Privet hedge

[Welshsewer]

We have inherited a long (80-100 feet) Privet hedge. When the house was built 10 years ago the hedge was cut back 20 feet and laid (?) by an experienced farmer. It is now about 6ft wide and largely dead in the middle for about 50 ft. There are small areas of the hedge that appear dead, some we think caused by the planting of Alder close to the hedge. These have been cut right down though the stumps remain. Digging up the whole hedge is not an option, due to the location. Is it possible, and if so, what is the best way to fill in the gaps along the hedge. We have been told that the hedge can be laid and will recover. Any opinions / advice please.

[David E. Ross]

Is "laid" a British gardening term? What do you mean?

[Jeff Layman]

Have you thought of taking cuttings yourself, rooting these and using them to fill in the gaps?

As an alternative, and depending on your time scale and budget, you could approach any of the specialist hedging retailers and buy rooted cuttings. Their height would depend on your budget, of course, and how long they would take to attain the right height to fill in the gaps is something you would have to decide.