The top 5 plants for creating a hedge (2024)

Hedges not only look stately, they’re also the best way to add privacy to your garden. They serve as natural barriers, offering privacy and security around homes, while also acting as effective windbreaks against the diverse climates Australia is known for. These living barriers contribute to noise reduction, making them particularly valuable in areas near busy roads.

Beyond their practicality, hedging plants add an aesthetic dimension to properties, providing structure, color, and texture to gardens. Native species such as Lilly Pilly can even attract local wildlife, enhancing biodiversity.

Of course not all hedge plants were created equal, so it’s wise to spend some time choosing the best species your project. Consider the height you want, what suits your climate, growth rate, and attributes such as flowers, fruit, density, foliage colour and hardiness.

WHAT IS THE QUICKEST GROWING HEDGE PLANT?

The quickest growing hedge plant in Australia can vary depending on factors such as location, climate, soil type, and care provided. However, some popular fast-growing hedge plants in Australia include:

• Lilly Pilly (Syzygium spp.)

• Viburnum (Viburnum spp.)

• Bamboo

SHOP THE BEST HEDGING TOOLS

To help you, horticulturalist Helen Young shares which species she considers to be the best plants for hedges and borders in Australia.

1. Japanese box

Box is the classic formal hedge plant and for most parts of Australia, Japanese box is the best variety. It has glossy, green foliage with lime-green new growth and a moderate growth rate. In cold areas, use English box (Buxus sempervirens), which is darker, matt green and slower growing. Use box for short hedges up to 1m tall or in parterre designs. ‘Faulkner’ is an excellent compact variety of Japanese box. Plant three or four per metre.

2. Sasanqua camellia

Autumn-flowering sasanqua camellias have plenty to offer. The large, abundant blooms are available in every shade of pink, plus white and red, set against lustrous dark green foliage. Their naturally upright growth makes them ideal for hedges from 1.5m to 5m tall; use a dwarf variety for small hedges. They’re not a fast growing hedge, but are low maintenance as a result. They like rich, slightly acidic soil and sun to part shade.

3. Sweet viburnum

Sweet viburnum is much loved for its lush, large, bright-green leaves and super-speedy growth. But be warned, you’ll need to clip it constantly in summer to keep it neat. A vigorous grower, it’s best for 3-4m tall hedges. Look for the more compact form ‘Dense Fence’ or try Viburnum suspensum, which is a smaller variety.

HOW TO PLANT AND CARE FOR A HEDGE

• Allow one plant per metre on average (closer for a low hedge or if using small plants) and plant in a trench rather than individual holes. Compensate for close planting with extra water and fertiliser.

• Tip prune little and often, right from the start, for a bushy, dense hedge. Prune both tops and sides.

• A good height for hedges is the height you can reach to prune without needing a ladder.

4. Cascade lilly pilly

There are dozens of different lilly pillies but many are prone to pest problems. My pick is ‘Cascade’, not just for its robust performance and fast growth, but for its fat, pink powderpuff flowers in summer, its flushes of pink to crimson new growth and its masses of crimson berry fruit, which is suitable for jams and jellies. It has a gently weeping style of growing – lovely for an informal hedge or shaped into a topiary ball – and reaches about 3m tall in sun or part shade.

5. Murraya

Sometimes called orange jessamine, murraya has become one of our most popular hedges for all the right reasons. The glossy green leaves are small and dense, with perfumed white flowers as a bonus. Murraya grows quickly, in sun or part shade and in most soils, and resists most pests and diseases. Old hedges can be rejuvenated by hard pruning if needed. It’s suitable for hedges from 1.5 to 4m tall.

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