What can i plant in front of a beech hedge, worried about nothing growing. Thankyou

[furball]

I have replaced 40ft of fencing that borders my garden. The full border is 80ft long. I am planting a beech hedge to grow in front of it. Small whips bare root. The border is 3-4ft wide. But am single planting the hedge and keeping it narrow and only about 4ft tall. Will anything grow in front of it. Veg, flowers. There is a lot of soil ihe border as it is raised up and i have a lot of home made compost (chooks). Any advice very welcome, and if i have shot myself in the foot please feel free to tell me Thankyou

[VirginVegGrower]

I love to see daffodils planted in front of a beech hedge but at the space you have got it's a considerable area to give over to just bulbs. Beech hedge roots, once established will be considerable though, so whatever you plant, you will need to consider that in the long term.
Is it veg you want or flowers. If the latter and it was me, I'd be putting in mixed daffodils, hellebores and wild primrose - but that's just me.

[veggiechicken]

Is it a sunny or shady border? You'll need to get to the hedge to cut it and clear up the trimmings.

[furball]

Thankyou for your replies. It's a sunny border. I thought about the trimming of the hedge but most of the flowers or veg should be finished before winter when i would trim it. Please correct me if it should be trimmed at any other time.

[bearded bloke]

Best trimmed when the birds are not nesting,I would go for successional bulbs & self seeding flowers,snowdrops,bluebells,primroses,celendines,wallflowers,foxgloves,delphiniums,etc.
To get it started how about scattering some packets of wild meadow &/or wild woodland seeds.

[furball]

Thankyou, i have got some foxgloves and delphiniums in pots so i will plant some of those along with some daffodils.

[vanessa m]

I have daffodils and tulips on mine they are next to a hedge and bushes and they look pretty as they are different colours

[mothhawk]

Beech is best pruned midsummer - July/August time. If you prune in winter you will lose the dry leaves that stay on next year's new shoots till spring. They make the hedge into a better screen and it looks more attractive. Because the hedge keeps its leaves through winter it will be quite dry underneath all year round, so bulbs (which is what most people have suggested) are probably your best bet.

(BTW, you can make a great tasting liqueur by using tiny new beech leaves, gin and sugar, the same way you make sloe gin.)