Instant Hedge In Focus: Laurel

What’s best – Cherry or Portuguese?

Laurel hedging is a popular choice for gardens, providing year-round privacy, security, and aesthetic appeal.

Prunus laurocerasus (Common or Cherry Laurel) and Prunus lusitanica (Portuguese Laurel) are popular choices for instant hedging. At Practicality Brown, we offer both as part of our Practical Instant Hedge™ range, ensuring an instant transformation for gardens and landscapes. Let’s look at these two excellent hedge varieties to help you choose the best option for your garden.

Prunus laurocerasus ‘Rotundifolia’ (Cherry Laurel)

Appearance & Growth

• Large, glossy bright green leaves that create a dense screen
• Fast-growing, typically 30-60cm per year. Needs regular pruning to keep to shape.
• Upright habit, forming a robust and bushy hedge
• White flowers in spring, followed by small red to black berries

Preferred Conditions

• Thrives in sun or partial shade
• Tolerates most soil types, including clay and chalk
• Hardy and resistant to pollution, making it ideal for urban gardens
• Withstands pruning well and regenerates quickly.

Best Use in Gardens

• Ideal for creating a dense, fast-growing privacy screen
• Suited to large gardens and rural settings where space allows for its vigorous growth
• Perfect for noise and wind reduction, especially in exposed areas

Prunus lusitanica ‘Angustifolia’ (Portuguese Laurel)

Appearance & Growth

• Smaller, darker green leaves with a more refined, elegant look
• Moderately fast-growing, around 30cm per year. Prune once annually.
• Compact growth habit, maintaining a neat, formal shape
• White, fragrant flowers in summer, followed by dark purple berries

Preferred Conditions

• Thrives in full sun or partial shade
• Tolerates a variety of soil types but prefers well-drained conditions
• More drought-tolerant than Cherry Laurel once established
• Excellent resistance to wind and pollution

Best Use in Gardens

• Ideal for formal garden designs and smaller spaces due to its compact habit
• Works well as a smart boundary hedge in urban and suburban gardens
• Offers a more refined alternative to Cherry Laurel, suitable for topiary and shaping

Choosing the Right Hedge for Your Garden

Both Prunus laurocerasus and Prunus lusitanica offer fantastic benefits, but the choice depends on your specific garden requirements. If you need rapid growth and maximum screening, Cherry Laurel is the best option. If you prefer a more elegant, compact hedge that still provides excellent privacy, Portuguese Laurel is a great choice.

Species	Latin	Foliage	Pruning	Annual growth	Aspect	Soil acceptance	pH	Leaves
Common Laurel	Prunus laurocerasus	Evergreen	Once in July or August	Fast 30-40cm	Sun to shade	All except shallow chalk	Neutral to slightly acidic	Large shiny green. Thick and leathery
Portuguese Laurel	Prunus lusitanica	Evergreen	Once in August Average 20-40cm	Average 20-40cm	Sun to shade	All except the poorest	Acidic to alkaline	Ovate and dark green

 

Our Practical Instant Hedge™ ensures that you don’t have to wait years for a mature, established hedge. Our expertly grown laurels are available in a range of sizes, ready to be planted for an instant impact in your garden. Ours also been used in many award-winning Show Gardens at RHS Flower Shows, from Hampton Court to Chelsea. Grown at our nursery in Iver, Bucks.

 

We currently have this Practical Instant Hedge™ available in heights of 1 to 1.2m, 1.5 to 1.8m and 1.8 to 2m high, in ready to plant trough bags.

For more information or to find the perfect hedge for your space, email our team hedge@pracbrown.co.uk. Or buy online here.