Hedges and privacy screens: which plants to choose
A living hedge gives privacy, breaks the wind and some of the noise, and keeps a yard cooler than a wall. The right plant depends on the height you need, the space you have and how much clipping you want to do.
In this guide we group the plants we grow by hedge height. Each card shows the typical height and water needs, and one click takes you to the plant's page with the sizes available.
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Before you choose: five questions
- How tall does it need to be? For privacy from the street, 1.8–2.5 m is usually enough. A plant that grows much taller will need clipping every year.
- How much width do you have? Tall shrubs spread 2–4 m if left unpruned. In a narrow bed choose slim plants such as cypresses, or a climber on a railing.
- Clipped or informal? A clipped hedge gives a clean line but needs regular trimming. An informal, flowering hedge needs more room and less work.
- Sun, shade or sea? Most shrubs want sun or part shade. Near the sea, choose plants that tolerate wind and salt.
- Children and pets? Oleander is toxic if eaten, and pyracantha, carissa and bougainvillea have thorns.
Tall screens, over 2 m
For full cover from neighbours and the road. Almost all of these grow taller than you need if left alone, so the hedge is kept at height by pruning.
Dense, glossy foliage all year and white flowers in spring. A classic choice for boundary hedges.
Very tough, for boundary hedges and windbreaks. Fragrant white flowers in autumn.
Glossy leaves, fragrant spring flowers and dense growth.
New growth comes out bright red, especially after each trim.
Fragrant white flowers, lovely near entrances and seating areas. Needs a warm, sheltered spot.
The fastest way to a tall green wall. Without regular clipping it becomes a large tree, so trim it from the first year.
Soft foliage with a resinous scent. In lowland areas it needs afternoon shade and regular summer watering.
Cypresses: a slim, vertical line
When the bed is narrow, a row of cypresses gives height without taking up space. They want full sun and little water once established, and keep their shape without clipping.
The Mediterranean cypress: slim, upright and tolerant of heat and drought.
An especially narrow, dense column, for formal lines and entrances.
Golden-yellow foliage and a more modest height. Brings colour to a row of green plants.
Lemon-yellow, fragrant foliage in a conical shape.
Medium hedges, 1–2 m
For dividing spaces within the garden, around pools and seating areas, or as a hedge on top of a low wall.
Flowers in winter, when few plants do, and copes with part shade too.
Dwarf oleander flowering from summer to autumn on very little water. Toxic if eaten.
Silver foliage and purple flowers. For sunny, dry spots with minimal watering.
Upright rosemary makes a fragrant, drought-tolerant hedge you can also cook with.
Native mastic: dense, evergreen and tolerant of heat and drought.
A thorny security hedge, with white spring flowers and red to orange berries.
Pale blue flowers from summer to autumn. For an informal, flowering hedge.
Dense, glossy foliage that clips easily into clean lines.
Low hedges and edging, under 1 m
For defining paths, beds and terraces without blocking the view.
Round, dense shape with almost no pruning. Also suits pots.
Glossy leaves, fragrant white flowers and red fruit. Good for seaside gardens.
Dwarf myrtle with small, fragrant leaves, for very low, neat edging.
Small-leaved euonymus that clips like box into low lines.
A fragrant purple low wall for sunny, dry spots. Brings bees.
Compact shrub with white flowers in early summer.
Silver, fragrant foliage and yellow flowers. Needs sun and very little water.
Climbers for railings and wire fences
Where there is already a fence, a climber covers it using very little width. It needs support and some guiding in the first years.
Evergreen, with fragrant white flowers in spring and summer. Copes with part shade.
Vivid colour on sunny railings and walls. Has thorns.
Fragrant honeysuckle for fences and pergolas.
Evergreen, with large pink-and-white trumpet flowers.
The fragrant jasmine. It is deciduous, so it does not screen in winter.
Ivy for shady walls and fences, where few plants do well.
Near the sea
Salt-laden wind burns the leaves of many plants. For the first line facing the sea, choose plants that tolerate it and put the more sensitive ones behind them.
Tolerates wind, salt and poor soils. The two-tone foliage brightens the hedge.
A classic seaside shrub that flowers all summer. Toxic if eaten.
Dense and thorny, with edible fruit. For warm, lowland areas.
Red bottlebrush flowers and great tolerance of heat and drought.
Planting and care
- Season: the best time is from autumn to early spring, so plants root before the heat. Container plants can be planted later too, with regular watering.
- Spacing in a single row, as a guide: 30–50 cm for low edging, 50–80 cm for medium hedges, 60–100 cm for tall screens. Closer planting fills in faster, but the plants compete for water.
- Watering: drippers along the row and regular watering for the first two summers, even for drought-tolerant plants. Drought tolerance comes once they are established.
- Pruning: start in the first year, cutting a little and often so the hedge thickens from the base. Keep it slightly wider at the bottom than the top, so the base gets light too.
- Conifers (leylandii, thuja, cypresses): don't cut back behind the green foliage into bare wood, as they usually do not regrow from there.
- Mulch: a layer of bark or gravel at the base keeps moisture in and weeds down.
Frequently asked questions
- Which plant makes a tall hedge fastest?
- Leylandii is the fastest. It needs clipping from the first year, though, or it becomes a large tree. If you don't want frequent clipping, elaeagnus and Viburnum lucidum are easier.
- Which hedge needs little water?
- Once established, mastic, Texas sage (Leucophyllum), upright rosemary, bottlebrush, oleander and Mediterranean cypresses get by on little water. For the first two summers they all need regular watering.
- What can I plant in part shade?
- Viburnum tinus, Viburnum lucidum, pittosporum and elaeagnus all cope with part shade. For shady walls and fences, ivy.
- How many plants do I need for 10 metres of hedge?
- As a guide, 10–17 plants for a tall screen, 13–20 for a medium hedge and 20–33 for low edging, in a single row. Send us the dimensions and we will suggest plants and quantities.
- Which hedges are safe with children and pets?
- Avoid oleander, which is toxic if eaten, and thorny plants (pyracantha, carissa, bougainvillea) near play areas. Viburnum, pittosporum, euonymus and elaeagnus are gentler choices.
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Need hedge plants for a home, hotel or project? Send us the length and height you want and we will suggest plants, sizes and quantities.
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