I wonder if you mean Berberis. Does it have spikey anti-burglar thorns too because berberis normally does.

I wondered if it could be Berberis, or maybe Pittosporum, as some of these are red.

Remember your hedge can't be higher than 6 foot.

Does that apply if it's growing between gardens MG? My brother and SIL had a neighbour with an ENORMOUS hedge between them - leylandii - must have been 40 feet high.

Hi my two next door and next door but one is growing leylandi and it must be 35/40ft as a back garden hedge, does not effect me.

So far as I know it specifically applies between gardens to stop the 40 foot monsters. Best to check with the local council what their bylaws are I guess.

Just found this which gives a lot of good clear info

http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/hedgeheight.pdf

Pittosporum is the hedging used between daffodil fields on the Scilly Isles, I'm told.

If a high hedge would shade a neighbour's garden or house they would have a strong case for the council to compel you to reduce the height. MG is right - most councils do have regulations to stop disputes between neighbours. And having lived on the wrong side of a leylandii hedge I couldn't agree more.