I know someone who grows these commercially in Auckland. They are really popular with developers.

SirHumphreyAppleby:

 

I know someone who grows these commercially in Auckland. They are really popular with developers.

 

Mine have been fine. In ChCh the leaves get black tips due to frosts. But otherwise hardy as. 

Pretty happy with my first attempt to be honest. I pruned around 15cm off the top and about 5-8cm from the side. The big holes on the right hand side, were left over from the last time it was professionally trimmed.

I did it with the Ryobi extended pole hedge 18v trimmer and I was fairly impressed with it.

SirHumphreyAppleby:

 

I know someone who grows these commercially in Auckland. They are really popular with developers.

 

Are they details they would be willing to share? We are likely to need a few.

networkn:

 

Are they details they would be willing to share? We are likely to need a few.

 

I would need to check with them to see what sort of minimum quantities they'd be willing to supply. I expect it would need to be a few dozen at least.

If you're just after a few at a reasonable price, I recommend Roger Hunters Garden Centre, 39 Tital Rd, Mangere.

SirHumphreyAppleby:

 

If you're just after a few at a reasonable price, I recommend Roger Hunters Garden Centre, 39 Tital Rd, Mangere.

 

Cheers. I'll give them a shout.

I personally think it's great for hedging, although mine is only 1m high.

I have a very easy trimming job, as I can simply hold the cordless hedge trimmer at waist height & walk down the driveway. I use the boundary fence as a guide for height. Probably takes 30mins of work every six months or so to trim & clean up.

At some stage in the past, the area closest to where I was standing was left to grow higher than the rest, hence the sparse woody bits, so I'll need to trim it down a bit more in order to get the greener/softer growth back.

So, a couple of follow up questions: 

1) I have a tree of some species or another growing in the middle of another hedge, it's all pretty tight down at the base where I'd like to cut the trunk which is the size of a fist wrapped in a hand. It's going to be pretty hard to get at with a saw.. Any other ideas?

2) We have some pretty decent sized gaps in the lower part of the hedge I just trimmed, I I was thinking about putting in a couple of the same variety of hedge in the middle and hoping it would grow up, but I am unsure if a) that would work, b) if it would require maintenance different to what I am already doing?

Bung: Pruning saws are quite slim and can get into tight spots. I've extended mine various lengths from 6m down to 1m. From memory 25mm conduit fits the handles and is enough for a short extension. If the one coming out is tightly bound just cut high and low and leave the rest to rot.

Planting to fill holes is common with hedges. The new plant shouldn't need any attention until it is high and wide enough.

I can actually come straight at the problematic trunk, so my BIL has an electric chainsaw and I'll have a crack with that, very carefully and see if we can get it out.

Thanks for the advice on the other. I think we will try and get a couple of 80cm ones and plant them.