Gardening is a great way to relax and enjoy some ‘me’ time, and if you’re looking to transform your garden or even just pick up a new hobby, YouGarden has all the tips and tricks you need.

If you’re looking at adding some hedges to your garden to create an attractive boundary or add something new to your garden, then look no further.

READ MORE: How to give your garden a Mediterranean makeover 

How to grow the perfect hedges

If you’re looking for timeless, traditional hedging then Laurel Hedging - Prunus laurocerasus is the one for you.

This is the best choice for fast-growing hedging and screening. It’s evergreen, easy to grow and looks great all year.

It can be planted all year round and you can see it flowering in March and April.

According to YouGarden, it is best planted in well-drained soil in any sunny or partially shaded site (will also grow in full shade)

Dig a planting hole 3 x wider than the roots of the shrub you're planting and mix some well-rotted compost or manure with the soil from the hole and use this to re-fill once the shrub is in place.

York Press: Lavender (Canva)Lavender (Canva) (Image: Canva)

YouGarden says that a square hole is better than a round one as the new roots, once they reach the edges tend to grow in a circle around the circumference of the hole whereas when they reach the corners of a square hole, they find it easier to grow through.

Before planting soak container-grown shrubs thoroughly and allow them to drain and then remove the plant from its pot and tease out a few of the roots.

Add Mycorrhizal fungi to the roots when planting to help plants establish quicker.

Place your shrub in the hole at the same level as the pot and refill the hole with the earth removed (backfilling).

Firm in the soil with your heel, avoiding the root ball and water well then mulch around the base of the plant with a collar, compost, gravel, bark etc.

For a more fragrant hedge, choose the English Lavender 'Hidcote'. A much more hardy and fragrant hedge and it is also a magnet for Bees and Butterflies.

YouGarden recommends planting between March and May for flowering between June to August.

It is a drought-tolerant plant and can thrive in a sunny border, container, herb or gravel gardens.

Best planted between April and May when the soil is warming up, lavender thrives in most free-draining soils in full sun. Heavier soils should have some grit added to improve drainage and open them up.

Space plants 90cm (3ft) apart, or if growing a hedge, 30cm (1ft) apart or, 45cm (18in) for larger cultivars.

Lavender can be grown in large pots, 30-40cm (1ft-16in) in diameter, using a multipurpose or loam-based compost such as JI No 3, with some extra coarse grit, (up to 30%), to improve drainage, along with some controlled-release fertiliser granules.

Ensure that the compost is regularly watered in summer, although for improved cold tolerance, kept on the dry side during winter by standing in a cold greenhouse or in the rain shadow of walls.

For more information on hedges and to order yours, visit the YouGarden website here.