A living hedge beats a fence for privacy in most situations — it improves with age, provides habitat for wildlife, absorbs noise and wind, and can be one of the most beautiful features in any garden. The key is choosing the right species for your soil, aspect and intended height.
Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges
If you need privacy quickly, these species establish fast and provide dense screening within two to three seasons of planting.
- Griselinia littoralis — evergreen, fast, tolerates coastal exposure
- Photinia x fraseri 'Red Robin' — evergreen, red new growth, dense
- Laurustinus (Viburnum tinus) — evergreen, winter flowers, moderate speed
- Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) — retains leaves in winter, faster than beech
- Privet (Ligustrum) — fastest option, semi-evergreen, needs regular trimming
Long-Term Formal Hedges
For a permanent, high-quality formal hedge, yew (Taxus baccata) is the finest choice in virtually any Hampshire garden. It is slow-growing but requires only one cut per year, lasts indefinitely and provides superb dense screening once established at 1.5–2 metres.
Planting and Establishment
Bare-root hedging planted between November and March establishes faster and costs significantly less than pot-grown specimens. Space at 3–5 plants per metre depending on species. Water well in the first growing season and apply a granular fertiliser each spring for the first three years.
A&T Landscapes plants and establishes hedges of all species across Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire. Call 07735 916029 for hedge planting advice.