Thuja plicata hedge in Ramsgate: growth rate, the August trim and coastal suitability
At 40-60 cm of growth per year and one annual August trim, Western Red Cedar sits between the slow, expensive hedges and the fast, uncontrollable ones. It also handles North Sea salt exposure better than Leylandii on an exposed Ramsgate frontage, though it shares the same critical limitation: cut back into the brown zone and the face stays brown.
Thuja plicata vs Leylandii: the numbers that matter
Most Ramsgate homeowners asking about Thuja are asking because they already have a Leylandii problem. The comparison table below covers the metrics that actually decide which is more appropriate for a Thanet coastal garden.
| Characteristic | Thuja plicata 'Atrovirens' | Leylandii (x Cuprocyparis) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual growth | 40-60 cm | 60-90 cm |
| Trim frequency | Once a year (August) | 1-2 times a year |
| Brown-wood regeneration | None (same caution as Leylandii) | None |
| Direct salt-spray tolerance | Moderate-good (better than Leylandii) | Moderate (crown burn on exposed fronts) |
| Shade tolerance | Good (shade side stays dense) | Poor (thins badly in shade) |
| Fragrance | Aromatic when trimmed (pineapple-like) | Resinous, muted |
The growth-rate difference is the practical one for a Ramsgate garden. At 60-90 cm/year, an untrimmed Leylandii adds a full metre in little more than twelve months and starts generating problems within three to four seasons if missed. At 40-60 cm/year, a Thuja managed with one August trim stays at its target height year on year without the anxiety of a missed season.
Planting on a Ramsgate or Thanet plot
The variety to plant is Thuja plicata 'Atrovirens', which keeps a darker, glossier foliage than the straight species and holds colour better through Thanet's winter. Cell-grown or pot-grown plants at 30-60 cm are the starting point for most domestic hedges; larger specimens at 80-100 cm save a season but cost significantly more per plant.
Spacing
Plant at 60-75 cm centres for a closed evergreen screen. At 60 cm, gaps between plants disappear within 18-24 months. At 75 cm, the screen closes more slowly but needs fewer plants and is slightly more resilient to the Thanet summer dry spells. On a directly exposed East Cliff or West Cliff line, 60 cm spacing is worth the extra plants because the denser starting structure gives better immediate wind resistance.
Timing
Autumn planting (October to early December) or early spring (March to April) are both fine. Avoid bare-root Thuja: it is only reliably supplied as container-grown or cell-grown stock. Container plants can go in at any time if watering is managed, though Thanet gets around 615mm of rain a year and is one of the drier and sunnier parts of England, so any hedge planted through May-August needs daily watering for the first summer or the plant stalls.
Soil
Thuja plicata tolerates Thanet's chalk subsoil well, though it prefers a moisture-retentive top layer. On free-draining chalky ground, work in plenty of compost per planting hole and mulch heavily at establishment. It does not need perfect drainage, provided the subsoil is not left standing wet.
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, s.1
It is an offence to intentionally or recklessly damage or destroy a wild bird's nest while it is in use or being built. The Act sets no calendar dates; the accepted guidance window for avoiding hedge cutting runs 1 March to 31 August (RSPB, GOV.UK). The annual Thuja trim in early August therefore falls inside this window, so a careful visual check for active nests before trimming is how you avoid committing the offence. A nest with eggs or unfledged chicks means the trim must wait. On summary conviction the penalty is up to six months in prison, an unlimited fine, or both, with the fine assessed for each nest.
The annual August trim
One trim a year is sufficient on a well-established Thuja plicata hedge held at its target height. August is the standard window for two reasons: the main nesting season is winding down (with a nest check still essential), and the August cut gives the cut face a few weeks to firm up before growth slows in September.
What to cut
Remove the season's new growth on all faces, top and sides. On a hedge maintained at 2 m, that means taking back 40-60 cm of new shoot, leaving the cut face sitting just inside the previous season's wood. Keep the sides gently tapered: wider at the base than the top so the lower foliage gets enough light to stay dense. A parallel-sided Thuja hedge thins at the base within five to seven years.
Avoid trimming in bright sunshine
Freshly cut Thuja foliage is sensitive to direct sunlight in the hours immediately after cutting. On the East Cliff and West Cliff, where a south-facing aspect and the sea reflection can be intense on a clear August day, trim in the early morning or on an overcast day. Browning along the cut faces after a sunny trim is usually scorch rather than disease.
Two trims a year
If you want a sharper, more formal line, a second light trim in late spring (May) is acceptable. This removes the winter extension and keeps the hedge looking crisp through the summer. A nest check applies to the May trim too, and this is a period of high nesting activity, so check carefully before starting.
The brown-wood limit: the same caution as Leylandii
This is the point where Thuja plicata disappoints anyone hoping it is a forgiving conifer. Like Leylandii and Lawson cypress, Thuja carries its photosynthetic capacity only in the outer green needle zone. The brown woody interior holds no dormant buds capable of pushing new growth. Cut back past the green zone and the exposed face stays permanently brown.
The practical consequence is the same as for Leylandii: do not let a Thuja hedge outgrow its management window. If a hedge has been missed for several seasons and the green zone is now only a shallow layer on the sides, a hard cut back to size will produce a brown scaffold, not a recovery. The staged two-year reduction sequence described for Leylandii applies equally to Thuja: take the height to an intermediate in year one, allow a growing season for new growth to extend the green zone on the sides, then finish to the target in year two.
One distinction worth noting: on the top face, a well-timed August cut that removes only the current season's growth never risks the brown zone because you are always cutting within that year's extension. The brown-wood problem arises on hedges that have been left to grow significantly beyond their target height and then need heavy reduction.
Coastal performance on Ramsgate and Thanet frontages
The reason Thuja plicata gets specified ahead of Leylandii on exposed Kent coastal plots is its behaviour under direct salt-laden east wind. On a West Cliff or East Cliff frontage with a winter easterly straight off the North Sea, Leylandii can develop significant crown burn on the seaward face: the foliage dehydrates and the green zone retreats, making the next trim more hazardous. Thuja handles the same exposure with less dieback, maintaining a denser seaward face.
That said, Thuja is not in the top tier of salt-tolerant hedging for Ramsgate. For a plot within direct sea-spray range at Royal Harbour or at the cliff edge itself, the species in the salt-tolerant hedges guide (Griselinia, Escallonia, Rosa rugosa) will outperform it. Thuja's coastal advantage over Leylandii is meaningful in sheltered-but-coastal positions: the back gardens of East Cliff terraces, the townward side of West Cliff plots, and the inland Thanet villages that catch the salt wind without the full seafront exposure.
What drives the price of a Thuja hedge
Thuja is a mid-priced hedge to buy and a low-maintenance one to keep, but the cost of getting one established depends on plant size, spacing and how much of the planting you do yourself. Smaller pot-grown plants cost a fraction of larger specimens, and planting closer together means more plants for the same length. Watering through the first summer matters more to success than the plant size you start with.
For trimming, I quote a fixed price after seeing photos. A routine hedge cut typically runs £120 to £400 depending on length, height, species and access, and heavier reductions on overgrown screens £300 to £900. If a mature Thuja hedge needs a staged reduction, expect two site visits over two years rather than one. See the Ramsgate hedge cutting costs guide for what drives a quote.
Want this looked at?
Send a couple of photos and your postcode to hello@ramsgatehedges.co.uk or 07763 100 477.
Sources: Royal Horticultural Society hedging guidance; Met Office Manston 1991-2020 climate averages; RSPB and GOV.UK guidance on nesting birds.