Looking for a way to add year-round beauty and seclusion to your yard? You’re in the right place. Choosing the right evergreen shrubs for hedges is the perfect solution for creating living privacy screens that work in every season.
A good hedge does more than just block a view. It buffers wind, reduces noise, and provides a lush, green backdrop for your entire garden. Because they keep their leaves or needles all year, evergreen shrubs ensure your privacy never fades, even in the depths of winter.
Evergreen Shrubs For Hedges
Not all evergreens are created equal for hedging. The best choices combine dense growth, good response to pruning, and reliability in your climate. Here are some top performers, each with its own strengths.
Classic Formal Hedge Choices
These shrubs have small leaves and tight growth, making them ideal for crisp, manicured hedges.
* Boxwood (Buxus): The quintessential formal hedge plant. It grows slowly, which means less frequent trimming. Its small, dense leaves can be shaped precisely. Look for disease-resistant varieties like ‘Green Velvet’ or ‘Winter Gem’.
* Yew (Taxus): A incredibly tolerant and long-lived option. Yew thrives in sun or shade and handles severe pruning well. It’s a great choice for a tall, imposing screen. Note that its berries are toxic if ingested.
* Holly (Ilex): For a hedge with extra interest, holly is fantastic. Many varieties, like ‘Nellie R. Stevens’, have beautiful berries and glossy, spiny leaves that deter intruders. Most need both male and female plants for berry production.
Fast-Growing Privacy Screens
If you need height and coverage quickly, these vigorous growers will get the job done.
* Arborvitae (Thuja): Often called the ‘workhorse’ of privacy hedges. Varieties like ‘Green Giant’ grow very fast, are generally deer-resistant, and form a thick, columnar wall with minimal effort. They prefer full sun.
* Leyland Cypress (x Cuprocyparis leylandii): Famously fast-growing, it can soar several feet per year. It’s best for large properties where it has room to grow tall and wide without crowding structures. It can be prone to disease in wet, humid areas.
* Privet (Ligustrum): While some are deciduous, evergreen privet varieties grow quickly and are very adaptable. They tolerate heavy pruning, making them suitable for both formal and informal hedges.
Flowering & Fragrant Evergreens
Why not have privacy and a beautiful show? These shrubs add seasonal color and scent.
* Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus): Features large, glossy leaves, fast growth, and showy white flower spikes in spring. It’s very robust and can handle deep shade where other shrubs struggle.
* Fragrant Tea Olive (Osmanthus fragrans): This is a secret weapon for gardens. It produces small, incredibly fragrant flowers repeatedly throughout the year, especially in fall. The hedge itself is dense with dark green foliage.
* Viburnum (Viburnum tinus or V. odoratissimum): Many viburnums are evergreen and offer clusters of pink or white flowers, often followed by berries. They provide a more informal, textured look for a hedge.
Drought-Tolerant & Low-Maintenance Options
For sunny, dry climates or gardeners who prefer to water less, consider these tough plants.
* Juniper (Juniperus): Available in many shapes and sizes, from low spreaders to upright columns. They are extremely hardy, need little water once established, and their foliage can range from green to silvery-blue.
* Escallonia: A fantastic coastal plant that handles wind and salt spray beautifully. It produces red, pink, or white flowers over a long period and has glossy leaves. It prefers well-drained soil.
* Oleander (Nerium oleander): A classic in warm climates (Zones 8-10). It grows quickly, flowers profusely all summer, and is very drought-tolerant. Important: All parts of the plant are highly toxic if ingested.
How to Plant Your Hedge for Success
Doing this right from the start ensures a healthy, thick screen for years to come. Follow these steps.
1. Test Your Soil. A simple test can tell you your soil’s pH and nutrient levels. Most evergreens prefer slightly acidic, well-drained soil.
2. Plan Your Spacing. This is critical. Check the plant’s mature width and space them about half to two-thirds of that distance apart. For example, shrubs that grow 6 feet wide should be planted 3-4 feet apart.
3. Prepare the Planting Site. Dig a trench that’s twice as wide as the root balls. Loosen the soil at the bottom. Don’t dig too deep – you want the top of the root ball level with the ground.
4. Plant and Water. Place your shrubs in the trench, backfill with the native soil (amended with a little compost), and water deeply to settle the roots. Apply a 2-3 inch layer of mulch around the base to retain moisture.
Pruning and Maintaining Your Hedge
Proper pruning keeps your hedge dense and healthy. The golden rule is to prune so the base is wider than the top. This allows sunlight to reach the lower branches, preventing them from becoming thin and bare.
* When to Prune: The best time is in late winter or early spring, just before new growth starts. You can do a lighter trim in mid-summer to tidy up.
* The Right Tools: Use sharp, clean tools. Hand shears give the cleanest cut for fine-leaved shrubs. For larger hedges, electric or gas hedge trimmers save time.
* Feeding: Feed your hedge in early spring with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer formulated for evergreens. Avoid fertilizing late in the season, as this can promote tender new growth that may get winter damage.
Common Problems and Solutions
Even the best hedges can face issues. Here’s how to spot and adress them.
* Brown Patches: This can be from winter burn, drought, pest damage, or disease. Identify the cause before treating. Ensure adequate watering going into winter and prune out dead branches.
* Sparse Growth at the Bottom: Usually caused by shading from a too-narrow top. You can gradually reshape the hedge over a few seasons to a tapered form. In some cases, it may be to late to correct on older plants.
* Pests: Keep an eye out for spider mites, scale, or bagworms. A strong blast of water from a hose can dislodge many pests. For severe infestations, use an appropriate horticultural oil or insecticidal soap.
FAQ: Your Hedge Questions Answered
What is the fastest growing evergreen for a privacy screen?
Leyland Cypress and ‘Green Giant’ Arborvitae are among the fastest, often growing 3 feet or more per year in ideal conditions.
What are the best low-maintenance evergreen shrubs for hedging?
Junipers and many types of holly are very tough once established, requiring minimal care beyond occasional pruning.
Can I plant an evergreen hedge in the shade?
Yes! Cherry Laurel and Yew are excellent choices for partial to full shade areas. They will thrive where sun-loving plants would struggle.
How tall do evergreen hedge plants grow?
It varies widely. Dwarf boxwood may stay under 3 feet, while Leyland Cypress can exceed 40 feet if left unpruned. Always choose a variety whose mature height fits your space.
When is the best time to plant evergreen hedging shrubs?
Early fall is ideal, giving roots time to establish before summer heat. Early spring is also a very good time for planting.
Choosing and growing the perfect evergreen hedge is a rewarding project. It provides structure, sanctuary, and beauty to your landscape for decades. With the right plant selection and a little care, you’ll soon enjoy a private, peaceful green haven right in your own backyard.