Gardening Q&A: Where can I purchase cotoneaster hedging?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

Cotoneaster lacteus. Picture: iStock

Question

Where can I purchase cotoneaster hedging, about three feet tall, with a pink flower in summer and a red berry in winter, with quite a small leaf?

I live in County Laois.

Answer

Cotoneaster lacteus, Cotoneaster franchetii and Cotoneaster lucidus are all commonly used for hedging in Ireland. 

They are naturally occurring in many rural parts. 

Cortoneaster makes a beautiful hedge, either evergreen or semi-evergreen depending on the species, and isan important choice to enhance local biodiversity as its white flowers are a great food source for bees early in the season and the berries are loved by the birds later in the year. 

All the above species are grown commercially in Ireland and should be available through your local garden centre. 

I can’t give a specific answer as to who does and doesn't have it in stock but I would expect a good garden centre should be able to get it in for you, if not now as it is late in the bare-root season, then certainly in the autumn/winter.

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