A hedge is an excellent, multipurpose thing providing shelter, backbone, a visual screen and a haven for wildlife in the garden. It might be a formal affair of beech, box, holly or yew, or an informal boundary composed of any or many of the following: Rosa rugosa, fuchsia, willow, dogwood, berberis, pyracantha, hawthorn, escallonia, hebe, philadelphus.
But whether you're looking for stately, structural lines or an ever-changing tapestry of flowers, berries and leaves, you must get your hedge off to a good start. And that means serious trench-digging. If possible dig to a width and depth of at least 18 inches (wider if you intend to plant a double row). Break up the soil in the bottom of the channel and, for every 18 inches of length, fork in a bucket or two of garden compost, well-rotted manure or spent mushroom compost. Plant the hedging plants between a foot and three feet apart (ask at the garden centre or nursery what the recommended distance is for your variety). A slight "tide-mark" on the stems will indicate the correct level. Fill in the trench, firm the soil and water well.