If you’re planting a Photinia Red Robin hedge, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is how far apart to space your plants. Get this wrong and your hedge will either take years longer to fill in, or the plants will be overcrowded and struggle to thrive. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Photinia Red Robin hedge spacing — from standard privacy hedges to dense screens and formal garden borders.

How Far Apart Should You Plant Photinia Red Robin?

The recommended spacing for Photinia Red Robin depends on how quickly you want your hedge to fill in and how tall you want it to grow. As a general rule:

• Standard privacy hedge (up to 2m): 2 plants per metre (50cm apart)
• Dense screen or fast fill: 3 plants per metre (33cm apart)
• Specimen planting or large mature plants: 1 plant per metre (1m apart)
• Formal clipped hedge: 2–2.5 plants per metre (40–50cm apart)

Photinia Red Robin Hedge Spacing: Pot-Grown vs Bare-Root Plants

The size of the plant you purchase will influence the ideal spacing. Our pot-grown Photinia Red Robin plants from Sunnyside Nurseries come in sizes from 20–30cm up to 30–45cm. Here’s how size affects spacing:

• 20–30cm plants: Space 40–50cm apart (2–3 plants per metre)
• 30–45cm plants: Space 50–75cm apart (1.5–2 plants per metre)
• Large 3–4ft plants: Space 75cm–1m apart (1 plant per metre)

How Fast Does Photinia Red Robin Grow?

Understanding the Photinia Red Robin growth rate will help you plan your spacing effectively. Red Robin is a moderately fast-growing evergreen shrub, typically putting on 30–45cm of new growth per year in good conditions. This means a well-spaced hedge will fill in within 2–3 years of planting.

The iconic bright red new growth appears mainly in spring and autumn. In the UK’s climate, Photinia performs best in a sheltered, sunny position with well-drained soil. When grown as a hedge and regularly trimmed, you’ll encourage more flushes of that vibrant red growth throughout the season.

Planting Tips for Your Photinia Red Robin Hedge

To get the best results from your Photinia hedge, follow these practical steps:

• Prepare the soil: Dig a trench at least twice the width of the root ball. Work in organic compost or well-rotted manure to improve drainage and fertility.
• Add RootGrow: Use mycorrhizal fungi (RootGrow) sprinkled directly onto the roots to accelerate establishment and improve water uptake.
• Plant at the right depth: The top of the root ball should sit level with the surrounding soil — never plant too deep.
• Water thoroughly after planting: Give each plant a generous soak at planting and continue watering regularly for the first growing season, especially during dry spells.
• Mulch around the base: Apply a 5–10cm layer of bark mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds, keeping it away from the stems.

When Is the Best Time to Plant a Photinia Hedge?

Pot-grown Photinia Red Robin can be planted at any time of year, making it highly flexible. However, the ideal planting windows are autumn (September to November) and early spring (February to April). Planting in autumn allows the roots to establish over winter before the plant pushes new growth in spring. If planting in summer, ensure regular watering as the plant establishes.

How Many Photinia Red Robin Plants Do I Need?

To work out how many plants you need for your hedge, simply measure the length of your intended hedge in metres, then multiply by the number of plants per metre based on your chosen spacing:

• 10m hedge at 2 plants per metre = 20 plants
• 10m hedge at 3 plants per metre = 30 plants
• 20m hedge at 2 plants per metre = 40 plants

Always buy a few extra plants (around 10% more) to account for any losses during establishment.

Buy Photinia Red Robin Hedging from Sunnyside Nurseries

At Sunnyside Nurseries, we grow our own Photinia Red Robin hedging plants at our nursery in Portadown, Northern Ireland. Grown in our own fields and dispatched directly to your door, our pot-grown Photinia plants are available in sizes from 20–30cm through to 30–45cm — perfect for any hedge spacing requirement.

We offer free next-day delivery to mainland UK and Ireland on all orders. Whether you’re planting a small garden border or a long boundary hedge, our expert team is on hand to advise on spacing and quantities. Browse our Red Robin hedging range and order online today.