The Best Hedges to Plant

Low-Growing Hedges

Low-growing hedges are perfect for edging around flower gardens, to create the design in a knot garden or define a walkway or path. Plants should only grow or stay clipped to 3 feet or less. Plant hedge plants 1 to 2½ feet apart to prevent overcrowding. Prune about four times a season to keep plants compact. Plants suitable for a low hedge include barberry, traditional evergreen boxwood, flowery dwarf viburnum, spirea and lavender. Evergreen yews are good for low spreading hedges, and smaller junipers also work well. Try small varieties of arborvitae and dwarf magnolia.

Medium hedges are useful barriers around a lawn creating a living fence. They separate areas in the yard without totally decreasing visibility. Medium hedges grow 3 to 6 feet tall and are perfect for hiding unsightly areas of the yard. Space plants 2- to 4-feet apart to allow for adequate air circulation. Create a screen with all one plant such as dwarf privet, chokeberry, serviceberry or yellow-flowering forsythia. Junipers and arborvitae make dense screens, while boxwood is easily manicured and shaped. Yellow and green leaved euonymus, flowering spirea and viburnum are also suitable. Make an impenetrable hedge with spiny holly plants.

Tall hedges grow 8 feet tall and higher, and include trees that do not mind being planted close together. Place shrubs 4 to 6 feet apart. They will become dense but not overcrowded in a few years. Tall hedges provide excellent privacy for a backyard and allow for the creation of "outdoor rooms" using the plants as walls. Plant a variety of species or all one kind. Privet is an evergreen that makes a dense hedge. Lilacs are another tall, popular hedge that is more informal and only needs to be pruned after clusters of flowers bloom. Some dogwood shrubs and trees work well, as do honeysuckle and pussy willow, but be careful because these two can spread rather invasively. Holly trees and Chinese or Virginia junipers are good choices for tall evergreen hedges.

Prune hedges on a regular basis to keep them from becoming unsightly. Start with a wide base at the bottom and thin the plant out at the top. This allows for good sunlight spread and circulation of air. Power trimmers allow for more ease in trimming, but shears are also a good tool as long as they are very sharp. Planting only one type of plant as a hedge has its drawbacks. If one plant contracts a disease, it usually means an end to the hedge.