Wildlife/intruder hedge?

[4390evans]

What shrubs do you recommend for wild life/intruder proof hedge?

The space is 48 foot long and there is a 6foot fence where the first hedge would start from and they (my friends ) want it to slope down. The border is 8 foot wide.

I said:
Pyracantha first then ilex then berberis.

What do you recon? Would you guys say different?

[chrisdb]

How fast do you want it? Hawthorn can be evil for people and large animals if thick enough. Wasn't that what they planted after the various Enclosure acts to keep out the poor dispossessed peasants?

[4390evans]

They dont mind how fastit grows just dont want something they have to chop every year.

[Gillykat]

I was going to suggest Hawthorn and Berberis too

In 1994 I spent nine months working on a NVQ training scheme (an extra tenner per week on top of my dole!) and our main focus was clearing & maintaining gardens for people. I always remember having to remove a big Berberis hedge and crikey, those thorns were lethal!!!
Ten years ago we briefly rented a house which had a small shrub in the garden and when it flowered (for weeks!) it was positively alive with bees I'm definitely going to have one on my allotment for this reason alone.

[bearded bloke]

They dont mind how fastit grows just dont want something they have to chop every year.

Erm, can't think how that's gonna work, regardles of what the hedge is, once it gets to the required hieght it will trimming every year (possibly twice a year) of it will grow into trees/an unruly mess

[scarey55]

My vote goes to Berberis too. Nasty thorns and berries for the birds. Win-win for me

[Martin H]

I go with hawthorn, because if you neglect it for a year or two you can hack it back as brutally as you want and it will grow back all the stronger. Also it supports lots of native insects as well as berries for the birds in the autumn.