Taxus baccata 2Ltr

Yew is one of Britain’s great native evergreens and the classic choice for fine hedging and topiary. Its narrow, glossy, very dark green leaves form a dense, rich backdrop that sets off flowers, lawns and garden structures beautifully all year round. It has been grown in British gardens and churchyards for centuries, and well-kept yew hedges are a defining feature of many of the country’s great gardens. Female plants produce small, fleshy red berries in autumn. It holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Supplied in a 2 litre pot, this young plant is ideal for planting as a hedge or for training into topiary shapes. Planted at around three per metre, young yews knit together to form a dense, formal hedge that can be clipped to almost any height and shape. They also make excellent specimens for clipping into cones, balls and pillars, or for growing as a dark, elegant screen. Yew is slower-growing than many hedging plants, but it is very long-lived, and its fine, dense growth gives the crispest finish of any hedge. Left unclipped, it will eventually grow into a large tree.

Yew is remarkably adaptable. It grows in full sun, partial shade or even deep shade, in almost any well-drained soil including chalk, clay, loam and sand, and it tolerates exposure, dry conditions and urban pollution. The one thing it will not tolerate is waterlogging, so avoid planting in wet ground. Water regularly during dry spells while it establishes. Clip hedges and topiary in late summer, with a second trim if needed for a very formal finish. Unlike most conifers, yew regrows readily from old wood, so even overgrown plants can be cut back hard and rejuvenated. Please note that all parts of yew, except the red flesh of the berry, are highly toxic if eaten by people, pets or livestock. Wear gloves when handling, dispose of clippings carefully, and do not plant where grazing animals such as horses, cattle or sheep can reach it.

Each plant is hand-selected before dispatch.

Available from Pengelly Garden Centre.