They grow from 3-7 feet per year, so to keep it as a hedge you need to cut it regularly which will bush it out and speed up the growth anyway. I hope you know what to expect with this type of hedge not only do the grow fast they suck up all the goodness from their surroundings?

Probably soon you'll be asking how to stop it - they want to be over 40 feet tall. Sorry but not a good choice for a hedge - there are other conifers that look similar but don't grow so tall. Remember anything that grows fast is doing it in order to get very big.

As other members have probably gathered, I'm a big fan of Leylandii. In certain circumstances they make excellent shrubs and trees and look great if you care for them properly.

They have got a bad name because people don't bother to look after them properly. Just like owning a big dog, they must kept under control and not allowed to run wild.

If you really want to get them off to a good start and maybe speed up the growth, then dig in some slow-release fertilizer such as growmore, or a high Nitrogen fertilizer.

As long as you are prepared to trim them back a few times a year, they make a very good hedge and can even be kept trimmed down to a few feet high if you want. I actually love trimming mine, I find it therapeutic.

Thanks for all the input and answers. I will take to heart the advice about keeping them trimmed to a sensible height, having seen what some have been allowed to grow to.

Heavens Myron. I can think of therapies I'd prefer!