Round hedge plants

15 Best Evergreen and Flowering Shrubs for Hedges

Create Privacy With Natural Borders in Your Outdoor Space

David Beaulieu

David Beaulieu is a landscaping expert and plant photographer, with 20 years of experience. He was in the nursery business for over a decade, working with a large variety of plants. David has been interviewed by numerous newspapers and national U.S. magazines, such as Woman's World and American Way.

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Updated on 09/30/22

Reviewed by

Kathleen Miller

Reviewed by Kathleen Miller

Kathleen Miller is a highly-regarded Master Gardener and Horticulturist who shares her knowledge of sustainable living, organic gardening, farming, and landscape design. She founded Gaia's Farm and Gardens, a working sustainable permaculture farm, and writes for Gaia Grows, a local newspaper column. She has over 30 years of experience in gardening and sustainable farming.

Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board

Fact checked by

Jessica Wrubel

Fact checked by Jessica Wrubel

Jessica Wrubel has an accomplished background as a writer and copy editor, working for various publications, newspapers and in public libraries assisting with reference, research and special projects. In addition to her journalism experience, she has been educating on health and wellness topics for over 15 years in and outside of the classroom.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

The Spruce / Autumn Wood

A hedge is a living wall composed of plants. Hedges can be purely decorative, primarily practical, or a combination of both. Hedge plants are either evergreen or deciduous shrubs, and they're often trimmed to precise sizes and shapes. Decorative hedges sometimes use flowering hedge plants for added visual interest. On the flip side, practical hedges that are intended for privacy screens, windbreaks, and security are often composed of densely growing and tall shrubs. They might have thorns (such as hawthorns) or prickly leaves (such as English holly).

Here are 15 plants that make a nice hedge, including flowering hedge plants and evergreen shrubs.

The Spruce

Warning

Yew, holly, and several other shrubs are toxic, so be careful when growing them if children or pets are present.

01 of 15

The Spruce / David Beaulieu

Japanese holly looks more like a boxwood shrub than a holly shrub, bearing small, oval leaves. Many cultivars of this broadleaf evergreen are available. For hedge plants, most people select those that reach 3 to 4 feet in height with a similar spread. While this is a hedge with white flowers, it's usually not grown for its small blooms. Instead, it is the decorative fruits that make a showy statement in the garden.
This is one of the easiest hedges to maintain, requiring a moderate amount of water though it can tolerate drought. It also can tolerate severe pruning, pollution, and poor soil.
- USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 8
- Color Varieties: White flowers
- Sun Exposure: Full to partial shade
- Soil Needs: Acidic soil that drains well
02 of 15

The Spruce / Autumn Wood

English holly, with its prickly leaves, makes a better hedge plant than Japanese holly if you wish to combine security with aesthetic considerations. This is one type of holly that grows big enough to serve as a privacy screen (the 'Ferox Argentea' cultivar is 15 feet tall by 8 to 10 feet wide). However, note that holly berries are toxic and should be kept away from children and pets.
Like Japanese holly, this is an easy hedge to maintain. English holly has a fairly slow growth rate, so you won't have to do extensive pruning.
- USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 9
- Color Varieties: Greenish-white flowers and red berries
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil Needs: Well-drained, slightly acidic, fertile soil
03 of 15

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Sharp thorns line the barberry's branches, making it a traditional choice for security hedges. Its bright red berries persist through the cold-weather months to provide visual interest in winter. The thorns are present year-round.
Until recently, barberry had fallen out of favor in North America due to its invasive nature. But the development of new, noninvasive cultivars gives gardeners the opportunity to grow this plant without having to worry about its spread. This shrub can tolerate many growing conditions and requires little maintenance and pruning.
- USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 8
- Color Varieties: Red berries; some varieties have purple foliage and yellow-orange flowers
- Sun Exposure: Full to partial shade
- Soil Needs: Well-drained soil
04 of 15

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Boxwoods make a very nice hedge plant. These broadleaf evergreens were adored by aristocratic Europeans for centuries as defining elements in formal garden design. North Americans living in deer country have found a new reason to love boxwood hedges: They are deer-resistant shrubs.
Boxwoods also are straightforward to care for, especially once they're established. They require a moderate amount of water and annual fertilization. And they tend to grow in a pleasant shape without much pruning.
- USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 9
- Color Varieties: Yellow-green
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil Needs: Well-drained soil
05 of 15

The Spruce / K. Dave

The mountain laurel is another broadleaf evergreen that makes one of the best flowering hedges. It blooms in late spring to early summer with showy, colorful flowers. The pink-flowering types are the most popular.
Do not try to trim laurels as you would boxwoods. Laurels look best when they are allowed to grow into their natural mature shape.
- USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 9
- Color Varieties: Rose, pink, white; may have purple markings
- Sun Exposure: Partial shade to full sun
- Soil Needs: Cool, rich, moist, well-drained acidic soil
06 of 15

The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

Among needle-bearing evergreens, yew bushes are perhaps the most classic hedge plants. They are popular partly because they tolerate shade. While some yews grow tall enough to serve as privacy screens, yews are slow growers. So don't expect privacy for many years.
Yew can tolerate some drought but prefers a moderate amount of soil moisture. It also should be fertilized annually. Annual pruning isn't essential due to the slow growth rate, but it can help to promote fuller, more lush growth.
- USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 8, depending on the variety
- Color Varieties: Non-flowering; dark green needles and red berries
- Sun Exposure: Sun, partial shade, or full shade depending on variety
- Soil Needs: Well-draining soil with a neutral pH
07 of 15

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Deciduous hedge shrubs look great while in bloom but are just so-so during the winter. Also, because they drop their leaves and stand naked for part of the year, deciduous shrubs make for less-than-ideal privacy screens. Still, lilacs can make for some of the best flowering hedge plants thanks to their pretty flowers and delicious scent.
To form a hedge with lilacs, simply plant several of them in a line, and do not fuss with making them conform to precise dimensions. They have a moderate growth rate and will fill out soon enough. If you're looking for small flowering hedge plants, there are dwarf lilac varieties available that might suit your needs.
- USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 7
- Color Varieties: Lavender-blue, white, burgundy, deep purple, lilac
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil Needs: Loamy soil with neutral pH
08 of 15

The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

Another deciduous shrub commonly found in hedges is the rose of Sharon. It is a valuable plant for gardeners wishing to maintain a continuous sequence of bloom because it is one of the late summer-flowering shrubs that display color during a part of the season when many other plants have already finished blooming for the year.
Rose of Sharon can be a fast-growing flowering hedge plant in conditions it likes. And if you allow it to self-seed, it can easily form a lush living wall. Pruning isn't a major task, but you can clean up its shape and remove unwanted seedlings.
- USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 9
- Color Varieties: White, red, lavender, or light blue
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil Needs: Rich and moist
09 of 15

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Forsythia bushes are among the first plants to bloom in spring. You probably will not want to prune them as meticulously as you would, say, boxwood. Most people agree that these early spring-flowering shrubs look best when they're allowed to "have a bad hair day"—i.e., grow in a fairly natural form.
If you're looking for some of the fastest growing flowering hedges, forsythia might be the choice for you. The larger varieties can gain a couple of feet per year. But there are small varieties too that might suit your needs if you're looking for shorter flowering hedge plants.
- USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 8
- Color Varieties: Yellow
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil Needs: Well-drained
10 of 15

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Like mountain laurels, privets are broadleaf shrubs that put out flowers, though their white flowers are not much of a selling point. Not all varieties of privets are evergreen, and those that are don't grow in all hardiness zones. So check with your local county extension to see whether you can grow evergreen privets in your area if you're looking for an evergreen hedge. Also, ask whether they are invasive in your region.
In the right conditions, privets are fairly easy to grow. They should be watered regularly when they're starting out, but then they can tolerate some drought. They also take well to heavy pruning, so you can shape them to suit your needs.
- USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 7
- Color Varieties: White flowers
- Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun
- Soil Needs: Tolerant of a variety of soil types
11 of 15

The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

As with privets, azaleas can be either evergreen or deciduous, but their flowers are far superior to those on privets. So if you're looking for an evergreen hedge with flowers, see which azalea varieties can grow in your area. Stewartstonian azalea has it all: Its dense branching structure makes it a good hedge plant (in contrast to the Exbury-type azalea, which has a looser branching structure). And it is a shrub that blooms in early spring and offers good fall color.
Make sure to check your individual variety's growing needs. And provide your azalea with well-draining soil, or it might suffer.
- USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 9
- Color Varieties: Red, orange, pink, white, yellow, purple
- Sun Exposure: Partial shade
- Soil Needs: Fertile, well-drained, acidic, and kept evenly moist
12 of 15

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Arborvitae shrubs are a popular evergreen hedge plant. They have a dense growth habit that makes them good privacy screens or windbreaks. There are many types of arborvitae that come in various sizes, shapes, and colors. 'North Pole' and 'Emerald Green' are just about the right size for most landscapes. But 'Green Giant,' which can become 60 feet tall, is likely too big for small properties.
Pruning needs are minimal, as they grow in a nice natural shape. But you can prune annually to clean up growth and remove any broken or dead portions.
- USDA Growing Zones: 2 to 7
- Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun
- Soil Needs: Tolerates a range of soils but prefers moist well-drained loams
13 of 15

The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

Although Canadian hemlocks grow as trees in the wild, they are often sold in shrub form for use in hedges. They are evergreen, so your hedge can provide privacy year-round.
Canadian hemlocks do well with yearly pruning. But they don't tolerate wind, drought, or high heat very well. Keep the soil moist, but ensure that it has good drainage.
- USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 7
- Color Varieties: Small, yellow to light green
- Sun Exposure: Partial sun to partial shade
- Soil Needs: Rich, moist, acidic
14 of 15

The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

The Acoma crape myrtle is a hybrid that grows smaller than the main crape myrtle species plant at around 2 to 15 feet high with a slightly smaller spread. Thus, it can make for an excellent flowering hedge with white flowers to add visual interest.
Only minimal pruning is necessary just to clean up the lower branches. You can also pinch the tips of young plants as they grow to encourage a bushier form. In addition, it's ideal to deadhead (remove the spent flowers) to encourage further blooming.
- USDA Growing Zones: 7 to 9
- Color Varieties: White
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Needs: Well-draining
15 of 15

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Ninebark is a fast-growing flowering hedge plant that comes in several size varieties. You can form a small flowering hedge, or get one of the larger varieties that top out at around 10 feet high.
Ninebark can tolerate many different growing conditions, including clay and rocky soil along with drought. It’s best to prune out around a third of the older or damaged growth after the shrub flowers to improve air circulation and keep it vigorous.
- USDA Growing Zones: 2 to 8
- Color Varieties: Pink, white
- Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun
- Soil Needs: Loamy, clay, acidic, well-drained

19 Classy Living Privacy Fences (Plus Plant Examples)

Watch Now: Tips for Selecting the Right Shrubs

Article Sources

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Ilex aquifolium. NC State Extension.
Yew. Yale University.
Holly Berries. National Capital Poison Control Center.
The Invasive Japanese Barberry. Penn State Extension.
Deer. Missouri Botanical Garden.
Privet. PennState Extension.
Pruning Evergreens in the Landscape. University of Vermont Extension.
Canadian Hemlock. University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service.

12 Popular Evergreen Shrubs

David Beaulieu

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

Updated on 09/09/22

Reviewed by

Andrew Hughes

Reviewed by Andrew Hughes

Andrew Hughes is a certified arborist and member of the International Society of Arborists specializing in tree heal care. He founded and runs Urban Loggers, LLC, a company offering residential tree services in the Midwest and Connecticut.

Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board

Fact checked by

Elizabeth Maclennan

Fact checked by Elizabeth Maclennan

Elizabeth MacLennan is a fact checker and editor with a background in earth sciences and sustainability. Elizabeth holds an M.S. from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

fotolinchen / Getty Images

Bearing leaves or needles year-round, evergreen shrubs are the preferred bushes for gorgeous year-round yard appeal. Needle-bearing evergreen shrubs such as yews, with small, tightly spaced needles, are especially useful in hedges because they can be trimmed to precise shapes. Broadleaf evergreen shrubs with small leaves, such as boxwood, can be used in the same way, though they cry out for a good shearing that will turn them into rectangular walls. Other evergreen shrubs are striking enough to go solo and serve as specimen plants.

Here are 12 popular choices for evergreen landscape shrubs.

Tip

Before buying a landscape shrub, always check with your local extension office or a garden center expert for advice on shrubs that are invasive or prone to serious pest or disease problems in your area.

01 of 12
The Spruce / David Beaulieu
Azaleas and rhododendrons belong to the same genus, and the difference is sometimes hard to identify. While a few azaleas are evergreen, it is the rhododendron group that generally are the broadleaf evergreens, retaining leathery green-to-bronze foliage through the winter. In general, rhododendrons are larger shrubs than azaleas, and they have larger leaves. Azalea flowers typically have five stamens, while rhododendron flowers have ten.
Rhododendrons are versatile plants, often used singly as specimens, in groups for woodland gardens and shrub islands, or as foundation plants. However, they have a loose, airy growth habit that doesn't work well in hedges.
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–9 (depends on variety)
- Color Varieties: Lavender, pink, rose, red, white, coral, yellow
- Sun Exposure: Part shade
- Soil Needs: Rich, well-drained, acidic
02 of 12

The Spruce / Autumn Wood

'Emerald 'n' Gold' euonymus is a broadleaf evergreen shrub grown for its variegated leaves, which have green centers with golden margins. This is a low-growing shrub (to about two feet) that sprawls out as much as four feet. It can be a versatile ground cover for both sunny and shady areas. If given support, it will climb a low wall. Foliage turns pinkish-red in the fall, and it may drop off in the colder areas of its hardiness range. Be aware that Euonymus scale can be a significant insect problem.
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–8
- Color Varieties: Flowers are insignificant; foliage is green with golden margins
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Needs: Medium moisture, well-drained
Warning
Wintercreeper is technically an invasive species. It can take over yards in a hurry. To prevent its spread, keep the vines off fences and trees, which can be easily destroyed by its huge stems. It's not so aggressive as to avoid planting it, but it does require regular maintenance.
03 of 12

The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

The Canadian hemlock, also known as the eastern hemlock, is a coniferous evergreen with small, lacy needles. The species performs well in shady conditions. While many specimens are large, growing as tall as 75 feet and serving as landscape trees, there are also compact cultivars that function as shrubs. When kept trimmed, the shrubby types form a dense living wall, making them effective privacy screens.
Canadian hemlocks perform best in cooler climates, and south of USDA hardiness zone 6 they might struggle a bit. Before planting this species, check on the presence in your region of the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), a very small sap-sucking insect that threatens the tree in many areas. Other hemlock species might be a better choice if HWA is a severe problem in your region.
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–7
- Color Varieties: Medium-green needles
- Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shade
- Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained
04 of 12

The Spruce / David Beaulieu

Valued for its whimsical golden foliage, 'Golden Mop' (or 'Gold Mop') is a needled evergreen shrub, also known as Sawara cypress. Instead of bearing classic sharp needles, 'Golden Mop' needles are awl-shaped.
'Golden Mop' is a slow-growing, mounded shrub form of the C. pisifera species that will take ten years to reach its maximum size of five feet. It has stringy, arching, whip-like branches and is most often used in foundation plantings, in rock gardens, or as a specimen shrub in small areas.
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-8
- Color Varieties: Golden-yellow needles
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained
05 of 12

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Boxwood is a broadleaf evergreen shrub with very small leaves and a dense growth habit that makes it an outstanding plant for formal hedges. It is prized for its small, densely packed leaves, making it ideal for sculpting with a pair of garden shears or electric hedge trimmers.
These are slow-growing shrubs that rarely grow more than five feet tall, usually kept trimmed even shorter. Although generally evergreen, these shrubs do not like harsh winter winds, which can burn the foliage. In addition to being a very common low hedge plant, boxwoods can make good shrubs for foundation plantings.
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–9 (depends on variety)
- Color Varieties: Most have light- to medium-green foliage; yellow and deep-green varieties are also available.
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Needs: Evenly moist, well-drained, loamy
06 of 12

The Spruce / David Beaulieu

Blue holly is broadleaf evergreen shrub that usually grows six to ten feet tall, but occasionally can grow to 15 feet. Its older leaves develop a dark color that gives it its name. The branch stems also are dark. Hollies are dioecious, meaning that they have specific genders. The most popular blue holly cultivar is 'Blue Princess', a female clone. To produce berries, 'Blue Princess' requires the 'Blue Prince' male holly to be planted nearby, within 50 feet.
Blue holly is a versatile shrub used in borders, screens, hedges, and for foundation plantings.
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-7
- Color Varieties: Foliage is dark green with a bluish cast; insignificant white flowers in spring produce red berries if the female holly was pollinated by the appropriate male holly
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Needs: Prefers moist, well-drained, slightly acidic; good tolerance for nearly any soil
07 of 12

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

In the landscape trade, the common name arborvitae is usually applied to the various cultivars of the Thuja occidentalis species, a group of needled evergreen shrubs and trees in which the needles are arranged in flat sprays that look like fans or scales —much different than most needled evergreens. Arborvitaes are very similar to cedars, though true cedars belong to a different genus, Cedrus. The true landscape arborvitae, T. occidentalis, is sometimes called eastern white cedar, even though it is not a cedar at all.
T. occidentalis is a smallish to medium-sized tree, growing to a maximum of about 60 feet, though some cultivars are much shorter. 'Emerald Green', for example, achieves a height of only about 12 to 15 feet. 'Golden Globe' is a dwarf cultivar, topping out at only three feet. 'Pendula' is a 10-foot shrub with a weeping habit. 'Danica' is a globe-shaped arborvitae that grows only up to one foot tall.
Depending on the size and shape of the cultivar, arborvitaes can be used for a variety of landscape purposes, from foundation plantings to hedges, privacy screens to shade trees.
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 2–7; varies according to variety
- Color Varieties: Yellow-green to dark green
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Needs: Medium moisture, well-drained; good tolerance for poor soils
08 of 12

The Spruce / K. Dave

Mountain laurel is a broadleaf evergreen shrub that grows to about 15 feet tall and produces profuse clusters of pink or pinkish-white flowers in spring. It has a gnarled, multi-stemmed growth habit and elliptical, leathery leaves, similar to rhododendrons. Mature plants will sometimes have the appearance of small trees with gnarly trunks.
Mountain laurel is usually planted in masses around foundations, for screens, or in shrub islands.
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–9
- Color Varieties: Blooms are pink to white with dark purple markings
- Sun Exposure: Partial shade
- Soil Needs: Rich, moist, well-drained, slightly acidic
Warning
Be aware that all parts of the mountain laurel plant are toxic.
09 of 12

The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

Taxus is a very large genus of needled evergreens, many of which are suitable for use as landscape shrubs for various uses. Cultivars commonly grown for landscape fall into species including Taxus baccata, T. canadensis, T. cuspidata, and Taxus × media. Yews can be distinguished from other needled evergreens by the shape and feel of the needles, which are flattish and feel soft to the touch rather than prickly like most needled evergreens. The foliage color is generally very dark green, sometimes bordering on black.
The tolerance the yew has for shade and the ease with which it can be shaped into a hedge makes it a versatile plant. It is commonly used for foundation plantings.
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-8, depending on the variety
- Color Varieties: Dark green needles; some have red berries
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil Needs: Moist, well-draining, loamy
Warning
Be aware that yew, while a wonderful landscape plant in most ways, is generally included in all official listings of toxic plants and nearly all components are toxic.
10 of 12
The Spruce / David Beaulieu
Depending on the USDA hardiness zone, a Daphne shrub can be deciduous, semi-evergreen, or fully evergreen. One of the most popular cultivars is 'Carol Mackie', a small rounded shrub that grows only three to four feet tall and produces pale pink flowers in spring. The leaves are grayish-green with cream-colored margins. While 'Carol Mackie' is hardy to USDA zone 4, it is likely to lose its leaves and possibly suffer some winter damage when grown in USDA zones 4 or 5. In USDA zones 6 to 8, it is more reliably evergreen.
This shrub can be finicky, sometimes dying for no apparent cause. It is a beautiful choice for shrub borders, screens, or as a foundation plant. The flowers are especially fragrant, so many people like to plant it close to walkways, entrances, and outdoor living spaces such as patios.
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–8
- Color Varieties: Medium-green foliage with creamy margins
- Sun Exposure: Partial shade
- Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained
11 of 12

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Of the many juniper species, those known as creeping junipers are generally cultivars of the aptly named Juniperis horizontalis species. These shrubs remain under 18 inches in height, with a spread as much as 10 feet. The foliage consists of prickly, scaly needles that are blue-green in color, sometimes turning purplish in winter. Some varieties produce cones that look like dark blue berries.
Creeping juniper is generally used as a sprawling ground cover, often in foundation plantings, in rock gardens, or on hillsides. The plants are usually trouble-free, but are sometimes subject to fungal problems or root rot in very wet conditions.
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–9
- Color Varieties: Bluish-green foliage
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Needs: Medium moisture, well-drained; does not like wet soil
12 of 12

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

'Blue Star' juniper is another needled evergreen with silvery-blue foliage and a low growth habit, but it is more self-contained than creeping juniper. This slow-growing plant is a dwarf, forming a compact mound that reaches just one to three feet in height at maturity, with a similar spread. The foliage is the familiar silver-blue color common to junipers, prickly and scaly in texture. The seed cones are blackish berries.
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–8
- Color Varieties: Silvery blue-green foliage; cones are blackish berries
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Needs: Medium moisture, well-drained; does not tolerate wet, dense soils

There are many, many more evergreen shrub cultivars other than the 12 listed here. But a great many will be close cousins of these very popular varieties.

25 Recommended Flowering Bushes for Your Landscape

Article Sources

Kalmia latifolia. North Carolina State University Extension.
Toxicity of Yew Wood and Roots. PennState Extension.

Top 15 best hedge plants

💣💣💣 BLACK FRIDAY IN GARSHINKA !

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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:

Lush, elegant blooms.
Handles shearing well.
Able to take various forms.
By combining varieties with different flowering times, you can create a continuously flowering hedge.
A wide range of varieties with different colors of inflorescences.
Undemanding to soils

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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Fast growing hedge shrubs: hardy varieties

Plants on the site can serve not only as a decorative component, but also are able to perform certain functions. Cover unsightly outbuildings, strengthen the soil or divide the territory, for example. Today we will talk about deciduous shrubs that are suitable for forming hedges. A country house hedge is a densely planted chain of plants for decoration and division of space into certain zones, to replace the traditional fence, and protect the territory from prying eyes or even protect the garden from wild animals.

Regardless of the purpose of the hedge, it is a very beautiful ornament that can transform any landscape.

Hedge Benefits:

As we said above, a hedge is able to divide the site into certain zones. So, for example, with its help, you can separate the central areas from the adjacent area. Or a vegetable garden area from an orchard.
A living wall can easily replace the fence we are used to. If you decide to delimit the territory with a non-traditional stationary fence, densely planted crops will hide your garden from prying eyes with ease.
If your site is already fenced, but the fence is unattractive, or maybe just old, then hedges will also come to the rescue, which will create a picturesque background.
The same rule applies inside the garden. By planting a dense hedge along the buildings, you can hide unattractive walls and give the overall landscape neatness.
By choosing deciduous crops with thorns (for example, from hawthorn) for the construction of a living wall, you can not only decorate the garden, but also protect it from uninvited guests - wild animals.
Dense growth of deciduous shrubs planted in a row will perfectly protect the site from the scorching sun, strong drafts
If recreation areas are distributed on your site, a hedge can make these corners not only cozy, but also add coolness and shade on especially hot days. A great place to hide from the hustle and bustle while reading your favorite book!
Of course, planted plants make the garden more presentable, add colors to it and make the air much cleaner.
If you choose lush flowering plants for hedges, they will become excellent honey plants and will attract beneficial insects to your garden.
Strengthening the soil. So that water erosion does not harm the soil cover, it is necessary to think about strengthening it. A sod slope is one of the mandatory elements in the case of a predominance of a non-uniform relief. Dense plantings of shrubs will come to the rescue in such a situation.

Having analyzed the main functions of a hedge, let's proceed to the selection of plants. Since our goal is a thick, as if revived wall, performing the tasks of zoning, protecting and hiding the garden from prying eyes, the plants must be selected at a certain height: from one and a half meters. The second criterion for choosing seedlings is that they should be fast-growing shrubs for hedges, so that in a couple of years they will create a dense, lush barrier.

Conditionally hedges are usually divided into 2 types: homogeneous and mixed. The former are created from one type of plant (a bright and dense living wall of barberry, for example), and in mixed ones several species alternate (for example, thuja, hydrangea, thuja, hydrangea, and so on).

Popular deciduous shrubs for uniform hedges:

Vesicle

A very interesting shrub that looks impressive in ordinary plantings. It is valued for its decorative leaves with carved edges, juicy color, unpretentious care and good ability to tolerate haircuts. Depending on the variety, can be created as a single color hedge, for example using a variety with red foliage "Diabolo" (Diablo), and diversify the wall with a golden representative - the bubble "Dart`s Gold" (Darts Gold). A juicy, bright hedge year after year will enchant with its decorative effect with minimal labor to care for it.

Deren

Bright, attractive and shade-tolerant woody shrub - soren. All kinds of leaf colors will allow you to easily find a variety that is attractive to you: green with a white border, dark red, golden and others. Deren perfectly tolerates any vagaries of nature, grows quickly and has a dense, dense crown. Depending on the tasks, you can create a hedge in a free-growing form, or give the turf any shape - it safely tolerates shaping haircuts.

Cotoneaster

Asking the question: “What to make a hedge from?”, Turn your attention to the cotoneaster. Spectacular representative of deciduous shrubs, changing its foliage during the season. In summer it is juicy green, and by autumn it acquires crimson hues. By the end of summer, colorful black fruits will decorate the hedge. The cotoneaster is distinguished by its unpretentiousness to growing conditions, tolerates pruning perfectly, pleases for many years with its neat, dense crown. Great option for a living wall!

Grefsheim gray spirea

Charming flowering spirea that will not leave anyone indifferent. Thin sprawling shoots, rounded openwork crown, incredibly abundant flowering, juicy green foliage. By planting a spirea in a hedge, you will effortlessly create a dense, very beautiful wall, which every year will delight, covered with snow-white flowers and exuding a magnificent aroma. Spirea is not only very beautiful, but does not require additional attention at all: it is frost-resistant, puts up with light shading, does not require frequent watering and is good for haircuts.

Hawthorn

As we said above, hawthorn is very often used specifically to protect the site from unwanted wild animals. Its spines and crown create a dense veil from strangers. And due to the average density, the hawthorn lets in enough air so that the area is sufficiently ventilated. Depending on the species and variety, hawthorn can grow up to 6 meters in height, but some representatives do not grow more than 3. Since the hawthorn has a beautiful rounded crown, it will decorate your garden even without additional haircuts.

Hydrangea

When choosing which shrub to make a hedge, take into account the magnificent hydrangea. She is able to become not only a first-class tapeworm in your garden, but also in a hedge will enchant everyone around. Dense foliage carved along the edge, neat beautiful crown and, of course, large conspicuous inflorescences densely covering each seedling. A living wall of hydrangea throughout the season will delight you with its decorative effect: in spring and autumn with juicy greenery, and in summer with incomparable flowering and aroma.

Snowberry

Another great option for creating dense, interesting hedges is the snowberry, familiar from childhood. A dense deciduous shrub with unusual bluish-green foliage and unique fruits - white or pink balls densely covering each shoot, which children so love to "slap" their feet. It is characterized by high frost resistance, unpretentiousness to the composition of the soil, watering and does not require much care.

Barberry

A favorite and often used by landscape designers to create hedges is the barberry. Its juicy neat leaves (depending on the variety and season, almost all the colors of the rainbow) form an openwork dense crown and bring color even to the most monotonous landscape. Excellent frost resistance and tolerability of haircuts make it possible to grow it in any garden. Thanks to the variety of species and varieties, every gardener will be able to choose any type of hedge: noble red, bright green, multi-colored with a frame, even and neat from shrubs with upright branches or lush thanks to spreading shoots. A variety of flowering, no less attractive fruits and foliage with a changeable color contribute to the fact that the barberry changes its appearance during the season without losing its decorative effect.

Mock orange

The mock orange looks picturesque in a hedge (many used to call it jasmine). Juicy green leaves, sprawling attractive shape, thin graceful shoots, simple or double snow-white inflorescences and, of course, an incomparable aroma. A hedge in a dacha made of mock orange is not only a unique decoration, but also a planting that is completely unpretentious in care, capable of delighting you and your neighbors for many years.

Irga

If you want to plant in your garden not only an attractive, but also useful plant in its own way, then you should stop your attention on the irga. Thanks to unusual leaves that are able to change the color of foliage from month to month (from silver-green to various crimson hues), a hedge of shadberry will be attractive at any time, adding variety to the landscape. It is beautiful in an ordinary planting and, in addition, every year pleases its owners with delicious fruits. And in the spring, the irga is covered with snow-white inflorescences, shading the juicy foliage. Suitable for planting in partial shade.

When choosing plants for a hedge, pay attention to the size of the crown of shrubs in adulthood: many of the above plants, depending on the type and variety, can create both medium (from 1.5 meters) and high walls (4-5 meters). The main thing is to choose what your garden needs and will meet the tasks.

Mixed hedges on site

Recently, mixed hedges, formed from various hardwood or coniferous species, have gained immense popularity. Such heterogeneous walls look quite impressive and, at least, unusual: they allow you to experiment with shape, color and texture, bringing zest to the landscape.

Creating a mixed hedge is not difficult: you simply plant different types of plants in a certain order. So, for example, a living wall made of arborvitae, alternating in equal intervals with colorful turf, looks spectacular. Or in an equal step blooming hydrangea with dark barberry.

Or by choosing shrubs with interesting foliage: alternate a plain dark barberry with a bright bordered turf. One of the main rules when creating mixed hedges is not to overdo it with color. Be sure to choose both monophonic species and varieties of plants, as well as bright ones, interesting for their flowering, foliage color or shrub shape. So, for example, standard forms look very interesting framed by the classical crown of neighboring plants.

The choice of plants in mixed hedges should be based on your preferences. From the above plants, you can easily build unique living walls. You can also see the types and design options for hedges in our article. "Undemanding Hedge Plants".

No matter what kind of hedge becomes the decoration of your garden, it will easily ennoble its appearance by adding elements of logic and completeness. You can buy shrubs for hedges right now on our website or come to the garden center and personally choose the types and varieties of plants from our variety on the marketplace.