January 18, 2025, 4:01 pm | Read time: 9 minutes
No garden is complete without a magnificent hedge, but choosing a hedge plant is not easy, as there is so much to choose from. myHOMEBOOK presents various hedge plants and reveals useful care tips.
Anyone who owns a garden naturally wants to use it. Curious glances from neighbors or passing pedestrians can be a nuisance. In addition to high fences, you can also choose a hedge as a privacy screen. The ideal hedge plant not only makes a great impression and protects against prying eyes and wind but also provides shelter for animals. An overview of the opaque, evergreen, and fast-growing hedge plants available.
Table of contents
Planting Hedges – the Right Location
Anyone wanting to plant a hedge for the first time must pay particular attention to a suitable location and sufficient space. How moist is the soil? How much sunlight does it get? And is it compatible with the plants that will make up the hedge?
The amount of work involved should also be carefully considered: fast-growing hedges, for example, provide good privacy protection in a short space of time but need to be pruned more often. The Industrieverband Agrar (IVA) points this out.
When Can You Plant Hedges?
Planting is possible in fall and spring. The spacing is important, says Regina Fischer from the IVA: “If the plants are too close together, the hedges can later turn brown and bare on the inside. Then there is a lack of light, nutrients, water, and, of course, space.” She recommends a rule of thumb: The taller the hedge is to be, the fewer plants.
How Much Space Should You Allow?
If you are aiming for a growth height of 30 centimeters, you should plant five to seven plants per meter. With a growth height of more than 120 centimeters, only two or three are needed. The actual spacing depends on the type of plant. It should also be clarified in advance how close the hedge may be to the property boundary.
How Do You Go About Planting?
Before buying the plants, the soil should be thoroughly loosened and a planting trench should be dug. It is not necessary to fertilize in advance. A guideline helps to plant the hedge as straight as possible. Before planting, the root balls are well watered in a bucket. Then, place them deep enough so that the potting soil is level with the ground. It is important to water a lot, especially in the following weeks.
4 Hedge Plants That Grow Densely
Holly (Ilex)
This evergreen plant is particularly popular as a hedge plant due to its dense growth habit and pretty red berries. It is best to choose a bright spot in the garden for the plant. The soil should always be moist. However, waterlogging should be avoided.
Cherry Laurel (Prunus Laurocerasus)
The laurel cherry can be found as a hedge in many local gardens, as the plant is not only extremely easy to care for but also resistant to a wide range of diseases and pests. However, conservationists in this country are critical of the plant. As a neobiota, i.e., a non-native plant, the cherry laurel displaces native plants.
Barberry (Berberis)
The different varieties of barberry, also known as sour thorn, are particularly eye-catching in the garden in fall and winter. During this time, the leaves of the Thunberg barberry, for example, turn an intense red. The only sour thorn native to Germany is the common barberry. Its red fruits also adorn the garden in winter. As a rule, barberries are easy to care for and do not need to be fertilized or watered.
Umbrella Bamboo (Fargesia Murielae)
The umbrella bamboo originally comes from Central Asia. If the plant is planted in local areas, it gives the garden a very special flair. The plant can grow up to three meters high and is therefore ideal as a privacy screen. In the garden, you should choose a sunny or semi-shady location for the umbrella bamboo. It is important that hobby gardeners water the hedge plant regularly.
3 Hedge Plants That Grow Particularly Quickly
Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)
The hornbeam can grow up to 30 meters high. The plant grows by around 20 to 40 centimeters per year. It is important to cut back the hornbeam hedge in late summer to early fall. A sunny spot in the garden is ideal, but the plant can also cope with a little shade. Waterlogging should be avoided.
Field Maple (Acer Campestre)
The field maple grows up to 40 centimeters a year, reaching a total height of between three and five meters. The leaves of the field maple used to be prepared in a similar way to sauerkraut. The small tree is non-toxic and is also suitable for family gardens. Hobby gardeners should choose a sunny location for this hedge plant. However, it does not tolerate waterlogging well. As the European beech is a native plant, it is considered easy to care for.
European Beech (Fagus Sylvatica)
The copper beech is often found as a solitary tree in native forests. However, it is also suitable as a hedge, as the beech grows up to 50 centimeters a year. The plant quickly reaches heights of 30 meters. Hobby gardeners should, therefore, trim their copper beech hedges regularly.
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7 Evergreen Hedge Plants
Loquat (Photinia Fraseri)
Due to its dense growth, the loquat is ideal as a privacy screen. The hedge plant is considered undemanding in terms of care. However, as an evergreen plant, the loquat loses a lot of moisture in winter. The lack of water causes the plant to shed dried leaves. Hobby gardeners do not usually need to worry about this. The situation is different if the hedge plant loses its young leaves in spring. This can be a result of permafrost. If you notice that shoots have also been damaged by frost, you should cut them back to the old wood.
Privet (Ligustrum)
The privet hedge is particularly robust. Similar to boxwood, privet can also be cut into various shapes and is suitable both as a low border and as a high garden hedge. The hedge should be fertilized with compost in spring. Regular pruning also helps the hedge to retain its shape.
Boxwood (Buxus Sempervirens)
Whether round, angular, or as a rabbit, boxwood can be cut into any shape imaginable. Although the common boxwood can reach a height of up to six meters, hobby gardeners can also cultivate the plant in containers. However, boxwood requires more care both in containers and in beds. The plant should be watered regularly and fertilized with compost from spring to August.
Firethorn (Pyracantha Coccinea)
Firethorn is easily confused with sea buckthorn. However, both plants are considered non-toxic. Only the seeds of the firethorn are slightly poisonous – fortunately, the fruits taste anything but good, which is why you would probably spit them out again quickly. The hedge plant grows up to 50 centimeters a year and quickly becomes a suitable privacy screen that looks pretty all year round.
European Yew (Taxus Baccata)
Not only is the European yew green in summer and winter, but it is also particularly tolerant of pruning. However, care should be taken when pruning: Almost all parts of the yew plant are poisonous. It is advisable to wear gloves.
Mock Cypress (Chamaecyparis)
False cypresses grow in a columnar shape and reach a height of between five and ten meters. The advantage of this hedge plant is that whether in sun, partial shade, or shade, it feels at home in almost any location. Hobby gardeners should water the hedge plant regularly when freshly planted. The mock cypress is considered tolerant of pruning. It is important to wear gloves when pruning, as the poison it contains can cause skin irritation.
Arborvitae (Thuja)
If you are looking for a hedge that not only grows densely but can also cope with a wide variety of soil conditions, thuja is the right choice. When caring for the plant, it is important to water it regularly. This is particularly important during long dry periods to prevent it from drying out. Thuja is one of the most popular hedge plants, although it has many disadvantages. Hobby gardeners should be aware that the plant not only displaces native plants as a neophyte but that it is also poisonous in all parts of the plant. Hobby gardeners should make sure to wear gloves when pruning. Even simply inhaling the scent is poisonous. The consequences can be nausea, cramps, paralysis, or death if eaten. It is strongly discouraged as a hedge plant in a family garden.
with material from dpa