hedges

[groen]

What sort of plants make the best hedge to keep wild boar, rabbits, etc out of a mediterrenean garden?? (situated in Tuscan hills)

[mischief]

Hedges wont keep rabbits out of anything.
My suggestion with these is to learn how to either trap or shoot them and see them as a dietary resource, plus fluffy slippers for winter.

What methods were traditionally used to keep out the pigs in your area?

[groen]

mmm... the owners are vegetarian, though, and don't like to kill...

[eco4560]

Something really spiky and tough? Cacti / succulents? Pineapples? A really spiky palm tree? It's tricky for me because I've never lived in a Mediterranean climate so I don't know what plants to suggest exactly.

[groen]

Cacti is a bit dangerous around kids, but I like the idea of the pineapples! won't keep the boars out though.
There's a good hedge that we see everywhere, but I don't know the name - it's a dark green small leave with small, hard, bright orange berries. That could work well with an inner row of pineapples...

[Pakanohida]

English Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) seems to work here against Elk.

[labradel]

rabbits love to hide and harbour in just about anything prickly the first comment about hedges not stopping rabbits is 100% correct wire mesh or a solid fence is the best if the materials are available

[eco4560]

You could hide wire inside a hedge too if you wanted a softer look.

[groen]

Thanks for all the replies! We were thinking of using a low mesh, also folded onto the ground so that the rabbits can't dig underneath. Then an attractive, but strong, living hedge.

[groen]

That's interesting: I just found a site that suggested 'Laurus Nobilis' - bay laurel.
also yew and buxus (which would be a bit too low).