Create a productive boundary with a mixed woody hedge, occasional flowering and nut-bearing shrubs, and an accessible berry-and-herb margin. The ten species offer flowers, fruit, nuts and wildlife habitat across different parts of the planting. RHS supports mixed hawthorn, hazel and elder hedging; the wider arrangement is a design suggestion based on the plants' documented growing requirements.
Choose a plant to explore its role, growing space and sources. Focus on one planting area or explore the whole selection.
Lines connect plants to their planned planting area. Colours and icons show the primary plant layer. This is a schematic; use the growing notes to set spacing.
Choose any plant in the diagram to see its role, placement and supporting sources.
Temperate Northwest Europe; check local suitability before planting.
Allow a woody hedge line, wider bays for elder, hazel and cornelian cherry, a working path and a separate berry-and-herb margin on the sunny side. This needs considerably more width than a narrow clipped boundary. Free-growing woody species can spread several metres; draw those footprints or define a realistic pruning plan before setting quantities. The smaller crops occupy open beds beside the hedge, away from its crowded root zone.
Each plant has a place in the design. Explore its role, growing needs and the sources behind the selection.
Repeating hawthorn structure with occasional dog rose; keep thorny growth away from paths.
Wider spaces for elder, hazel and cornelian cherry, managed for flowers and fruit rather than a uniform clipped outline.
Three separate fruiting bushes on the bright side of the hedge, with picking and pruning access.
Small strawberry and chive patches at the outer path, where moisture and light remain available.
Crataegus monogyna
Main boundary structure and wildlife habitat
Planting area: Managed hedge line
Hawthorn makes a dense deciduous hedge in sun or partial shade and is widely used for wildlife planting.
Where it fits Repeat along the boundary to create structure. Set its maintained width first and keep thorns away from gateways.
Rosa canina
Arching flowers and autumn hips
Planting area: Managed hedge line
Dog rose naturally scrambles through hedgerows. Flowers support insects and hips feed birds; carefully prepared hips can be used for syrup.
Where it fits Use occasional plants with room for arching stems. Keep the thorny picking face set back from the walking route.
Sambucus nigra
Elderflowers and berries for cooking
Planting area: Large shrub bays
Elder suits sun or partial shade with moist, draining soil, and becomes a substantial shrub or small tree.
Where it fits Give occasional elders a broad bay outside the tightly managed hedge sections. Retain flowering growth if you want a crop.
Corylus avellana
Hazelnuts and woody shelter
Planting area: Large shrub bays
Hazel is suitable in a mixed hawthorn hedge. A useful nut harvest needs light and compatible pollen, as well as enough growing space.
Where it fits Use a sheltered, bright bay rather than clipping every plant tightly. Confirm a compatible hazel nearby or plan a second suitable plant.
Cornus mas
Early blossom and cornelian cherry fruit
Planting area: Large shrub bays
Cornelian cherry supplies early yellow flowers and edible fruit that can be made into tart jelly. It suits sun or partial shade and draining soil.
Where it fits Reserve a generous bay for its spreading crown, with an accessible harvest side. Remove unwanted suckers before they fill neighbouring beds.
Ribes rubrum
Accessible redcurrant crop
Planting area: Open berry margin
Redcurrant can grow on a lightly shaded hedge edge, although brighter conditions give sweeter fruit.
Where it fits Place in an open bed beside the hedge, allowing 1.2–1.5 m between bush plants and access behind them for hedge care.
Ribes nigrum
Blackcurrant crop for the kitchen
Planting area: Open berry margin
Blackcurrant adds summer fruit and requires good moisture and room for a vigorous bush.
Where it fits Use a fertile, moisture-retentive part of the margin, beyond the hedge's driest root competition. Allow 1.5–1.8 m between blackcurrants.
Ribes uva-crispa
Gooseberry crop in light shade
Planting area: Open berry margin
Gooseberry tolerates light shade and provides another fruit crop where the margin remains open and well drained.
Where it fits Keep the prickly bush accessible from the side, with 1.2–1.5 m between gooseberries and clearance from rose stems.
Fragaria vesca
Low woodland-strawberry patch
Planting area: Low picking edge
Woodland strawberries suit sun or light shade and provide small summer fruits close to the ground.
Where it fits Use the outer path edge, away from deep hedge shade. Manage runners where the chosen form produces them.
Allium schoenoprasum
Chive leaves and bee flowers
Planting area: Low picking edge
Chives offer culinary leaves and flowers for bees in a bright edge with moist, draining soil.
Where it fits Plant small clumps where they remain reachable and are not covered by the berry bushes or hedge growth.
Draw the intended maintained hedge width and a route for pruning first. Add broader shrub bays where mature elder, hazel and cornelian cherry can fit.
Repeat hawthorn through the managed sections and use fewer roses, keeping gateways clear. Ask the nursery for spacing appropriate to plant size and the intended hedge form.
Put the berry margin on the sunniest workable side, beyond the hedge's crowded roots. Leave access between the hedge and berry bushes, then add low crops along the outer picking edge.
If the boundary cannot accommodate the large shrub bays and separate beds, use part of the palette or extend the project into adjoining garden space. Draw mature plants before multiplying quantities.
Measure the full boundary and inspect its seasonal shade, drainage and access. Establish the maintained form before ordering plants.
Set out the large shrub bays, the hawthorn line and the picking margin separately. Plan compatible hazel pollen if harvesting nuts is a priority.
Plant the woody structure in suitable dormant-season conditions, then establish the berry and herb beds as their light and moisture permit.
Label the crops and choose appropriate processing recipes before the first harvest. Reserve some flowers and fruit for wildlife; taking elderflowers reduces the later berry crop.
Set saved quantities from the measured design: hawthorn will usually repeat along the line, while large shrubs need fewer, wider positions.
These references support the growing conditions and plant roles described in this guide. The suggested layout is a design interpretation to adapt to your site.
Hedge use, light and soil requirements, thorns and toxic seeds in fruit preparations.
Reviewed 2026-09-06Mixed hedges with hazel and elder, maintained form, establishment and effects of trimming on blossom.
Reviewed 2026-09-06Mature size, growing conditions and cooked flower and fruit use.
Reviewed 2026-09-06Hedgerow habit, wildlife value, syrup use and irritating hairs inside hips.
Reviewed 2026-09-06Growing conditions and arching, prickly habit.
Reviewed 2026-09-06Rosehip use and the trade-off between harvesting elderflowers and retaining berries.
Reviewed 2026-09-06Hazel growing conditions, size and compatible cross-pollination for nuts.
Reviewed 2026-09-06Early flowers, spreading habit, sun or partial shade and draining soil.
Reviewed 2026-09-06Edible ripe fruit and jelly use, mature space and management of suckers.
Reviewed 2026-09-06Redcurrant light tolerance, spacing and pruning.
Reviewed 2026-09-06Blackcurrant moisture needs, spacing and pruning.
Reviewed 2026-09-06Gooseberry light, moisture and spacing.
Reviewed 2026-09-06Fragaria vesca in sun or light shade and differences in runner production.
Reviewed 2026-09-06Chive growing conditions, culinary leaves and flowers attractive to bees.
Reviewed 2026-09-06