Alternatives to buxus

Low hedging is usually a must-have for gardeners who like a semi-formal to formal look. For many years Buxus sempervirens - Boxwood has been the go-to option. However enter the dreaded blight, a fungal infection that manifests as brown leaves, holes in hedges, white fungal spores. It is virulent spreading quickly from plant to plant, garden to garden. It is treatable but there are other options.

Firstly, other varieties of buxus such as Green Gem or the PVR plants coming onto the market now. These are blight resistant and look great. Then there’s Lonicera nitida which is similar colour to Boxwood and very hardy. It can be clipped to tight hedging but is very fast growing so it needs to be clipped often.

Why not try out natives? The Royal Horticltural Society (RHS) in the UK has been trailing plants that can form hedges and topiary without pest and fungal problems. And many of the plants that trialed are our very own! Think Corokia varieties such as Frosted chocolate or Gentrys ghost PVR. Think Pittosporum tenuifolium. Both can be clipped tightly and, being native, thrive in native soils.

So if your blight treatment doesn't work or is too onerous, don’t panic, other options are available for your garden.