees need?

If you’re planting more than one, space your trees so that the frames touch for an instant screen or you can space them apart and allow the screen to develop over time. As you’ll be keeping their crowns restricted, they won’t grow large root systems, but they should be planted at least 40cm away from a fence or freestanding wall, and at least a metre from a building.

Caring for pleached trees

Through the growing season, train young supple shoots by tying them horizontally and weaving them onto the framework. As with all trees, keep watered in dry spells for at least the first year and mulch annually in spring with a good quality compost.

How to prune pleached trees

Keep the trunk or stem clear by pruning or rubbing off new shoots as they appear. During the summer, prune lateral branches that are strongly outward growing and remove any dead, damaged or diseased wood. To maintain the height and the formal appearance of the screen and encourage dense growth, use hedging shears to clip it once or twice a year.

Pleached Trees In stock

We always have a range of quality trees for decorative or screening purposes in stock in our Buckinghamshire nursery. These include a comprehensive range of pleached trees, and we are delighted to offer a Winter Special discount of 20% off the price of these elegant screening trees. Species include:

You can view of comprehensive tree availability lists here

Visit The Nursery

We would be delighted to show you around our Tree and Hedge nursery in Iver, Buckinghamshire.

Located near to the M4, M25 and M40 junctions, about 6 miles from Heathrow Airport, we are just 15 miles from Central London and 1 mile from Iver Station, which has regular trains from London Paddington.

Please phone us first on 01753 652022 to book a nursery visit and we will ensure we have an expert on hand to show you around.

We look forward to meeting you and helping you with your enquiry.

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Wildlife Friendly Hedges & Trees /in , /by

Wildlife Friendly Hedges & Trees

With RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend, it’s a great time to consider how to ensure your garden is attractive to wildlife. Adding trees and instant hedges into your garden can provide essential habitats, food sources, and protection, enabling biodiversity and ecological balance.

Habitat and Shelter

Trees and mature hedges serve as vital nesting sites and shelters for various bird species. Dense foliage offers protection from predators and harsh weather conditions, creating safe environments for raising young. A good example would be mixed native instant hedges which provide benefits for a wide range of wildlife.

Food Resources

Native hedges, composed of species like Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Hornbeam, Hazel and Privet produce flowers, berries, and seeds that are crucial food sources throughout the year. The seasonal availability of these resources support a variety of wildlife diets, from nectar-feeding to seed-eating species.

Protection and Privacy

Beyond ecological benefits, mature hedges offer practical advantages for garden owners. They act as natural windbreaks, reducing wind strength more effectively than solid fences, and serve as visual screens for privacy. They can also absorb dust and noise, contributing to a more pleasant garden environment.

Instant Hedges for Immediate Impact

For those looking to quickly enhance their gardens, Practical Instant Hedge™ provide immediate structure and benefits. These pre-grown mature hedges create a strong framework for the garden, so that it looks good from winter through to providing attractive background to floral displays of spring and summer.

Biodiversity

Including diverse, native plant species in your garden not only enhance garden aesthetics but also contributes to broader conservation efforts, supporting biodiversity and ecological health.

Tree Availability List

You can view of comprehensive tree availability lists here.

Visit The Nursery

We would be delighted to show you around our Tree and Hedge nursery in Iver, Buckinghamshire, whether you are interested in screening trees or instant hedges.

We are located near to M4, M25 and M40 junctions, about 6 miles from Heathrow Airport. Also, just 15 miles from central London and 1 mile from Iver Station. With regular trains from London Paddington.

Please phone us first 01753 652022 to book a nursery visit and we will ensure we have an expert on hand to show you around.
We look forward to meeting you and helping you with your enquiry.

 

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Winter Special – 20% off Pleached Trees /in , /by

Winter Special – 20% off Pleached Trees

We always have a range of quality trees for decorative or screening purposes in stock in our Buckinghamshire nursery. These include a comprehensive range of pleached trees, and we are delighted to offer a Winter Special discount of 20% off the price of these elegant screening trees.

Pleached Trees

Pleached trees are an extremely effective form of screening and improving privacy in gardens, without reducing the living space in the garden. Typically, pleached trees have a clear stem up to 1.8-2m high, with the frame above this height. Frame sizes can vary dramatically, although 1.2m x 1.5m is common.
‘Pleaching’ is a method of training trees by tying-in and interlacing flexible young shoots along a supporting framework. Once pleached it usually takes several years for these trees to mature into effective screening.

Choice

Whether you are looking for classic evergreen screening, trees with beautiful flowers or the bold red leaves of Photinia we are sure to have something right for your garden project.

Examples of species, sizes and prices include:

Tree Clear Stem Girth Frame Size List Price 20% off price
Elaeagnus ebbingei 1.4m 12/14cm 0.8 x 1m £560 £448.00
Ilex aquifolium ‘Nellie R. Stevens’ 1.8-1.9m 12/14cm 1.2 x 1.2m £951 £760.80
Ligustrum japonicum 2m 18/20cm 1.2 x 1.8m £877 £701.60
Magnolia grandiflora ‘Gallisoniensis’ 1.8m 16/18cm 1.5 x 1.2m £747 £597.60
Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’ 1.8-2m 10/12cm 1.8 x 1.2m £594 £475.20
Prunus laurocerasus ‘Novita’ 1.8m 12/14cm 1.2 x 1.2m £848.25 £678.60
Viburnum lucidum 1.8m 16/18cm 1.5 x 1.2m £1,173 £938.40

See our latest availability list to see what pleached trees we have in stock and available for your project now.

Bulk Order

An additional 20% discount will be applied to ex VAT orders of trees worth a total of £3000 or more, after all previous discounts have been applied.
Please note: The prices are ex-nursery Iver and are valid until the end of February 2025. E&OE. Discount applies to the tree stock value of the order only, not to delivery and planting etc.

Visit The Nursery

We would be delighted to show you around our Tree and Hedge nursery in Iver, Buckinghamshire, whether you are interested in screening trees or instant hedges.
We are located near to the M4, M25 and M40 junctions, about 6 miles from Heathrow Airport. Also, we are just 15 miles from central London and 1 mile from Iver Station, which has regular trains from London Paddington.
Please phone us first 01753 652022 to book a nursery visit and we will ensure we have an expert on hand to show you around.
We look forward to meeting you and helping you with your enquiry.

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Tree of the Week – Ilex aquifolium Nellie R Stevens /in , /by

Tree Of the Week

Ilex aquifolium Nellie R Stevens

Ilex aquifolium Nellie R Stevens or Holly Nellie R Stevens, is a lovely evergreen with smooth rather than spikey leaves.
The abundant red berries appear in the autumn and persist through the winter, contrast brilliantly with the attractive glossy dark green leaves. As well as brighten up the winter garden, this evergreen provides food and nesting opportunities for birds and wildlife.

It is ideal for screening due to its tight, conical upright habit and density. In addition to it’s aesthetic characteristics, the Ilex Nellie R Stevens is tolerant to adverse conditions.

We have this versatile evergreen screening tree in various forms and sizes, including standard (up to 4m high), pleached (various frame sizes) and some attractive half standard etc. See our stock availability list for details.

Ideal Conditions: Grows well in well-drained soil, is drought tolerant, needs sun-partial sun

Did you know: Nellie R Stevens is an American cultivar, a hybrid of Ilex cornuta and Ilex aquifolium. It was developed in Maryland, by Nellie Robinson Stevens and released to the nursery trade in 1954.

Visit The Nursery

We would be delighted to show you around our Tree and Hedge nursery in Iver, Buckinghamshire, whether you are interested in screening trees or instant hedges.

We are located near to M4, M25 and M40 junctions, about 6 miles from Heathrow Airport. Also, just 15 miles from central London and 1 mile from Iver Station.  With regular trains from London Paddington.

Please phone us first 01753 652022 to book a nursery visit and we will ensure we have an expert on hand to show you around.

We look forward to meeting you and helping you with your enquiry.

Magnolia grandiflora in bloom
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Tree of the Week – Magnolia grandiflora /in , /by

Tree Of the Week

Magnolia Grandiflora

Magnolia Grandiflora is a stunning specimen tree that is also perfect for evergreen screening.
It produces beautiful, large, white flowers in the summer, which can be up to 25 cm in diameter. As well as decorating this stunning tree, they also create a sweet-citrus smelling aroma.
At maturity this tree becomes broad and round headed with a bushy habit. It has large, ovoid leaves which are dark green and leathery on top, with a coppery, almost-furry underside. It has young shoots that are reddish, that change to a greyish brown at maturity.
The dense coverage and large leaves means this tree makes a brilliant screening tree as well as an attractive feature.
We have this versatile evergreen available as a standard with a clear stem, a pleached tree, a full feathered tree.
Ideal Conditions: Grows well in most soils, must be sheltered and not north-facing. Maximum Height: 15 metres

Visit The Nursery

We would be delighted to show you around our Tree and Hedge nursery in Iver, Buckinghamshire, whether you are interested in screening trees or instant hedges.

We are located near to M4, M25 and M40 junctions, about 6 miles from Heathrow Airport. Also, just 15 miles from central London and 1 mile from Iver Station.  With regular trains from London Paddington.

Please phone us first 01753 652022 to book a nursery visit and we will ensure we have an expert on hand to show you around.

We look forward to meeting you and helping you with your enquiry.

Native Mix Instant Hedge
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Instant Hedge Biodiversity Benefits /in /by

Green up your development with Mixed Native Instant Hedging!

 

Immediate Biodiversity Benefits

Instant hedges have the advantage of being pre-grown, meaning they arrive on site mature, up to 2m high, dense, and capable of providing immediate habitat and food sources for a variety of wildlife.

This “ready-made” green infrastructure allows developers to create ecologically functional spaces from day one, eliminating the lag that often accompanies conventional hedgerow planting.

Instant hedging, particularly those comprising a mixture of native species, are emerging as a highly effective, accessible way to enhance habitat connectivity and support Biodiversity Net Gain requirements. They will also contribute towards BREEAM certification having both social and ecological benefits.

Our UK grown Practical Instant Hedge™ has the following strengths:
• Supplied as a mature pre-formed hedge
• Over fifteen thousand metres of instant hedge in production
• Densely pre-planted and ready grown to 35 – 60cm wide and up to 2m high, species dependent
• Supplied in one metre long pieces in hedge bags
• Easy to handle, and plant, all year round
• Available in 16 species
• Supplied on standard 1m x 1.2m pallets
• All stock is carefully maintained, irrigated and treated with controlled release nutrients to optimise health
• Available in any lengths, and can be bent to almost any shape
• Contract growing available – contact us for details
• UK grown in Buckinghamshire – you are welcome to visit to view our stock for yourself
• Acts as natural air purifiers, reducing pollution levels by capturing particulate matter and filtering airborne pollutants.
• Reduces noise pollution.
• Absorbs carbon – Contributing to Carbon Sequestration

Instant Hedges for Biodiversity Net Gain

Incorporating Practical Instant Hedge™ into housing and infrastructure projects can support the Biodiversity Net Gain policy. Not only does mature hedging provide immediate ecological benefits, but they can also address some of the broader environmental challenges associated with urban growth, including pollution mitigation and climate resilience. By using instant hedges, developers can create vibrant green corridors that support wildlife, enrich communities, and ultimately contribute to a more sustainable future for the UK’s urban landscape.

Contact our Horticultural Team to find out more.

Definitions

from our Habitat colleagues

Biodiversity Net Gain
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), is a way of creating and improving natural habitats, leaving the natural environment in a measurably better state than it was beforehand – From February 2024, new projects must deliver a BNG of 10%, Meaning a development will result in more or a better-quality, natural habitat than there was before development.

Carbon Sequestration
Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing carbon compounds from the environment, reducing the greenhouse effect and mitigating climate change. This can be achieved on a large scale by reclaiming land and creating natural habitats.

Habitat Connectivity
Urban landscape often fragments wildlife habitats, but providing green corridors can enable the safe passage of wildlife between habitats, increasing access to food, water, and shelter. This connectivity is particularly vital for pollinators, small mammals, and other fauna that rely on hedgerows for movement across these environments.

BREEAM certification
BREEAM is a holistic sustainability assessment framework for buildings and infrastructure. It is used to specify and measure the sustainability performance of buildings, ensuring that projects meet sustainability goals and continue to perform optimally over time.

 

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Screening Trees In Stock and Available Now /in , /by

Evergreen Screening Trees currently in the UK

Available for delivery to your project now

We have over 800 screening trees in stock, which are available for delivery direct from our nursery in Iver, Buckinghamshire. As these trees are already in the UK, there is no need to worry about issues with delays on imports, supply issues and potentially even damaged stock.

Our stock of evergreen screening trees was imported from top European suppliers in the spring, they are in great condition and are fully acclimatised to the UK. As a bonus, we are holding this limited stock at spring 2024 prices. These trees have grown at our nursery through the summer so in many cases, you are getting a larger tree for your money – we have been too busy to hold a stock take and remeasure everything!

No need to wait, this top-quality stock can be delivered at a few days’ notice. You are also welcome to visit our nursery and view the stock for yourself!

 

The Best Screening Trees

Our range of trees includes those suitable for creating privacy (screening trees). Those that are good for narrow gardens (pleached trees) and also some stunning specimen trees too.

We keep a good stock of our best, and most popular, trees here in Iver. Such as the classic Hollies and Laurels as well as the popular Photinia ‘Red Robin’.

 

Visit The Nursery

We would be delighted to show you around our Tree and Hedge nursery in Iver, Buckinghamshire, whether you are interested in screening trees or instant hedges.

We are located near to M4, M25 and M40 junctions, about 6 miles from Heathrow Airport. Also, just 15 miles from central London and 1 mile from Iver Station.  With regular trains from London Paddington.

Please phone us first 01753 652022 to book a nursery visit and we will ensure we have an expert on hand to show you around.

We look forward to meeting you and helping you with your enquiry.

 

Picture shows Practicality Browns office in Iver with a large Photinia tree in the front.
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Instant Hedges and Trees Available Online /in /by

Instant Hedges & Large Trees Online

 

Practicality Brown is always known as an innovative company! The first company to develop pre-grown instant hedge in the late 1990s, and we have since gone on to develop our own award-winning Practicality Instant Hedge™.

Our team also specialise in evergreen screening trees, to bring privacy to every garden.

We are now pleased to announce two new online developments, our Hedge Shop and our full Tree Availability List.

Hedge Shop

We are delighted to announce the launch of our brand new Hedge Shop. Fully integrated with our existing website, or available direct at  https://shop.pracbrown.co.uk/ This is an easy way to select and buy Practical Instant Hedge™ from the Instant Hedge Specialist.

Practical Instant Hedge™

Our Practical Instant Hedging range currently consists of

  • Blue Holly
  • Burkwood Osmanthus
  • Common Laurel
  • Elaeagnus
  • Green Beech
  • Griselinia
  • Hawthorn
  • Holly
  • Hornbeam
  • Native Mix
  • Portuguese Laurel
  • Privet
  • Purple Beech
  • White Cedar

With other species being grown and developed on site.

How to Shop

Simply select the species, add to the cart and your delivery details and the price will be calculated. Delivery is a minimum of 3 metres of hedge, and usually takes two working days from receipt of order, but we can deliver later too.

As well as a delivery only option, we can also arrange to install the hedges. Just give us a call or email to discuss. You are very welcome to visit our nursery to view and select your instant hedge.

 

Tree Availability List

We have completed a stock take of the trees in our Iver nursery in Buckinghamshire and have produced a comprehensive list of the 800+ trees that are available to purchase right now.

If you are looking for evergreen screening trees, standard or pleached, attractive deciduous specimens or useful screens, we have a choice of trees for you!

The list contains the trees that we have in stock and is accurate at the time of publishing. Stock situations can change quickly so please get in touch to receive a quotation or to reserve any trees that you like the look of. If you are looking for something more unusual or don’t see the trees that you are looking for on this list, please ask and we should be able to source them for you through our partner growers.

Special Offer

A 20% discount will be applied to ex VAT orders of trees worth a total of £3000 or more. The discount applies to the tree stock value of the order only, not to delivery and planting etc.

Visit

We recommend coming to view and select the trees before purchase, as choosing your very own trees is a lovely thing to do!  – and you can book a nursery visit.

Contact Us

Call our sales team on 01753 652022 or email hedge@pracbrown.co.uk or trees@pracbrown.co.uk  to arrange a visit, we would be delighted to show you around the nursery to view our stock Monday to Friday 9.00am – 3.00pm.