What Are the Best Hedges to Replace a Fence?

If your fence has blown down in the strong winds, then why not consider replacing it with a hedge?  Generally, hedges do not need planning permission like fences often do (especially in front gardens) and they have the additional benefit of being more attractive to look at. Once established, a hedge will not get blown over by the wind and will last a lifetime, so will out-last a fence by many years. Hedges also filter out air pollution and noise and act as a habitat for wildlife as well as providing privacy and security. 

Hedging can also be much cheaper than fencing panels especially if you plant smaller plants and are willing to wait a couple of years for the screen to form. If not, we have bigger plants available that are still often cheaper than fencing. If you really want an instant screen, then check out our instant hedging troughs.

Best hedges for most gardens

The fastest-growing and best plants for creating a hedge in your garden or outdoor space are Leylandii, Thuja plicata, Laurel, Portuguese Laurel and Griselinia. These all hold on to their leaves all year round (i.e. are evergreen hedging), are fast-growing (so will form a hedge quickly) and can be kept at any height. You will need to trim your hedge regularly to cut it back to the height and width you want every year but they will all form a dense hedge that will provide privacy and screen off unsightly views.

Best hedges for keeping narrow

If you want to keep a hedge narrow so it doesn’t grow out too far, then we would suggest Portuguese Laurel or Griselinia. Both of these hedging types are quick-growing so will form a hedge quickly and can be kept narrow. Just trim them regularly. Portuguese Laurel and Griselinia can also be cut back hard if they get too wide to make them narrow again (as can Laurel).

Best hedge near the coast or sea

Griselinia littoralis is the best hedge near the sea or where there is coastal exposure. We have sold Griselinia to sites very near the sea and they are thriving, providing a fantastic screen with their apple-green leaves all year round.

Hedges for very exposed, windy sites.

Leylandii, Thuja plicata (Western Red Cedar) and mixed native hedging are the best for very windy, exposed locations. Mixed native hedging usually consists of Hawthorn, Field Maple, Hazel, Dogwood and Spindle but many other native species can also be planted to form a hedge. These are very tolerant of wind and good at providing food and habitat for wildlife but do not hold on to their leaves over the winter, so if you want an evergreen hedge that provides privacy all year round in a very windy site, we would recommend Leylandii or Thuja plicata.