HEDGING AND SCREENING PLANTS

Hedges are a great way of defining areas of different functionality in the garden, as well as performing valuable functions such as creating privacy and protection from wind, salt and other harsh conditions. A few things to consider when deciding on a species to use are;

Position

Some species are much better suited to particular sites than others, whether it be that they are shade-tolerant, don't mind a bit of salt spray, or are hardy to frequent strong winds. Choosing the right plant for the right spot will result in a healthier hedge that is much less prone to pest and disease attack.

Size

This may seem like an obvious one, but often species that grow too tall are used with the intention of creating a smaller hedge. This is fine if you don't mind pruning constantly, but it makes sense to use an appropriately sized species which will be healthier and will result in less maintenance for you.

Growth rate

Everyone seems to want an instant hedge, but beware the constant pruning! There is a definite advantage in choosing fast-growing species but this also means higher maintenance in the long run. If you're not keen on pruning often then choose a slower growing species. Having said this, pruning hedging plants regularly when young is important regardless of growth rate, as this will result in a denser, healthier-looking hedge.

Below are listed our top picks for hedging and screening plants. There are many other great hedging plants available - come in and see us for more ideas.

Small-leaf Lilly Pilly

The small-leaf lilly pilly, or Acmena smithii var. minor, makes an excellent screening or hedging plant for difficult sites as it will grow in a wide variety of conditions including full sun, part shade, sandy and clay soils and protected seaside gardens. It will also tolerate light frosts. It is a large, upright shrub with coppery new growth ageing to green. This variety is not susceptible to the pimple psyllid that attacks older varieties of lilly pillies and damages their new growth. Small-leaf lilly pilly will grow up to about 5m in height but can be maintained as a hedge at around 1-2m or higher. It is very fast growing and an all-round excellent hedging plant.

The larger hedge in the image is the Small-leaf Lilly Pilly, the smaller bordering hedge is Dwarf Japanese Box.

Syzygium australe 'Resilience' Lilly Pilly

A newer variety of Syzygium that has beautiful bronze new leaves aging to glossy green that are resistant to the unsightly damage caused by the pimple psyllid so common among older varieties. It will grow to about 3-4m in height and forms a nice dense hedge from the ground up, with a slightly weeping habit. 'Resilience' will grow in full sun or part shade, and prefers fertile, well-drained soils. It bears white flowers in spring/summer, followed by pink-red edible berries. Is tolerant of the occasional light frost.

Photinia 'Robusta' and 'Red Robin'

A fantastic medium-sized hedge for most situations, Photinia is frost-tolerant and wind-tolerant, and has eye-catching red new growth which ages to dark green. It will tolerate part shade as well as full sun, and will reach 3-4m in height if left untrimmed. Very fast-growing.

Murraya paniculata

A hugely popular hedging plant, one of our best selling. Murraya, or Orange Jessamine as it is commonly called, will tolerate almost full shade as well as full sun. It grows to about 3m depending on pruning, and will tolerate most soil types but prefers a well-drained soil rich in organic matter, and will benefit from an occasional feed with a quality fertiliser. The leaves are a glossy green colour,  and clusters of fragrant white flowers are an added attraction. Main flowering is in summer, with spot flowering throughout the rest of the year. Murraya is fast-growing and better suited for medium to large-sized hedges as it will eventually reach about 3m in height, depending on growing conditions.

Pittosporum tenuifolium

There are many different varieties of this species, all of which are fast-growing. Under the right conditions it can reach about 3m in height in 5 years. Frost tolerance is an added bonus. 'Tasman Ruffles' has jade green leaves with ruffled edges and  'Screen Between' is a naturally compact variety that has silvery green leaves. 'Green Pillar' and 'Silver Sheen' are other popular varieties. All have small leaves and therefore make excellent clipped hedges but need well-drained soil as they are susceptible to Phytopthora cinnamomi, a root rot pathogen, if waterlogged for any period of time.

Box Hedge

Box hedge, or Buxus spp., make excellent hedges for a more formal garden and are great for shady or sunny positions. They are relatively slow growing and so require trimming much less often than fast growing hedges. English Box has dark green leaves and is great for smaller hedges and topiary and performs quite well in cooler climates, while Japanese Box is faster growing, has light green leaves and grows to about 2m in height, making an excellent formal hedge. Dwarf Japanese Box will grow to about 50cm and has smaller leaves and a more compact habit than the species, making it perfect for low borders.

Viburnum tinus

An oldie but a goody, this viburnum, also called Laurestinus, has dark green medium-sized leaves and pretty clusters of small white flowers in winter. It is low-maintenance and very hardy, and will grow in full sun or part shade. If too shady though it becomes susceptible to attacks by red spider mite, but otherwise it is problem-free. Drought and frost-resistant, it will grow to about 3m high by 2m wide.

Indian Hawthorn

This great-looking plant has dark-green leathery leaves and is cold-tolerant, drought-tolerant and front line salt-tolerant. It is covered in clusters of white or pink flowers come springtime, and there are many different varieties to choose from depending on your size requirements. Raphiolepis spp. suit a wide variety of garden types, from cottage to tropical to modern sculptural.

Gardenia 'Florida'

This particular Gardenia is the best for hedging as its leaves are smaller than those of Gardenia 'Magnifica'. It sports beautiful white, scented flowers over most of the year, making it perfect for planting beneath windows or near the front door. Surprisingly hardy, all that gardenias need to thrive and look their best is an occasional feed with a complete fertiliser. Great for small to medium-sized hedges, and will tolerate a wide variety of conditions, including protected coastal and even light frosts.

Coast Rosemary

Coast Rosemary, or Westringia, is a very hardy plant that prefers a sunny, well-drained position. It is used more as an informal screen rather than a clipped hedge and is very useful in coastal gardens as it will tolerate front line salt and windy sites. It is a medium-sized shrub with small grey-green leaves, with cultivars ranging in size from 0.8m to 1.5-2m in height, and with pink, purple or white flowers.