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Hedge ideas for privacy


Best fast-growing hedges: 10 ideas for structure and boundaries

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Fast-growing hedges offer a quick way to transform and reinvent your garden. Whether you are in search of something to define the boundaries of your property, to provide privacy and screening or to help support your local wildlife, hedges are a versatile addition to the garden. 

They can also be used to provide your backyard ideas with structure and shape, helping to add height or visual interest – you could even try topiary for which fast-growing hedges are ideal. 

'Fast-growing hedges can be sheared into geometric shapes or allowed to grow naturally. Always select a plant that has the desired shape and mature size to help minimize pruning,' says garden expert Melinda Myers , 'If you like the formal sheared look consider plants that tolerate this type of pruning. For an informal or natural look that would befit cottage garden ideas, keep pruning to a minimum. Consider hedging plants that also provide flowers, fall color and fruit if it fits in your landscape design.'

Fast-growing hedges

When you want to add a hedge to your garden, the thought of having to wait a decade for it to establish is probably not what you had in mind. On the other hand, fully grown hedges are an expensive purchase, especially if you want to have a long section of hedge between yourself and a neighbor's property.

Therefore, fast-growing hedges are an ideal solution that will quickly establish and grow – your only challenge will be to keep them in check, however this is easily done with regular pruning and shaping. Pruning at regular intervals will also keep your hedge looking beautifully manicured. 

Hedges are also a great choice for creating boundaries and should be factored in when you're thinking about how to plan a garden. 'Plant fast-growing hedges for your boundaries – they are good for wildlife and the environment by absorbing pollution. Use mixed wildlife hedging in rural areas and dense evergreens in the urban environment,' recommends Period Living garden expert Leigh Clapp.

1. Best plant to create purple fast-growing hedges

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Often known as 'the purple bush', loropetalum shrubs make for eye-catching fast-growing hedges. Its beautiful purple leaves offer a stunning contrast to the other brown and greens that define the garden. 

Growing in hardiness zones 7 to 11 without any additional care, these pretty fast-growing hedges do best when they are planted in full sun, as it is the light from the sun that causes its leaves to be that beautiful purple shade. Loropetalum will also be more likely to thrive in gardens that are subject to long, hot summers, so are best avoided in cooler areas. However, if you live in cooler regions, there are still plenty of fast-growing hedges that you can plant in your garden.

2. The best fast growing hedges for sweet scent

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Mock orange, also known as Philadelphus, are adored for their dainty sweet-smelling flowers which bloom in summer. A brilliant addition to sensory garden ideas, mock orange shrubs are a reasonably hardy shrub and can be grown anywhere from zones 4 to 7. Plus it is relatively easy to care for.

Growing more than two feet per year, mock orange are exceptionally fast-growing hedges and if left unchecked will quickly reach more than 12 foot tall. As with all fast-growing hedges pruning is vital.

'Mock orange is a deservedly popular medium-sized deciduous shrub with highly perfumed cascades of pure white flowers for many weeks through May to July,' says Leigh Clapp, 'It grows in sun or part shade in any fertile, well-drained soil, including coastal gardens.'

3. Best fast-growing hedges for winter color

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A favorite of winter garden ideas, cornus, or as it is more commonly known red twig dogwood, makes for a vibrant display on its own or as part of a hedge.

Creating a bank of crimson stems, these fast-growing hedges look just as good in winter as they do in the height of spring – in fact, they may even look better. 'During the summer, it blooms flowers and berries. It has red bark that looks beautiful year-round,' says Emilly Barbosa Fernandes, expert small space gardener and consultant at HouseGrail .

With it's dense twiggy structure, it is also great to use as part of garden privacy ideas, plus since dogwood are very easy to propagate – simply cut a branch that's about the thickness of a pencil and put in a pot of quickly – it is a very affordable to quickly grow your hedges.

4. Best fast-growing hedges for year-round privacy

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If you're trying to select the best hedges or best trees for privacy and screening in a backyard, then opting for an evergreen variety is a must. The shrubby honeysuckle is an excellent choice for fast-growing hedges, as its dense leaves and branches provide year-round greenery and screening. 

'The shrubby honeysuckle can grow between 15-23 inches in a year, so if you don’t want a tall shrub, make sure to keep it trimmed,' says Emilly. 'The shrubby honeysuckle is an evergreen that becomes denser as you clip it. It has tiny leaves that may produce flowers in the spring and berries in the autumn.' 
It is worth noting that shrubby honeysuckle can be invasive so if you decide to grow it in your garden, then it's vital that you keep it in check with regular pruning.

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These pretty fast-growing hedges are loved for their colorful and sweet smelling flowers. 'Lilac is a beautiful addition to the garden with its sweet fragrant smell and draping lavender blooms that cascades from the shrub,' says Tammy Sons from TN Nursery . 

For the best chance of a healthy plant, pick a spot with fertile, well-drained soil and lots of sun. In the right conditions, lilacs can grow around two feet per year, plus they are fairly hardy and will thrive in zones 3 through to 7.

'The lilac makes a great choice if you’re looking for fast-growing hedges,' says Emilly Barbosa Fernandes, 'but if you don’t trim it back, it will grow out of control'. Therefore, it is vital that you know how to prune lilac before adding these fast-growing hedges into your garden.

6. Prettiest fast-growing hedges

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If you want fast-growing hedges that also bring beauty to the garden, then camellia hedges are perfect. Blossoming with beautiful rose-like flowers in late winter or early spring, they create a stunning addition to winter garden ideas and will help to brighten those darker days.

Camellias are also some of the best winter plants for pots and borders and as an evergreen, they keep their leaves all year round. This means that when they are grown as a hedge they are perfect to incorporate into your garden privacy ideas.

As with any addition to your garden, knowing how to care for them is vital. With camellias, there is particular importance on knowing how to prune camellias as this will keep these fast-growing hedges under control and looking their best.

7. Best fast-growing hedges for early spring color

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Forsythia is a great choice for fast-growing hedges. It's one of the hardiest fast-growing hedges, being tolerant to both drought and salt and hardy from zones 5 through to 8. It will reach heights of up to 10 feet and will grow approximately two feet per year. 

Regardless of its durability, it is the flowers that sway homeowners towards these fast-growing hedges. 'One of the first spring bloomers, they erupt in lemony yellow clusters that welcome the coming season,' says Tammy Sons. However, be careful when pruning as the flowers grow on last year's growth. Therefore, it is important to prune at the end of the flowering period rather than wait until the following fall.

8. Best fast-growing hedges for greenery

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Laurel is a classic choice to create a quintessential green hedge in your garden. With its large glossy green leaves, it creates a dense border which is ideal for use in front yard landscaping ideas.

‘The laurel grows roughly 11 inches per year and can be grown as both hedging plants and topiary. If you’re looking for flowers in the summer, the cherry laurel is a good choice,’ says Emilly. 

Smartly clipped laurel hedges and topiary are characteristic of English garden ideas and offer a good alternative to the slower-growing box hedges. 

9. Best fast-growing hedges for wildlife

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If you're looking for fast-growing hedges that will help to encourage wildlife into your garden, then the hawthorn is your best option. 'One of the most common hedgerow shrubs across the UK but also grows well in the North American states,' says Leigh Clapp. The hawthorn will grow between one and two feet per year meaning it will quickly establish itself as a defined part of your garden.

Also known as the thornapple, it is descended from the rose family and is loved for its pretty nectar-rich flowers and bright red-orange fall berries. 'The Hawthorn provides food for some 150 different insect species and is tolerant of pollution and exposed sites,' continues Leigh Clapp. This makes hawthorn the ideal addition to your favorite wildlife garden ideas.

If grown at the border of your property, the thorny branches on these fast-growing hedges also brings with it an element of added security to your home while simultaneously offering a safe space for birds to nest come spring.

10. Best fast-growing flowering hedge for color

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One of our favorite fast-growing flowering trees, Callistemon also makes for a beautiful fast-growing hedge. Growing approximately a foot per year, this stunning plant explodes in an array of vibrant, feathering flowers in spring, and makes for the perfect accompaniment for other tropical garden ideas. 

You can also use all of these fast-growing hedging ideas to obscure or complement the harder landscaping in your garden, such as garden wall ideas. Growing a hedge will create a softer and more natural backdrop to your garden as well as offering beneficial food and habitat for wildlife. Pick fast-growing hedges with beautiful flowers for added interest.

What is a good privacy hedge?

Camellia, laurel and hawthorn are all good privacy hedges. These fast-growing hedges are all evergreen and reach a good height.

Evergreen shrubs and evergreen trees for gardens make for the best hedges for privacy as you don't want your privacy to be compromised when the leaves fall off in fall. You will also want to select fast-growing hedges to ensure that you aren't waiting years to achieve the level of privacy you desire.

When should you plant hedges?

You should plant hedges in late fall, however, you can plant them up until late winter, though avoid planting if the ground is water-logged, frozen or frost is imminent.

The optimum planting time for individual fast-growing hedges will vary depending on the species you purchase, so you should always double check the planting directions.  

Having graduated with a first class degree in English Literature, Holly started her career as a features writer and sub-editor at Period Living magazine, Homes & Gardens' sister title. Working on Period Living brought with it insight into the complexities of owning and caring for period homes, from interior decorating through to choosing the right windows and the challenges of extending. This has led to a passion for traditional interiors, particularly the country-look. Writing for the Homes & Gardens website as a content editor, alongside regular features for Period Living and Country Homes & Interiors magazines, has enabled her to broaden her writing to incorporate her interests in gardening, wildlife and nature. 

Best Privacy Hedges | Evergreens for Privacy

Home > Best Privacy Hedges

Peace. Quiet. Solitude. Privacy.

Privacy Hedges allows you to enjoy all these qualities in any yard, no matter how noisy or urban the area.

It blocks noise and peering eyes while providing beauty to the garden and a home for small animals.

So what bushes are good for privacy? We have compiled a list of the best bushes for privacy. They are each suitable for different situations, so we are sure you will find your perfect match!

QUICK LINKS

8 Varieties of Privacy Hedges

WHAT MAKES A GREAT PRIVACY HEDGE?

For great privacy hedges there are three main factors:

You want tightly-branched evergreens for privacy to avoid any gaps. You can do this two ways: opt for privacy shrubs with extremely dense branching, or trim your looser-growing hedge religiously each year.

Height

You want tightly-branched evergreens for privacy to avoid any gaps. You can do this two ways: opt for privacy shrubs with extremely dense branching, or trim your looser-growing hedge religiously each year.

Evergreen

You want tightly-branched evergreens for privacy to avoid any gaps. You can do this two ways: opt for privacy shrubs with extremely dense branching, or trim your looser-growing hedge religiously each year.

MAINTAINING A PRIVACY HEDGE

The key to maintaining a perfectly dense privacy hedge is consistent pruning on the sides. If the hedge is allowed to grow large and leggy, then pruned hard, you will end up with gaps (in laurels and beech this can be corrected, but in conifers, it usually can’t). A quick, simple trim once per year on fast-growing varieties and once every 2 years on slow-growing varieties is all you need to keep your hedge full and dense. Pruning the top half of the privacy hedges a little slimmer than the bottom will keep the lower branches nice and full (see the diagram below).

For more information on how to get privacy trees as fast as possible, check out our page on fast-growing hedges.

Swimming pools are one of the most important places to use privacy hedges

Homes located on busy streets can still feel quiet and secluded when surrounded by a privacy hedge

Simple and elegant privacy hedges can be used at residences, restaurants, and event venues to create private outdoor eating areas

Emerald Green Arborvitae gives dense privacy, blocking noise, wind, and eyesores

Block neighborhood sounds and views with privacy hedges to create a peaceful sanctuary

Entries and driveways gain drama and glamour when lined with lush privacy hedges

Create peaceful, quiet spaces by surrounding them with tall privacy hedges

Outdoor living becomes a lot more peaceful with a lush privacy hedge

Block noise effectively by layering different heights of privacy hedges around an outdoor living space

Even urban courtyard spaces can feel like the country when surrounded by privacy hedges

BEST PRIVACY HEDGES

EUROPEAN BEECH

Fagus Sylvatica

European Beech is one of the best bushes for privacy which is an extremely popular choice in Europe and for European-styled gardens. It offers lush, green foliage in the spring and summer and copper fall color that persists through the winter. Even though it is deciduous, the persistent leaves still provide some peace through the winter months. Grows in full sun to part shade. One of the best plants for privacy for zone 5-8.

ENGLISH LAUREL

Prunus Laurocerasus

One of the fastest-growing evergreens for privacy, English Laurel (or Prunus laurocerasus) will fill out a big space quickly. It is a great option as privacy hedges if you want a tall hedge quickly. Make sure to keep on top of pruning to keep it from getting leggy. Beautiful glossy green foliage with white flowers in spring and inedible berries in the summer. Deer proof. Grows in full sun to partial shade. Best plants for privacy for zone 6-9.

SCHIP LAUREL

Prunus Laurocerasus ‘Schipkaensis’

Schip laurel which is one the best evergreens for privacy (sometimes called Skip Laurel or Schipka Laurel or Cherry Laurel) has the benefits of the English Laurel with the added benefit of a more upright growth habit, requiring less pruning to keep the width in check. It also has a longer, narrower leaf shape that is a bit darker green. Grows in full sun to shade. One of the best privacy bushes to consider.

PORTUGUESE LAUREL

Prunus Lusitanica

Portuguese Laurel or Prunus Lusitanica has a wonderfully dense natural growth habit. It also grows quickly, so you could have a large, dense hedge with little effort in a very short time. It is a great option for warmer parts of the country as it is very tolerant of heat, drought, poor soil, salt, and pollution. It has stunning green leaves with contrasting red petioles. It has white flowers in the spring and bears black fruits in the summer that are inedible to humans but a good food source for birds. They are one of the best deer proof privacy bushes. Does well in full sun.

AMERICAN ARBORVITAE

Thuja Occidentalis

American Arborvitae or Thuja Occidentalis is a great choice for those in cold regions (it is hardy to zone 2!) who want a fast-growing privacy hedge. It will get tall quickly and form a very dense screen with consistent pruning. Grows in full sun to partial shade. Excellent choice in terms of fast growing evergreen shrubs for privacy.

EMERALD GREEN ARBORVITAE

Thuja Occidentalis ‘Smaragd’

Emerald Green Arborvitae is the ultimate choice for a dense privacy hedge. With an Emerald Green hedge, there is zero chance of seeing anything through it. It grows slowly and requires very infrequent pruning. Although it grows slowly, it will become quite tall if given enough time. It has an extremely narrow footprint, so it does well in small areas. It has beautiful, dark green foliage. Requires full sun. Emerald Green Arborvitae is one of the best bushes for privacy.

GREEN GIANT ARBORVITAE

Thuja X ‘Green Giant’

Green Giant Arborvitae has an incredibly vigorous growth rate, reaching up to 5 feet of growth per year under ideal conditions! If a large hedge is needed as fast as possible, this is a great option. Green Giant has lush green foliage all year, providing optimum screening capabilities. It will require intensive pruning to keep at a small size, but it is one of the large privacy trees for backyard. It does well in full sun to partial shade. Deer resistant.

VIRESCENS WESTERN RED CEDAR

Thuja Plicata ‘Virescens’

Virescens Western Red Cedar is a lovely, upright-growing cedar, native to the Pacific Northwest. Considered as one of the best bushes for privacy. Its unique habit means a small footprint, making it great for tight spaces. It responds well to either intense or relaxed pruning. It does well in full sun and partial shade.

Get the Best privacy hedges at affordable prices at InstantHedge Oregon.

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For green industry professionals, please fill out our quote request form.


Forex risk hedging: types, tools

Hedging is an action aimed at reducing the risks of adverse changes in the price of a particular asset. This term is also understood as risk insurance. For example, when a position is opened in one of the markets to compensate for the risks of an opposite position in another market.

What does hedge mean? Translated from English, this is “fencing”, in a figurative sense, the word can be translated as “insurance” or “guarantee”. In a broad sense, hedging can be understood as a set of measures that help minimize possible financial losses during the conclusion of a transaction or stop the growth of an already incurred loss. The nature of the measures may vary depending on the specifics of the market.

A hedging deal is often referred to among traders as a lock. For traders, locking positions is often the only way to save a deposit and hold out for some more time when the market moves in the wrong direction.

However, it is usually not advised to follow such a strategy, because it will not necessarily happen that the price will return to the breakeven zone, while the total financial result will worsen due to the rollover swap.

Types of hedging

There are several types of hedging:

1. In relation to the time of conclusion of the underlying transaction:

2. By the value of insured risks:

3. By type of counterparty:

4. By type of asset:

5. Under the terms of the hedging contract:

6. By type of site:

How hedging works in the stock market

We answered the question of what is called hedging, now let's look at how it works in the stock market. Exchange rates are constantly fluctuating, which leads either to an increase or a fall in the price of a currency. As a result, the value of assets may not change for the better for their holders. To protect themselves from losses, they try to protect themselves and insure risks - to hedge them. One of the methods is a futures contract, which allows you to make a transaction with an asset at a predetermined price, regardless of its current market value.

For example, there are two companies: the first exports goods from Europe, and the second buys it from the first. In a month, the importer must pay the exporter 1 million euros, so the importer purchases this amount in advance at the current rate - the company wants to insure itself against adverse changes in the euro exchange rate and is hedging. So, if the currency becomes cheaper in a month, it can be sold at a predetermined rate and re-buy 1 million euros, but cheaper.

For many traders, forex is a help in hedging positions.

Forex hedging

The hedging strategy in the forex currency market is applied similarly to the stock market. In Forex, hedging is often called position locking, that is, the installation of a lock.

The idea of ​​minimizing risk through locking is not as common among experienced traders. Most players prefer to close an unsuccessful trade, wait for the price to reverse, and then open again.

More about locking (lock installation)

A lock is a situation when a trader opens multidirectional positions of the same volume on the same currency pair. As a result, the resulting loss is fixed (frozen), and the amount of funds on the account does not change, since one transaction brings profit, and the other one brings losses. But at the same time, a trader who stands in the castle will pay every day for transferring positions through the night, increasing the loss. It becomes more and more difficult psychologically to get out of locked positions every day.

Let's look at locking with an example. Suppose a trader opens a long position (buy) on the EUR/GBP currency pair and at some point comes to the conclusion that the order has outlived its usefulness, but instead of closing it, he opens an opposite short position (sell) with the same lot. With any price movement, the losses on one position will balance the profits on the other.

However, when there is a strong movement in the market, the spread traditionally widens, the ask price grows faster, so the profit on one position in the castle may not have time to compensate for the loss on another position. Ultimately, both trades will be stopped out.

Tool correlation

If we talk about the forex market as a whole, then the correlation of instruments is the basis for the formation of a strategy. There are instruments that affect the exchange rate and which are themselves formed under its influence, such as the Norwegian krone and oil.

For example, Australia is one of the largest miners and exporters of gold. When gold rises in price, so does the Australian dollar. Here the correlation is direct.

You can also consider tools with inverse correlation. Thus, the rise in oil prices may help reduce the value of the shares of airlines, which will increase their fuel costs.

In the foreign exchange market, the correlated pairs are EUR/USD and USD/CHF. A position on EUR/USD can be hedged with a reverse operation on USD/CHF - these instruments have almost mirror charts.

Traders can use such dependencies to manage risks. It is important to be aware that hedging is not a way to make money, but a way to control risks.

Hedging and non-hedged account: differences

You can open an account with the Alfa-Forex forex dealer with a choice of hedging. On a hedging account, each position is accounted for separately. You can open two deals or several deals of any direction at the same time for the same pair of currencies.

On a non-hedged account, positions for the same financial instrument are merged. Opening another order in the same direction will increase the volume in the market, but not the number of positions, and opening an opposite order will lead to a decrease in the volume in the market or to a complete closure of the position.

Hedging - what is it, mechanism, strategy, types, tools, examples

Hedging helps businesses protect themselves from risks and maintain the price of an asset in an unfavorable situation. Assets are all the assets of a business that contribute to generating income.

What are assets

Kolosok grows and sells wheat. When the wheat harvest in the world is small, its price rises to 20,000 rubles per ton, because there is not enough for everyone. When the harvest is good, the price drops to 15,000 rubles per ton, because there is a lot of wheat on the market.

In the spring, the head of Koloska thinks that this year the harvest will be good, and the price of wheat will be low. He decided to insure against losses. To do this, he finds the company "Sdoba", whose owner is sure that this year, on the contrary, there will be little wheat and it will be expensive.

Kolosok negotiates with Doba to sell it 100 tons of wheat at a price of 17,000 rubles per ton in six months. Each party to the contract believes that it is beneficial to them.

In this situation, both companies hedge risks and are hedgers.

When is hedging useful?

Hedging is useful when the price of a good, service, or work is highly dependent on demand or the exchange rate. Typically, risks are hedged in situations where a company or individual entrepreneur:

What is the exchange rate

At the same time, the hedger agrees to lose part of the possible income if the market turns favorably.

Oksana buys clothes in RMB in China on the 15th of every month and then sells them in Russia. In 2021, the average exchange rate was ₽11.5 per yuan.

At the end of February 2022, the exchange rate began to grow, and Oksana decided to play it safe - she thought that by March 15, the exchange rate might turn out to be completely unprofitable. She agreed with a clothing supplier that on March 15 she would buy 50 T-shirts and pants from him at the rate of 15 ₽ to one yuan.

On March 15, 2022, one yuan cost 18.22 ₽. As a result, Oksana saved ₽3.22 for every yuan spent. Delighted with the benefits, Oksana signed the same contract for April 15.

On April 15, the exchange rate was 12.75 ₽ per yuan. As a result, Oksana lost ₽2.25 for every yuan spent on this deal.

The potential profit and loss in hedging is usually not equal. Therefore, in such transactions, it is important to calculate the possible outcomes in advance and understand what conditions will be more profitable for the business.

Hedging instruments

Hedging instruments are types of contracts entered into between companies or individuals.

Instruments can be combined, for example, hedging a third of an asset in one way, a third in another way, and another third without hedging at all, leaving it to the will of the market. Such a hedging strategy will help not only reduce, but also distribute risks.

The simplest and most effective types of hedging are forwards and options, although there are other ways to hedge risks.

Forward

A forward is a contract that obliges one party to buy a specific asset from the other. At the same time, the price and date of purchase are agreed in advance. This is a strict agreement that is binding on both parties.

Above we looked at two examples of hedging - with wheat and clothing. These were forward contracts: the parties were obliged to complete the transaction by a certain date on predetermined terms.

Under this hedging mechanism, the seller may not have the goods on hand at the time the forward contract is entered into. The main thing is that the goods should be at the time of the transaction on the date on which the contract was concluded.

The document can be drawn up in free form. At the same time, there remains a high risk that the counterparty will not fulfill its obligations under such an agreement. But you can play it safe: provide for the responsibility of the parties for non-fulfillment of the conditions or demand the fulfillment of the terms of the contract in court.

After the execution of the forward contract, most likely, one of the parties will be in less favorable conditions. But at the same time, both parties received insurance against risks in a sharply negative scenario.

Option

An option similar to a forward is a contract to sell an asset at a predetermined price by a certain date. The difference is that an option gives the buyer of the asset the right, not the obligation, to make a deal.

What is an option

A company or individual who wishes to enter into an option pays another option premium for entering into an agreement. The option premium works like collateral. Its amount will remain with the counterparty, even if the option owner refuses to make a deal.

The Children's Chef company makes applesauce. In six months, she wants to buy 100 tons of apples at 20,000 rubles per ton, for a total of 2,000,000 rubles. The organization found another company, Golden Fill, which sells these apples.

Until the "Children's Chef" does not have 2,000,000 rubles, and the company decides to enter into an option. She understands that such hedging leaves her with more options than a forward. The company pays ₽200,000 to Golden Bulk for entering into the option. Now the "Children's Chef" will be able to buy 100 tons of apples in six months for the remaining 1,800,000 rubles.

There are two scenarios. In the first one, a ton of apples became more expensive - 25,000 rubles. This is beneficial for the "Children's Chef", and he uses his right to buy apples. So, thanks to the option, the company saved 500,000 rubles.

In the second scenario, apples fell in price to 17,000 rubles per ton. Now the option is no longer profitable, and the "Children's Chef" decides not to use it, but to buy apples separately for 1,700,000 ₽.

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