Hedge Ideas

[RK77]

Hi Guys

Thanks for everyone who responded to my previous question.

Now another help I need is to find out what will be the best hedge for my garden.

I really want a child friendly garden as I've 1 year old son.

I was initially thinking of either PRIVET or LAUREL but found out that these trees are poisonous, so really dropped the idea.

Now I'm thinking of either GREEN OR PURPLE BEECH to form the hedge. The area is 13 meters in length and next to the fence adjoining next property. making it partially shaded.

Could anyone advice what will be the best option for me to go for. Any suggestions on where I can get good hedges will be also appreciated.

I'm based in Kingston upon thames, London.

Thanks again.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

What ever happened to:

1) Don't eat ANYTHING unless mom or dad give it to you?

2) Keeping a close eye on kids until they get past the seriously goofy stage?

[Val]

I and four siblings grew up in a neighborhood with both privet and laurel hedges. That neighborhood was also crawling with kids of all ages most of whom also had laurel and privet in their yards. I raised children with a laurel hedge across the backyard and privet along a side walkway. Those kids are all alive, healthy and approaching middle age. Most all of my former playmates are still tottering around in advanced years. As I remember now we also had an enormous Golden Chain tree in the back yard. Mother said, "That will kill you, don't eat it." We didn't. I also had a Golden Chain tree growing next to the garage. I told the kids, "That will kill you, don't eat it." They didn't. You should probably teach your child to drink from the garden hose while you're at this gardening stuff. Hose water builds strong little bodies and stellar immune systems. ;)

Val

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Speaking of drinking from the garden hose, you might get a laugh out of this:

are two videos. Start the one on the left. It's about 12 minutes long. The fun begins around 4 minutes and 45 seconds.

[Val]

Ah yes, too funny, I remember that episode! I'm a big Bullshit fan. One of the reasons I pay extra for HBO.

Val

[David E. Ross]

Many desirable plants are either poisonous or have poisonous parts. Rhubarb has already been cited.

Consider the peach. A fresh leaf might actually kill a small child. The kernel inside the pit -- which looks like an almond -- can kill a full-grown adult. Leaves and kernels contain cyanide. But the fruit is quite good.

Another one is natal plum (Carissa macrocarpa), a close relative of the oleander. Much of the plant is quite toxic, but the ripe fruit is quite edible.

Schools plant oleander (Nerium oleander) because it is both pretty and durable. Yes, all parts are toxic if eaten. But children don't like the taste. Other than a notorious case of intentional oleander poisoning a few decades ago (the accused was found not guilty by a jury), no one has died in California from oleander in about a century. People sometimes do get ill when they illegally cut oleander branches in parks to use as barbecue skewers (thin and straight).

The seeds of jicima (Pachyrhizus erosus) are toxic. The roots are edible raw or cooked.

[Amateur]

David, you've got to stop that pernicious habit of giving polite, detailed, reasoned answers to questions posted on this NG.

It looks especially bad when you're paired with a, a, a, I don't know what to call him/her/it, such as the poster who weighed in on my query about hybrids.

Go and sin no more.

Persephone

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