Advice
RHS Help & Advice
Hedge plant selection
Purpose
Hedges are usually planted to define property boundaries, but also to provide privacy from neighbours and passers-by, or shelter from prevailing winds. They can achieve a formal appearance, such as yew of box, or may be chosen for their colourful foliage or flowers.
Styles of hedge
Formal hedges are usually composed of evergreen species, such as Taxus baccata (yew), Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (Lawson cypress) and especially the much-maligned x Cupressocyparis leylandii (Leyland cypress). All need frequent and careful pruning if they are to be kept tidy.
To reduce effort, and for a softer effect, consider informal hedges. These take up more space as they need minimal pruning: avoid removing flowers or fruit, but extract dead and diseased wood to encourage new growth that will gradually replace old stems. Good plants for informal hedges include Berberis and roses such as Rosa rugosa, although almost any shrub can be used.
Making your selection
Before choosing a hedge:
- Identify any specific requirements, such as height to be achieved and maintained.
- Take into account the soil type and situation (for example, if the site is very exposed choice may be limited).
- Check which hedges grow well locally in similar situations and soil conditions.
- Consider the amount of annual maintenance it will need; once established, the timing and frequency of pruning depends on the species and the general effect required.
The kinds of hedge most frequently seen are of plants raised
by nurserymen in quantity specifically for hedge planting
and are often at the cheaper end of the price range. Here
are some selections:
s = maintain at 30-90cm (1-3ft)
m = maintain at 90-120cm (3-4ft)
m/l = maintain at 90-180cm (3-6ft) or as taller hedges/screens
l = can be maintained at over 180cm (6ft)
Evergreen hedges
Evergreen hedges provide shelter and privacy all year round; good non-coniferous evergreen hedging plants include:
Aucuba japonica ‘Crotonifolia’ (spotted laurel) m-l, with glossy, spotted foliage
Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’ m-l, best in mild districts, producing brilliant red shoots
Prunus lusitanica (Portugal laurel) m-l.
The above are usually pruned once or twice a year in early spring and/or late summer. Prune large-leaved evergreens with secateurs rather than shears or trimmers to avoid foliage damage.
Conifers can make fine hedges but must be pruned at least twice a year. Once out of hand they cannot be restored and have to be replaced:
Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (Lawson cypress) (especially cultivars ‘Green Hedger’, ‘Stewartii’) m-l
x Cupressocyparis leylandii (Leyland cypress) l, this is particularly quick to grow and must be planted and maintained with care
Cupressus macrocarpa (milder coastal areas only) m-l
Thuja plicata ‘Atrovirens’ (western red cedar) m-l
Taxus baccata (yew) m-l, this grows less quickly. Overgrown yew hedges can often be restored by hard pruning in late winter.
Deciduous hedges
Deciduous hedges filter wind in winter avoiding the damaging turbulence associated with dense evergreen hedges. Good examples include:
Carpinus betulus (hornbeam) m-l
Fagus sylvatica (beech) m-l.
Both can be kept as a formal hedge and provide screening in winter as they retain brown leaves until spring. Pruning in late summer keeps these in check, and they are a safe choice if hard pruning is needed to restore overgrown examples.
For more informal hedging, native hedgerow species will help attract wildlife, providing shelter and food. Good examples are: Acer campestre (field maple); Corylus avellana (hazel); Crataegus monogyna (hawthorn); Euonymus europaeus (spindle); Prunus spinosa (blackthorn).
Hedges for special sites
Thorny hedges for security include: Berberis m, Hippophae (sea buckthorn) m-l, Ilex aquifolium (holly) m-l or Pyracantha (firethorn) m-l.
Good hedging plants for shade include: Buxus (box) s-l, Aucuba japonica (spotted laurel) m-l and Symphoricarpos (snowberry) m-l.
Hedges for heavy clay can be composed of: Berberis s-l, Cotoneaster m-l, Escallonia m-l, Euonymus japonicus m-l, Ilex l, Osmanthus delavayi m-l, Potentilla fruticosa ‘Jackman’s Variety’ s, Prunus laurocerasus l, Prunus lusitanica m-l, Ribes sanguineum m-l, Spiraea s and Viburnum m-l.
For chalky or limestone soils consider: Lonicera nitida (evergreen honeysuckle) m, Berberis darwinii m, Viburnum opulus (guelder rose) s-m, Olearia x haastii (daisy bush) s-m and Chaenomeles japonica (Japanese quince) s-m.
For wet soils, try: Alnus cordata (Italian alder) l, Rhododendron luteum (on acid soil) l, Salix (willow) m-l and Thuja plicata ‘Atrovirens’ m-l.
Seaside gardens need protection from salt-laden breezes. Hedges that thrive here include Tamarix (tamarisk) m-l, Elaeagnus x ebbingei m-l, Griselinia littoralis m-l, Fuchsia ‘Riccartonii’ m-l (milder areas only); Rosa rugosa m-l; Hippophae rhamnoides (sea buckthorn) m-l;or Escallonia ‘Donard Seedling’ m-l.
Very hardy - for cold, exposed inland situations - include: holly, Portugese laurel, yew, beech, hawthorn and hornbeam.
Where a hedge is intended to be a feature, instead of neutral backdrop, use variegated plants such as Viburnum tinus ‘Variegatum’ s-m, Elaeagnus pungens ‘Maculata’ m or ones with coloured foliage such as yellow Choisya ternata ‘Sundance’ AGM s-m or golden-leaved Ligustrum ovalifolium ‘Aureum’ AGM (golden privet) m-l.
For low-growing hedges, choose dwarf box, Buxus sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’ AGM, Berberis buxifolia 'Pygmaea', B. x stenophylla 'Corallina Compacta' AGM, Euonymus fortunei cultivars, E. japonicus microphyllus, Ilex crenata, Lavandula angustifolia cultivars and Rosmarinus officinalis.
For very sunny sites choose a low-growing silver-leaved shrub such as Lavandula angustifolia (lavender), Santolina chamaecyparissus AGM (cotton bush) or Myrtus communis AGM (myrtle), which will provide an aromatic hedge to any path or border.
Small gardens require thin hedges of plants that can, with careful clipping, be kept narrow: Berberis verruculosa AGM s-m, Buxus sempervirens ‘Handsworthiensis’ s-m, Cotoneaster simonsii AGM m-l, Lonicera nitida ‘Fertilis’ s-m, Osmanthus delavayi AGM m-l and Taxus baccata AGM m-l.
Adventurous gardeners can make a hedge of almost any woody plant. Amelanchier canadensis m-l and Cotinus coggygria AGM m-l are also worth considering.
Further information
Search for suppliers of hedging plants in your area with the online RHS Plant Finder.
Hedges and Screens, A Wisely Handbook, Pollock, M. 1994, Cassell, London. ISBN 0-304-32036-6
Garden Hedges: Conservation & Environment Guideline Leaflet