I RECENTLY had a friend come to me in mild desperation. They had just moved house and were suffering from well meaning but over-helpful neighbours.

Although they were getting on extremely well with everyone in their new surroundings, they just felt as though they couldn't go outside without someone hanging over the fence offering assistance or advice. They had no privacy. The problem was that their garden was surrounded by low wooden fencing, with no tree cover or shrubbery to hide behind.

If you take a walk around your local streets, you will notice we like to define our gardens as our own private space. Most people have dividing walls or fences between themselves and their neighbours, and similarly between themselves and the main road or pavement. You will also see that many of these walls and fences are smothered in greenery to enhance this privacy.

The most common hedge shrub for town dwellers is privet. It grows relatively quickly, provides a dense cover and can be controlled. It does have flowers if left unclipped, but these smell slightly unpleasant. The downside of privet is that it needs regular cutting back (at least three times a year) and is susceptible to honey fungus, thrips and other nasty infestations. It is also deciduous, leaving you exposed during winter, and let's face it, it is not imaginative and inspiring.

I have a few other suggestions that might brighten up your boundaries and get the neighbours talking. For those who like the traditional shape and colour of the privet hedge, how about trying Osmanthus? This has a similar leaf and flower to privet, but it is evergreen and the flowers have a delicately perfumed fragrance. It needs little maintenance in the way of cutting, except for pruning to the desired shape.

For those who like roses, the one that I would recommend for hedging is the variety Rosa Aberic Barbier. This is semi-evergreen (quite rare in roses) with wonderfully fragrant, double-cream flowers. It only needs trimming in late autumn once the flowers have finished.

For a big hedge, you could try Buddleia globosa. Unlike the common buddleia, or 'butterfly bush', this one has small balls of yellow flowers all through the summer, which give off a honey smell. It is semi-evergreen as well so will give winter privacy. This is a good one for enticing the wild birds, butterflies and insects into your garden. It does grow quickly, but can be brutally hacked back down if needed.

Euonymus alatus can be used to provide you with a real show-stopping hedge. Although deciduous, the leaves during spring, summer and autumn are astounding. They start the year a pale lime green, progress to darker green, then a deep red and finish off burnt orange. In addition they have one of the strangest flowers and seedpods you'll ever find. The pod is pink and the seeds, which emerge and dangle from the pods, are orange.

My favourite hedge shrub however has to be Cotinus coggygria, or 'Smoke bush'. This has striking deep purple leaves and a mass of pink flowers in summer. It rarely need cutting, but the more it is pruned the denser the bush becomes.

Others to consider could include Viburnum, Photinia and Escallonia. Or what about mixed hedges, wild hedges and traditional hedges. I haven't even started on the conifers yet! I could continue all day long with alternative hedging ideas. The only limiting factor really is your own imagination and breaking free from convention.

JOBS TO DO THIS WEEK

Split water and pond plants

Bring to the surface any baskets and tubs. If they seem overcrowded now is the time to split them. Empty the baskets, chop or pull the plants apart, and repot them. Don't forget to put stones or gravel on the top of the soil to prevent it floating out of the tubs when they are replaced in the water.

Tend to the broad beans

Earth up the soil at the base of broad beans. This gives them just that little bit more support. Pinch out the growing shoots. This forces them to bush out more, producing more side shoots and consequently more flowers and pods. Nipping out the tips seems to deter black fly, but I have found no scientific reason why.

Cut down Hellebores

The best of the flowers are now over. Cut them off at the bottom of their stems. This gives the plant more energy to put into producing a healthy display of leaves. However, if you are wishing to propagate from the plant using seeds, then allow the flowers to fade naturally, wait till the pods have turned brown and then cut them off. Store the seed heads in a paper bag in a cool, dry atmosphere until you are ready to use them.

Don't forget that you can tune into Radio Cleveland on Sunday mornings (11am-midday) to hear more of Brigid's hints and tips on gardening.

Published: 18/05/2002