Hedge types: Find the right hedge for your garden

Overview: hedge types

• Hedges are a particular way of positioning woody plants so that they are dense and block the view from outside.
  
• There are many hedge types that will suit your garden, based on your needs and growing site.
• Evergreen hedges are covered in leaves all year round, though winter-green and semi-evergreen hedges could also be a great choice.
• Privacy-screening hedges grow densely enough that you cannot see through them.
• Fast-growing hedges can grow over half a metre per year, making them quick and cost-effective options.
• Bee-friendly hedges offer these hard-working insects a reliable source of food.

There are many hedge types available

Before we take a look at hedge types, let’s add a brief definition. When we refer to hedges we do not mean any particular species of plant, but a way of arranging woody plants in one or multiple rows. The term hedge is not a botanical term – it comes from landscaping and colloquial usage. So a hedge is a way of planting and maintaining plants.

When we say “hedge”, we mean woody plants that are standing together, and which may consist of both shrubs and trees. In other words, many plants could be defined as types of hedge, and that’s exactly what makes this subject so broad.

What hedge is right for your garden? This depends entirely on the size of your garden, and your needs. This overview will help you choose the right hedge.

But a hedge is not just a win for garden owners: it can also be an important safe haven or even habitat for insects and birds. Flowering hedges offer a welcome basic food source for bumblebees and other bee species. This means that the right hedge type can be a great complement to a bee-friendly garden.

Anyone who wants to simultaneously make use of the properties of different hedge types can do so by mixing plants. For example, you could use hedge types that are particularly suitable for birds and insects, or those with properties that keep intruders at bay. As is often the case in garden design, there should be no limit your imagination.

Evergreen hedges: All-rounders for the whole year

When we refer to evergreen hedges, we mean shrubs and trees that have leaves and are green throughout the whole year. Depending on the environment and weather conditions, semi-evergreen and winter-green hedge types may also be considered. There is some fluid crossover in this area, and ultimately choosing the right hedge type is dependent on your needs. Should the hedge offer privacy screening throughout the year, or would shorter leaf-free periods be possible? This is how to decide which hedge types should be chosen over others.

Distinctions between winter-green, semi-evergreen, and evergreen hedge types

Advantages and benefits of evergreen hedge types

Evergreen hedges are pretty robust, easy-maintenance woody plants. That classic choice, arborvitae (thuja) for example, only needs two maintenance cuts per year. Fast-growing and up to four metres tall, thuja can achieve an impressive form in a short time. Other evergreen hedges also require a similar level of care with year-round foliage.

Using hedges as a privacy screen

Hedges which grow thick enough to be opaque offer a natural and simultaneously beautiful privacy screen. Evergreen hedges are particularly well-suited for these purposes, as they are covered in leaves all year round. Hedges with a coniferous growth habit also protect you from your neighbours’ gaze.

A beech hedge made up of beech trees, is a special case: these keep their round leaves throughout winter and their dense growth also makes them a great privacy screen.

In principle, all densely-growing hedge types are suitable for use as privacy screens. If you want to go a step further, hedges with thorns and dense growth are an excellent choice, as they function not only a privacy screen, but also offer a level of physical protection for the garden. Hawthorn, firethorn and barberry make fantastic fence alternatives for your property.

Fast-growing hedges: a visual screen in no time

Another benefit of fast-growing hedges is the price. Nurseries need comparatively little time to rear them, meaning they can offer these plants at a lower price. However, the speed at which a hedge type ultimately grows depends entirely on the local conditions (water, nutrients, soil structure, climate).

If a hedge initially grows quickly, it will continue to do so throughout its life. This means that you should schedule pruning on a more frequent basis. Is that a disadvantage? Not necessarily, but it is something that you should take into account when making a purchase.

Bee-friendly hedges: a sea of blossoms for nature

Azaleas also make good bee-friendly hedges, though they are not strong growers so are not suitable as a privacy screen. The rhododendron, also a classic choice for hedging, is demanding in terms of soil properties – however, it is very well suited to shady spots. Barberry should also be mentioned as another bee-friendly hedge type that offers plenty of pollen and nectar. A true buffet for the bees – if only there weren’t any thorns.

Because there is no single correct hedge type – just the right one for you

With so many possible hedge types, it can be difficult to make a choice. Ultimately, there is no single correct hedge type, but there is certainly the right one for you. The right hedge for you is one that enriches your garden and at the same time offers what you want it to. Privacy screening, a source of nutrients for insects, or fast-growing: every hedge type has its own advantages. Do you want to know more about hedges? Our hedge maintenance guide offers plenty more information on the various hedge types.

Different hedge types: Gallery