Sweet Bay Laurel Hedge

Laurus nobilis

Sweet Bay, Laurus nobilis, also called Bay Laurel or Bay Tree, makes a dense, aromatic evergreen hedge with glossy dark green leaves that you can also pick for the kitchen.

It is slow growing, typically 10–20cm a year, which means it holds a crisp clipped shape for a long time with little trimming. That makes it a smart choice for formal hedges, courtyard and patio screens and topiary in a sheltered, well-drained spot. Supplied pot grown in 70–150cm sizes, so it can be planted for most of the year.

Compare all our Laurel hedging, including faster-growing Cherry and Portuguese Laurel.

Aromatic evergreen leaves
Holds a formal shape
Leaves for the kitchen
Pot grown, 70–150cm

Growth Rate Slow 10-20cm per year

Overall Height Medium up to 5 metres

Plant Position Partial Shade, Full Sun, Sheltered

Root Types Pot Grown

Choose your plants

Sweet Bay Laurel Hedge Root Types

Choose from our range of Sweet Bay Laurel Hedge sizes and root types below.

Pot Grown Flexible · Available year-round From £14.95 per plant

Selected root type

Pot grown Sweet Bay Laurel hedging

From £14.95 per plant 3 heights in stock

Pot grown hedging is incredibly easy to establish, our high quality hedging plants provide a speedy way to get a beautiful looking hedge. Pot grown hedging gives reliable results and provided they are well watered, plants can be stored safely until you are ready to plant them out.

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Availability

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Step 2

Choose your height

Pick a height to see the relevant single-plant and bulk-buy options.

Available height

70-90cm

Pot Grown options

Pot Grown
Single plants
Free UK Delivery on orders over £200
Box delivery
£14.95
£14.95 per plant

Hedge length (m)

Plants needed

3 plants per metre recommended

Available height

90-120cm

Pot Grown options

Pot Grown
Single plants
Free UK Delivery on orders over £200
Box delivery
£22.95
£22.95 per plant

Hedge length (m)

Plants needed

3 plants per metre recommended

Available height

120-150cm

Pot Grown options

Pot Grown
Single plants
Free UK Delivery on orders over £300
Large box delivery
£34.95
£34.95 per plant

Hedge length (m)

Plants needed

3 plants per metre recommended

Choosing your Bay hedge plants

Because Bay grows slowly, the size you plant is roughly the size of hedge you will have for the next few years. Choose a height close to the hedge you want rather than relying on fast growth to fill the gap.

Size	Plants per metre	Best for
70–90cm	3	Low formal hedges, edging and borders
90–120cm	3	Waist to chest-height hedges and patio screens
120–150cm	3	Taller formal hedges and more screening straight away

All our Bay hedging is pot grown, so it can be planted for most of the year when the ground is workable. Avoid planting in frozen ground or just before a hard frost. For a single feature, see our Bay Laurel half-standard tree.

Why choose a Bay hedge?

Formal, aromatic and evergreen

Bay keeps its leathery, dark green leaves all year and releases its familiar scent when the leaves are brushed or cut. Its slow, dense growth clips into neat lines, cubes and domes, which is why it has been used for formal hedges and topiary for centuries.

Leaves you can cook with

Sweet Bay, Laurus nobilis, is the culinary bay leaf, so trimmings can go straight to the kitchen. This is not true of other laurels: Cherry and Portuguese Laurel are a different genus and their leaves are poisonous, so never cook with them.

Bay compared with other laurels

	Sweet Bay	Cherry Laurel	Portuguese Laurel
Botanical name	Laurus nobilis	Prunus laurocerasus	Prunus lusitanica
Growth	Slow	Fast	Moderate
Leaves	Aromatic, culinary	Large, glossy, poisonous	Smaller, dark, poisonous
Hardiness	Best in sheltered, milder gardens	Very hardy	Very hardy
Best for	Formal hedges, patios, topiary	Fast privacy screening	Formal screening, chalky soil

For a faster or hardier screen, compare Cherry Laurel hedging or Portuguese Laurel hedging.

Choosing the right hedge

Is a Bay hedge right for you?

A great choice if you want:

A neat, formal evergreen hedge
Aromatic leaves you can cook with
Patios, courtyards and town gardens
Topiary shapes and clipped edges
A hedge that needs little trimming
A sheltered, well-drained spot

Consider another hedge if:

You need fast screening
Your garden is cold, exposed or a frost pocket
The ground stays wet in winter
You want a tall hedge on a tight budget

Compare faster-growing laurels

Buying help

Buying FAQs

How many Bay plants do I need per metre?

Plant pot-grown Bay at 3 plants per metre in a single row for all of our sizes, 70–90cm, 90–120cm and 120–150cm.

What size Bay hedge plants should I buy?

Because Bay grows slowly, buy close to the height you want. 70–90cm suits low formal hedges and edging, 90–120cm suits patio screens and garden boundaries, and 120–150cm gives the most screening from the start.

How fast does a Bay hedge grow?

Bay typically grows around 10–20cm a year once established. That slow growth is why it keeps a formal shape so well, but it is not the right choice if you need a tall screen quickly.

Is Bay hardy in the UK?

Bay is hardy in most of the UK in a sheltered position, but cold, drying winds and very hard frosts can scorch the leaves and damage young plants. Plant it out of exposed, frost-prone spots, and protect young plants with fleece in a severe cold spell.

Can I cook with leaves from a Bay hedge?

Yes. Sweet Bay, Laurus nobilis, is the culinary bay leaf, so you can use the leaves and trimmings in cooking. Only do this with Sweet Bay: Cherry and Portuguese Laurel leaves are poisonous.

Is Bay Laurel the same as Cherry Laurel?

No. Bay Laurel is Laurus nobilis, an aromatic, slow-growing evergreen with edible leaves. Cherry Laurel is Prunus laurocerasus, a much faster, larger-leaved hedge whose leaves are poisonous. They share a common name but are not related.

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