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Hedges for privacy fence


11 Best Privacy Hedges - Lawnstarter

Commonly called privacy hedges, living fences can do more than provide a barrier to neighbors’ prying eyes. These are the 11 best privacy hedges to consider if you want to plant hedges for screening, security, or simply to create a secluded enclave in your backyard.

What Makes a Good Privacy Hedge?

Whether you opt for the continuous coverage of evergreens, the three-season beauty of the deciduous, or a mix of the two, a good hedge meets your goals while balancing what your plants need.  

A beautiful living privacy fence made of rows of densely planted bushes offers:

1. American Arborvitae 2. Chindo Viburnum 3. American Holly 4. Manhattan Euonymus 5. Leyland Cypress 6. Schipka Cherry Laurel 7. Southern Red Cedar 8. Wintergreen Boxwood 9. Yew Plum Pine 10. Ninebark 11. Yellow-Twig Dogwoods

Evergreen Privacy Hedges

Installing a fence can perform many of the same functions as a hedge, but walls aren’t the same as living natural barriers. We asked experts to name some of the best privacy hedges that balance fast growth, hardiness, and beauty. Here’s what they said.

1. American Arborvitae: Best for Year-Round Privacy

Thuja occidentalis

American Arborvitae
Photo Credit: Oregon State University / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

American Arborvitae is an evergreen shrub or tree that comes in many heights, from smaller Emerald Green arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’) to the towering Green Giants. Arborvitae cultivars are widely used as evergreen hedges in home landscapes.

Arborvitae has flat, needle-like leaves that produce thick green foliage. The reddish-brown bark of the Thuja occidentalis species has peeling plates and furrows. Many American arborvitae varieties are native to North America and can grow rounded, straight, thin, pyramidal, or columnar.

Ideal for: Privacy screens, borders, hedges, windbreaks, and foundation plants,  especially the smaller cultivars. Both American and giant arborvitae are popular landscaping plants. 

Growth rate: Slow 

Maintenance: Prune arborvitae so that the top is narrower than the base. Many upright varieties have a natural cone shape and don’t need pruning. Arborvitae has shallow roots and requires approximately one inch of water each week.

Growing notes: Evergreen. Tree spacing for most cultivars is roughly 6 feet for a single line of arborvitae to create a formal design but a sparse privacy screen. For a dense, thick hedge, space the arborvitae trees in double rows about 9 feet apart.

2. Chindo Viburnum: Best for a Fast-Growing Hedge

Viburnum awabuki ‘Chindo’

Chindo Viburnum
Photo Credit: tc397 / Canva Pro / License

With fragrant late spring flowers, fall fruit, and evergreen foliage you’ll enjoy four seasons of interest from this attractive hedge. From shrubs he found on the South Korean island of Chindo in 1985, J.C. Raulston of the North Carolina State University Arboretum collected this variety of Viburnum awabuki.

Viburnum awabuki are evergreens with dense coverage, glossy leaves, and white blossoms that lead to vivid red berries in the fall. 

Ideal for: Hedges, screens, barriers, foundations, borders, or open woodland areas

Growth rate: Fast 

Maintenance: Water your sweet viburnum about once a week so that the first 3 inches of the soil are moist. Pruning in late winter or early spring will help shape your hedge, and fertilizing in the early spring is ideal.

Growing notes: Evergreen. Find out the mature width of the viburnum variety you select. Divide the mature width by two and plant your viburnum shrubs that distance apart. 

3. American Holly: Best for Wildlife Gardens

Ilex opaca

American Holly
Photo Credit: Plant Image Library / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2. 0

People like to use American holly as an ornamental or privacy hedge or as an addition to their wildlife garden (its bright red berries attract songbirds). Toothed green leaves and red berries make this a popular choice. In addition, the dense, evergreen foliage is easy to maintain and requires infrequent pruning.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) plants database lists dozens of varieties of holly. Ask your local Extension office which species work well in your area.

Ideal for: An ornamental or privacy hedge

Growth rate: Slow

Maintenance: When planting Ilex opaca, keep them away from harsh, arid winter winds. Keep the soil moist and only prune them if you want to shape them into a hedge or if its branches begin to grow unevenly.

Growing notes: Evergreen. Planting American holly is simple if you use plants from containers or plants that are balled or in burlap. It’s not recommended to plant holly with bare roots. 

Hollies in history: The Yaupon holly is the only caffeine-containing plant native to North America and was used in purging rites by Native Americans (hence its scientific name, Ilex vomitoria).

4. Manhattan Euonymus: Best for Partial Shade

Euonymus kiautschovicus ‘Manhattan’

Manhattan Euonymus
Photo Credit: David J. Stang / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Manhattan euonymus is an evergreen commonly seen in the famous hedges of the Hamptons. Maintaining it will result in a tight, dense hedge that will achieve some height. Its foliage is evergreen in warm winter regions and semi-evergreen to deciduous in cold winter climates (USDA Zones 5 and 6).

Euonymus kiautschovicus is a broadleaf, rounded shrub with greenish-white blossoms native to Japan. The flowers attract pollinators, and pink berries turn red in the fall. The ‘Manhattan’ variety was developed in Manhattan, Kansas. 

Ideal for: Borders, hedges, privacy screens, topiary, and barriers.

Growth rate: Fast

Maintenance: Keep them regularly trimmed. Manhattan euonymus shrubs only need a small amount of water once established, except during a long drought.

Growing notes: Evergreen. To establish a hedge, plant the Euonymus kiautschovicus about 3 feet apart. It’s recommended to add a 2 to 3-inch layer of organic mulch after planting. The North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension found this variety of euonymus has good resistance to the potentially fatal euonymus scale.

5. Leyland Cypress: Best for Tall Hedges

Cuprocyparis leylandii

Leyland Cypress
Photo Credit: Forest & Kim Starr / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3. 0

The popular Leyland cypress tops the fast-growing wishlist. This hybrid evolved naturally through cross-pollination, particularly in the United States and Western Europe. It’s a coniferous, evergreen tree with a conical shape and a “lighter, lacier” look, says Lisa Mierop, principal of Mierop Design in Montclair, N.J.

Dark green to bluish-green needles of Leyland cypress are scale-like and flat against evergreen sprays. They give birds wintertime cover and have more than 30 varieties.

Ideal for: Privacy screens, hedges, and windbreaks.

Growth rate: Fast

Maintenance: For the first month, water your freshly planted Leyland cypress multiple times each week while the root system develops. Water established trees every week or every two weeks, depending on the weather. Trim the top and sides up to three times during the growing season (April through August).

Growing notes: Evergreen. Divide your desired hedge height by four. Plant the trees 3 feet apart for a 12-foot tall privacy hedge. 

Leyland cypress can grow quickly and may intrude on your neighbors’ yards. Plus, they easily become top-heavy and may be damaged by heavy snow. Mierop says, “They can, however, be kept sheared into a tight hedge, with maintenance pruning essential.”

6. Schipka Cherry Laurel: Best for Low Maintenance

Prunus laurocerasus ‘Schipkaensis’

Schipka cherry laurel
Photo Credit: David Stang / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4. 0

Cherry laurels are small trees and shrubs native to southeast Europe and southwest Asia. ‘Schipkaensis,’ a popular laurel cultivar, is a goblet-shaped, upright evergreen shrub or small tree. This shrub’s thick foliage provides cover and nesting sites for songbirds and deer resistance.

Green, glossy leaves alternate along the stems and provide a backdrop for loose clusters of five-petaled white flowers in the spring. The fruit is a purple-black drupe but is not safe to eat. Doctors advise watching kids or pets around a cherry laurel plant, as every part of it is poisonous if eaten.

Ideal for Tall hedges, privacy screens, mass planting, shady areas, or in a nature garden.

Growth rate: Medium

Maintenance: Prunus laurocerasus will grow in most soil types, but it’s ideal if the soil is rich in organic matter, moist, and has sufficient drainage. Pruning cherry laurel shrubs is best done immediately after flowering is done in late spring, but you can prune up to two months before your first hard freeze.

Growing notes: Evergreen. Plant the shrubs 3 feet apart to make a cherry laurel hedge. The branches will quickly intertwine, forming a thick barrier.

7. Southern Red Cedar: Best for Windbreaks

Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola

Southern Red Cedar
Photo Credit: KATHERINE WAGNER-REISS / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4. 0

Southern red cedars are native to North America but aren’t actual cedar trees. They’re members of the juniper family, a species recognized for its ease of care. In its native Florida, it is even used as a Christmas tree. 

Red cedar trees feature velvety, delicate, emerald-green leaves that provide a thick, evergreen canopy and protection for wildlife. The berries attract songbirds, and the red-brown bark is fibrous and often peels. 

Lloyd Singleton, Director of the New Hanover County Agricultural Extension in North Carolina, says that in addition to repelling deer and insects, the southern red cedar is “tough, totally adapted to regional conditions, and it’s really pretty with great berries that birds love, and flowers that attract bees and butterflies … with a nice aroma to boot.” 

Ideal for: Privacy screens, hedges, wildlife habitat, and windbreaks

Growth rate: Medium

Maintenance: Water your red cedar at planting and then daily for the first one to two weeks. Water every two to three days for the next 12 weeks and finally once a week until roots are established. 

After that, the tree can be largely neglected in terms of upkeep. It won’t need trimming unless you want to keep a specific shape, like a Christmas tree.

Growing notes: Evergreen. Seedlings or very young plants, less than one foot tall, are best spaced 8 to 18 inches apart. Larger plants, typically offered in 3-gallon pots or bigger, need a space of 5 to 7 feet apart. Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola has a northern cousin, the eastern cedar, which is good in zones 4-9. 

8. Wintergreen Boxwood: Best for Small Gardens

Buxus sinica var. insularis ‘Wintergreen’

Wintergreen Boxwood
Photo Credit: David J. Stang / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Also known as Korean boxwood, this ‘Wintergreen’ boxwood shrub is a very robust cultivar that works well in colder locations because it is less likely to yellow during the winter. Its cold hardiness makes it a popular choice for homeowners in northern climates who want a boxwood hedge.

As an evergreen with a very compact, dense growth habit, wintergreen boxwoods have small, broad, yellow-green to medium green leaves throughout the year. Although tiny, the flowers are highly fragrant.

Ideal for: Privacy screens, container gardens, borders, or in a rock garden

Growth rate: Moderately slow

Maintenance: Water once or twice a week until established, except during drought or extreme heat. Wintergreens will naturally grow into compact tufts of green if not trimmed. 

Growing notes: Evergreen. When grown as a hedge, space plants 3.5 to 4 feet apart, center to center. Spread a 2- to 3-inch-deep layer of mulch 12 inches away from the stem base.

9. Yew Plum Pine: Best for Drought Tolerance

Podocarpus macrophyllus

Yew Plum Pine
Photo Credit: Keisotyo / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

Yew plum pines are slow-growing, coniferous evergreen shrubs or conical trees with needle-like leaves. This shrub can be pruned regularly to create a soft, low-maintenance hedge with dense, dark green foliage but no flowers. 

If you need to plant a hedge in a small space, such as along a walkway, this is a plant to consider. Singleton says, “Podocarpus macrophyllus, though slower-growing, is well-suited to growing in a narrow space.” Yew plum pine is native to Japan and China.

Ideal for: Hedges, windbreaks, privacy screens, natural evergreen barriers, and does well in containers.

Growth rate: Slow

Maintenance: When cutting Podocarpus shrubs for hedges, avoid shearing the sides because they should grow together. Always prune yew plum pine so the top is slightly smaller than the bottom. When watering, keep the soil damp and don’t waterlog the roots.

Growing notes: Evergreen. To establish a hedge, plant the Podocarpus plants 2 feet apart and keep them regularly trimmed.

Deciduous Privacy Hedges

The term “deciduous” refers to the “falling away of a portion that is no longer needed or helpful” as well as the “falling away once its purpose is completed.” The leaves of deciduous plants fall off in the winter and grow again in the spring.

10. Ninebark: Best for Pollinator Gardens

Physocarpus opulifolius

Ninebark
Photo Credit: Eric Hunt / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Physocarpus opulifolius, sometimes known as ninebark, is a tall, spreading shrub native to Missouri. It is a flowering shrub with a year-round visual impact. It gets its name from the peeling bark that comes off in layers as the shrub matures.

A deciduous shrub, ninebark’s green leaves change to yellow and red in the fall. A few cultivars, such as ‘Dart’s Gold’ and ‘Summer Wine,’ display golden or red leaves from spring to fall. Late April sees the arrival of pink or white blossoms, drawing pollinators like bees and butterflies. It’s adaptable and quick-growing.

Ideal for: Mass plantings, floral privacy hedges, borders, xeriscaping, or erosion control on banks. With its arching growth pattern, ninebark is a visually charming, low-maintenance addition to a landscape.

Growth rate: Fast; can mature in one year

Maintenance: To maintain its shape and encourage air circulation around the plant, prune your ninebark after it flowers, or no later than mid-August. Water shrubs when they’re young, at least once or twice a week during the summer. 

Growing notes: Deciduous. Space ninebark 3 to 6 feet apart, depending on the cultivar. Read the nursery labels to determine the spacing suggestions for your plant.

11. Yellow-Twig Dogwoods: Best for Winter Interest

Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’

Yellow-Twig Dogwoods
Photo Credit: David J. Stang / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Yellow-twig dogwoods are a classic, North American native shrub that livens up the colder months with vibrant yellow twigs. Because of how fast it grows, you won’t have to wait long for this flowering shrub to start drawing attention to your garden.

In spring, the yellow twigs of Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’ put forth green and emerald foliage accented by white blooms that grow in clusters and develop into white berries.

Ideal for: Hedge, privacy screen, rain garden, mass planting, and erosion control

Growth rate: Fast

Maintenance: Prune in late winter to early spring to maintain airflow, health, and shape. Water at least once a week to keep the soil evenly moist.

Growing notes: Deciduous. Space the shrubs 3 feet apart. To make a hedge, measure from the center of one plant to the center of the next. This deer-resistant Cornus sericea grows well in cooler climates as high heat and drought are hard on this cultivar.

Privacy Hedges: What You Should Know

Before you run to the garden shop, dig a toe into your turf and put a finger on the wind. In other words, grab a soil test and take stock of your local climate. This will go a long way in deciding which type of plant will work for your hedge.

Pro Tip: To avoid running into underground utility lines, call 811 or visit the website at least three business days before you start digging. They’ll mark the locations of utilities for you at no charge.

1. Design Your Look

Think of the overall look and function you want with your privacy fence. No matter if you want to protect your home or create a ‘Bridgerton’-style garden, planning will save you time, money, and effort.

Location is crucial when planting a hedge. The borders and edges of your property are prime locations. Traffic from people and animal activity will damage or stunt your living fence if something is getting in its way.

Pro Tip: Keep in mind the mature width of the shrubs when you plant so their growth won’t interfere with existing structures. Make sure you have enough room to prune and water.

2. Think About Height

If you want to build a living fence for security or privacy, it should be at least 6 feet tall. Nonetheless, when developing your plan, you should adhere to the height restrictions imposed by your city or local council.

Decide how tall you want your screen. Place a ladder or have someone stand where you plan on placing your hedge. Taller hedges are more difficult to maintain and require different hedge trimmers than smaller ones.

3. Select Your Plant

Now that you know how much space you have and how tall you want your screen to be, you can select your plant.

Evergreens are excellent all year round for noise reduction and privacy. Although deciduous trees do not provide a year-round screen, they give a larger variety of landscape characteristics, such as fall colors and flowers in the spring. 

A hybrid hedge fulfills all of the functions of a single plant hedge while giving an aesthetic touch to your property that is distinctive throughout the year. Nature-inspired mixed hedges, as compared to traditional single-variety hedges, provide a range of hues, textures, and patterns.

4. Make Your Plan

You are now ready to lay out the location of your plants. Make sure to leave enough space between your plants for them to grow to the size you want. 

Make certain that you have a straight row or rows by inserting wooden stakes into the ground at either end and connecting them with a string. Mark the locations of your holes with flags or other indicators. 

5. Plant Your Hedge

When planting bare root plants, it is recommended to dig a straight trench for hedges. Individual holes are appropriate for containerized plants. However, either way, is acceptable.

6. Water Your Shrubs

Water your shrub as soon as you plant it. For most bushes, 30 seconds of continuous water from a water hose equipped with a diffuser nozzle is enough. Make certain that the soil around your new plants is moist. This encourages the roots to form a root system inside this backfill soil.

During the first couple of summers, your freshly planted tree expends a lot of energy attempting to establish its roots in the soil. It’s important to know when and how much water to use:

How often: Freshly planted shrubs and trees require consistent, routine watering until their root systems establish.

How much: To water newly planted trees, provide 1-1.5 gallons of water for every inch the trunk is wide. Larger shrubs will require more time for the roots to establish. 

Water By Trunk Size

Trunk Width Water Amount (per watering)Time to Establish Roots
1 inch1 to 1. 5 gallons1.5 years
2 inches2 to 3 gallons3 years
3 inches3 to 4.5 gallons4.5 years
4 inches4 to 6 gallons6 years
5 inches5 to 7.5 gallons7.5 years
6 inches6 to 9 gallons9 years

University of Minnesota Extension

All you have left is to plant your hedge and see how fast it grows! Growing a privacy hedge will enhance the security and seclusion of your home while providing an eco-friendly way to increase your home’s curb appeal.

FAQ

How Far From a Wall Should My Hedge Be?

Plant at least 18 to 24 inches away for traditional or hybrid hedges. If you’re growing a very tall living fence, you’ll need to increase this amount based on how wide you calculate the plants will grow.

How Do I Make My Growing Hedge Denser?

The simple solution is to clip/prune the young hedge to promote thickening. Pruning methods vary according to the species. Cherry laurel, hollies, and yew plum pine will require careful pruning.

Why Should I Get a Soil Test?

Soils in poor condition do not retain enough nutrients and water to support healthy plant development. Having that information in hand helps provide the basis for appropriate soil amendments. Matthew Kiefer, CLM, principal of Kiefer Landscapes says, “It’s really an excellent and inexpensive investment.”

When to Call a Pro

Adding a few hedges to your yard will turn your property into a quiet sanctuary, a romantic garden, or just block out those noisy neighbors. If planning, planting, and pruning your living fence doesn’t sound like an ideal weekend, reach out to one of our local landscaping pros today to handle the dirty work.

Main Image Credit: Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Raven Wisdom

Raven Wisdom is a screenwriter from West Texas and a proud mom of two in an autism family. Self-described as "half-feral but mostly harmless," Raven loves houseplants, a good laugh, and furry friends.

Posts by Raven Wisdom

The 15 Best Plants to Grow for Backyard Privacy

Keep Prying Eyes Out

1/16

You don’t need a fence to maintain your privacy when you can block your nosy nextdoor neighbor from peering into your yard with the help of plants. There’s a great selection of trees, shrubs, and vines that can help turn your property into a secluded retreat—and they can be way cheaper than installing a fence or other privacy structure.

Check out this list of some of our favorite backyard privacy ideas.

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Arborvitae

2/16

There are many reasons why arborvitae is among the most popular plants for a living privacy fence. Its thick evergreen foliage creates a dense hedge when the trees are spaced properly, it tolerates most soil conditions, and it's cold-hardy and low maintenance. There are several varieties with different stature, from dwarf to giant, so consider the plant's mature height and width when choosing arborvitae for your space. Available at The Home Depot.

Related: 11 Age-Old Gardening Tips to Ignore Completely

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Bamboo

3/16

Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world, so it can create a lush and exotic privacy screen very quickly. Some varieties of bamboo are invasive, so consider picking a slow-spreading, clumping variety, or planting it in large raised planters to keep it under control. Available on Amazon.

Related: Don't Make These 8 Mistakes in Your Front Yard

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Skip Laurel

4/16

With annual shaping and pruning, the dense evergreen foliage of skip laurel can make a beautiful 10-foot-tall privacy screen. Planted in a sunny location and in well-drained soil, a laurel hedge will reward you with white blooms in spring. Available at The Home Depot.

Related: 8 No-Care Plants for Killer Curb Appeal in Every Season

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Privet

5/16

Fast-growing privet can get you privacy in a hurry; if given proper care, it can add between 2 and 3 feet to its height each year. When grown as a hedge, privet needs to be pruned regularly, but that hard work pays off when the plant produces a thick cover of sweet-smelling flowers every spring. Available at The Home Depot.

Related: Wage War on Weeds With 7 Unbeatable Tools

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Holly

6/16

There are many varieties of holly that provide excellent privacy in the yard. Available as tall trees or dense shrubs, and in colors that run the gamut from green to variegated, holly offers something to satisfy any landscaping taste. Homeowners with small children (or sensitive hands) may want to consider a soft-leafed variety that's free of the plant's signature sharp, spiny leaves. Available at The Home Depot.

Related: 10 Plants to Grow for a Pest-Proof Yard

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Boxwood

7/16

Boxwood has been long used as a decorative pruned hedge in formal gardens, but it's also beautiful when less strictly maintained. Allowed to grow freely, some varieties can reach 20 feet tall.

Many people think of boxwood as a deep green plant, but there are also beautiful white variegated and gold varieties. Grown as a fence or in containers, it will provide rich scenery and a lush, living wall to protect your yard from prying eyes. Available at The Home Depot.

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Hicks Yew

8/16

Hicks yew, while not flashy, is a sensible choice for a living fence or privacy screen. This low-maintenance option sets a wonderful evergreen backdrop for the rest of a yard, and its soft needles and winter berries make it a fast favorite with backyard wildlife. Available on Amazon.

Related: The Invincible Yard: 12 Ideas for Lazy Landscaping

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Red Twig Dogwood

9/16

Red twig dogwood is deciduous, but it displays a cheerful and seasonal thicket of bright red branches when it loses its leaves in fall. It can tolerate temperature extremes and even soggy soils, and provides habitat for wildlife in all seasons. This fast-growing shrub can reach 8 feet tall and 10 feet wide, creating an impressive display in a yard. Available at The Home Depot.


Related: 8 Top Tools for Taming Your Landscape

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Chocolate Vine

10/16

The hardy chocolate vine, also known as five-leaf akebia, grows vigorously on a trellis or fence and provides a thick screen of green leaves and fragrant purple blooms in early summer. It spreads very quickly, so be sure to rein it in with regular pruning. Available on Amazon.

Related: 10 "Zero Dollar" Garden Hacks

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Euonymus

11/16

Euonymus is a privacy shrub that comes in many sizes and colors, including green, gold, and variegated varieties. This tall and sturdy shrub tolerates all types of weather and even poor soils. Planted close together, euonymus can serve as a lush hedge, but it also makes a big impact when pruned into a tree shape. Available at The Home Depot.


Related: 11 Ideas for Better Backyard Privacy

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Cypress

12/16

These tall, slender beauties are one of the best privacy trees for backyards. And the Leyland variety is the ideal pick for quickly adding privacy to an outdoor space. The trees grow quickly—up to 5 feet every year—so you can expect to block out curious eyes within a few seasons. Remember, though, fast-growing also means higher maintenance, so keep that in mind before deciding on this tree. Available at Lowe’s.

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Lilac

13/16

These pretty fragrant trees can also be planted as hedges. They make lovely privacy plants thanks to their colorful, pleasant-smelling blooms. Lilacs need lots of sun, so opt for another hedge option if you’re situated in a shady spot. They also require yearly pruning. Remove dead and damaged branches to help encourage new growth and healthy flowering. Available on ArborDay.org.

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Butterfly Bush

14/16

The bushy purple flowers on this bush attract pollinators and other beneficial bugs, making it an excellent privacy option for the edible garden. A significant advantage of butterfly bush is that it’s drought-tolerant and blooms from spring to fall. Most varieties aren’t invasive but it’s important to check before buying just any cultivar. Available at The Home Depot.

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Hydrangea

15/16

Hydrangea plants grow up to 8 feet wide and 8 feet tall, making them great hedge plants. Planted in a row, the cone-shaped blooms on these bushes become a garden focal point. One caveat: hydrangeas lose their leaves in the fall, so they don’t provide year-round privacy. However, you can pair them with other hedge plants to maintain some cover during their off-season. Available at The Home Depot.

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Juniper

16/16

Several varieties of juniper make excellent privacy screen plants. Many cultivars grow up to 10 feet tall or more, including California and Sierra junipers. Some varieties are better suited for large properties, while others, like the Spartan variety, can be planted closer together. Their tight-spaced foliage also makes junipers a great option for blocking wind. Available at The Tree Center.

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If you have the money to hire a handyman for every household woe, go ahead. But if you want to hang on to your cash and exercise some self-sufficiency, check out these clever products that solve a million and one little problems around the house. Go now!

Top 15 best hedge plants

💣💣💣 BLACK FRIDAY IN GARSHINKA !

Published:

4 years ago

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We present to your attention a selection of the best plants in our opinion for creating a living fence on your site.

1. Thuja. Evergreen tree or shrub. In the conditions of the middle lane, it can reach a height of 3 m. It is widely used to create hedges. The optimal planting distance is 80-100 cm. It can be planted in two rows in a checkerboard pattern. In a temperate climate, among the various forms of thuja, the thuja western “Smaragd” and “Emerald” feel best. Among other plants used to create hedges, thuja has its advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

  • Endurance. Not demanding on lighting, frost and heat resistant, feels good in urban environments.
  • Tolerates shearing well. Thuja is distinguished by strong branching, forms a dense fence, takes any shape.
  • Possesses volatile properties.

Drawbacks:

disadvantages of arborvitae include its burnout in the bright sun, while the needles lose their decorative effect and become brown.

2. Juniper. Common, Cossack, virgin, scaly, and Chinese junipers are used to create hedges. All of them have their own characteristics, but their main advantages are the same:

  • Creates a fairly tight enclosure.
  • Drought resistant.
  • Not picky about the soil.
  • The needles do not crumble.

Of the shortcomings of juniper, one can single out its need for good lighting. Otherwise, the bushes become loose and lose their decorative effect. Like all conifers, juniper has a rather slow growth, although this is a minus or plus for a hedge - a moot point.

3. Berry yew. Evergreen coniferous plant. Great for creating a living fence and for good reason:

  • Excellent shear tolerance.
  • Forms shoots even on old wood.
  • Long-lived and slow growing.
  • Hardy.
  • Drought resistant.
  • Produces bright red decorative fruits.

The yew has one drawback - all its parts are poisonous.

4. Lawson Cypress is one of the most beautiful coniferous plants.

Benefits:

  • Forms a dense dense conical crown.
  • Very decorative bluish-green needles.
  • Undemanding to soil fertility.
  • Quite resistant to diseases and pests.

Disadvantages: prefers well-lit areas (goes bald in the shade), requires regular watering and spraying.

5. Derain white. Fast-growing deciduous shrub up to 3 m high. Very beautiful, retains its decorative effect even in winter, thanks to bright red shoots. Blossoms twice a season, in the fall, along with young flowers, rounded white berries appear. The shrub has many virtues , among which:

  • Decorative throughout the year.
  • In autumn, the foliage turns a variety of hues.
  • It lends itself well to a haircut, able to take various forms.
  • Not picky about conditions.
  • Heat and winter hardy.
  • Adapted to urban conditions.
  • Fast growing.
  • Does not need additional feeding.

Perhaps the only feature of turf that can be called its disadvantage is the need for regular cutting. If this condition is not observed, the bush is exposed in the lower part, it looks sloppy.

6. Califolia vesicle. Spectacular shrub with spreading drooping branches and large ornamental leaves. It reaches a height of 3 m. With proper care, a vesicle hedge will become a real highlight of your garden.

Benefits:

  • Varieties of different colors allow interesting combinations.
  • Undemanding to the soil.
  • Drought resistant.
  • Very unpretentious in care.
  • Even a novice gardener can handle pruning.
  • Grows quickly to form a solid wall.
  • Heat and frost resistant.
  • Not affected by diseases and pests.

has no defects.

7. Coronal mock orange

A beautifully flowering fragrant shrub up to 3 m high. It is frost-resistant and unpretentious, excellent for the conditions of the middle lane. In addition to the already listed advantages of mock orange, the following should be noted:

  • Bright green foliage.
  • Relatively small shrub width.
  • The ability to quickly recover even after heavy pruning.

The plant has no significant shortcomings, it should only be noted that well-lit places should be chosen for planting mock orange, and the soil should not be compacted and waterlogged.

8. Spirea. A very ornamental shrub with beautiful abundant flowers. A spirea hedge can reach a height of 1.5 m. The plant has many advantages, including:

To maintain a neat appearance of the shrub, it is recommended to trim the faded inflorescences.

9. Thunberg barberry. Great for hedges because it:

  • Unpretentious and adapts easily to various conditions.
  • Very decorative, changes its appearance throughout the season: bright green bushes in summer turn into a noble red color in autumn, the bush is covered with small red berries.
  • Able to create a dense enclosure.
  • Good for cutting.

The plant has its own disadvantages . For example, the presence of long sharp spines complicates the care of the shrub. With a lack of sunlight, the decorative effect of the leaves is lost. The plant propagates easily and appears where its growth is undesirable.

10. Privet. Fast-growing shade-tolerant shrub up to 2-2.5 m high. The plant deserves special attention for the following reasons:

  • Grows well, creating an impenetrable wall.
  • Perfectly gives in to a hairstyle, taking any form.
  • Undemanding to growing conditions.
  • Winter hardy.
  • Does not require watering.
  • Not damaged by diseases and pests.

The only drawback of privet is poisonous fruits. Do not choose this plant if you have children.

11. Cotoneaster brilliant. Densely leafy deciduous shrub up to 0.5 to 1.5 meters high. Undoubted Benefits of Cotoneaster:

  • Decorative throughout the season.
  • Resistance to adverse conditions (drought, frost, waterlogging).
  • Not picky about soils.
  • Feels good in urban environments.
  • Possesses volatile properties.
  • It lends itself well to a haircut, taking any shape.
  • The fruits are not poisonous.

Cotoneaster branches are fairly fast growing so regular pruning is essential to maintain the shape and attractiveness of the shrub.

12. Blood red hawthorn. Unpretentious deciduous shrub, characterized by high longevity. The undoubted advantages of the plant are:

  • Resistance to adverse conditions (drought, frost, shading).
  • Undemanding to soils.
  • High shoot forming ability.
  • Handles shearing and shaping well.
  • Creates a dense, impenetrable fence over time.
  • Easily propagated by cuttings.

Irregular shearing of hawthorn can expose the underside of the bush.

13. Lilac. Very ornamental flowering shrub. To create a hedge, the use of undemanding, frost-resistant, drought-resistant varieties, such as Meyer's, Amur and Hungarian lilacs, is recommended. The advantage of lilac over other shrubs is as follows:

  • Feels good in urban environments.
  • Drought tolerant.
  • Not damaged by diseases and pests.
  • Good for cutting.
  • Winter-hardy, but can freeze slightly in severe winters.

disadvantages of lilac include the need for annual cutting of root shoots; a short flowering period, after which the decorativeness of the plant is significantly reduced.

14. Shrub cinquefoil. A very decorative compact shrub that blooms from early summer to autumn. The main advantages of the plant:

  • Unpretentiousness.
  • Winter hardiness.
  • Ability to grow in urban environments.
  • Good for cutting.
  • Long flowering.
  • A variety of varieties with different colors.

Every 4-5 years the plant needs a rejuvenating pruning. Requires watering during dry periods.

15. Hydrangea. Incredibly beautiful shrub with large leaves and very lush flowering. Paniculata and tree varieties are great for creating hedges. Hydrangea Benefits:

  • Long flowering period.
  • Variety of colors.
  • Large leaves and lush inflorescences.
  • Suitable for slightly shaded areas.
  • Grows well in acidic soils.

At the same time, hydrangea is rather capricious, requires frequent watering, needs shelter for the winter, and is demanding on the composition of the soil. The plant needs pruning, since flowering occurs only on the shoots of the current year.

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Hedge instead of a fence || How to combine a fence and a hedge of

Content

Plant world - an entire universe, which a person was arranged , adding their colors, crossing species, diversifying the scope. More often, truly urban residents began to move out of town, preferring quiet private houses around which gardens are laid out, beautiful garden plots, sometimes even large parks. That is why horticulture has become more developed than ever before, many seek to surround themselves with vegetation, preventing excessive gassing of the urban environment.

Many private owners like to enclose their houses with high fences. The reason is extremely simple - privacy is carefully hidden from neighbors, uninvited guests, garden plantings are protected, preventing the appearance of other people's animals, so the construction of high walls is more a necessary measure than a desire. In addition, leaving their apartments, many just want privacy. Some attribute important defensive, protective properties to high fences. The convenience of high buildings, of course, is undeniable, but the appearance is also important. That is why it has become customary to ennoble fences with vegetation that creates additional harmony.

Hedge layout rules

There are really beautiful buildings, brick, stone, solidly made. However, some people prefer to add some greenery, making the fence more alive, closer to the nature surrounding the summer resident. Therefore, plants designed to help a person act as several main groups.

Advantages of a living fence

A living fence, in addition to the harmony of nature, performs almost all known functions of a fence, sometimes even more. That is why summer residents often prefer natural plantings, rather than digging in foundations, screwing sheets, laying bricks, stones, and other construction work.

Accordingly, there are a lot of advantages of green hedges. Some gardeners generally prefer to fence all buildings, plantings only in a natural way. A large number of plants, of course, require tremendous care, but a house surrounded by greenery looks incredibly beautiful.

Hedge planting technique

It is not enough to plan to make your site as green and blooming as possible, this work must be carefully planned so that the result is in line with all expectations. That is why there is a certain technology for planning landing operations.

Various crops for hedges

Plants are different: deciduous, evergreen, fruit-bearing, ornamental. If the above aspects are taken into account, you just need to choose according to your own taste, the available territory, and the general plan.

To get a high fit, it needs to be cut. The paradox is explained very simply: stress pruning provokes shoots to grow stronger. Fast-growing species can be more difficult to tame, because new branches will constantly be knocked out, however, constant shaping, cutting will solve this problem. Rapid growth brings benefits, adds worries. Therefore, if the hedge is molded, breeds that quickly recover are chosen. These requirements are met by hawthorn, cotoneaster, bush linden, white sod, and some types of linden.

Thorny bushes are the most effective protectors.

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