May 2, 2016 Bryan Scott

Choosing the Right Hedge for the Job

How to Choose the Right Hedge

It’s important to identify your needs prior to deciding on a hedge. Do you need a tall hedge for privacy or a lower growing formal hedge?

How long are you willing to wait for the hedge to grow? If you don’t need an immediate hedge you're better off going with a smaller grade of a hedge, as large plants can be costly. Once you know the sort of hedge you desire you can go through the simple process of then picking a colour and style of hedge you'll enjoy.

Below we have outlined some of the most popular hedging options that are available in New Zealand landscaping.

Low Growing Hedges:

Low-Growing Hedges are the landscape designers dream. More of a containment and a decoration than anything else, they are perfect for sectioning off paths and operating as a garden edging. Our top choices beneath can help transform your yard into a bliss masterpiece almost over night.

Buxus

Also known as a box Hedge, this style is typically used in traditional formal styled gardens.

It’s perfect for tight hedging with sharp lines. This hedge is often kept low as a garden edge. There are a few varieties out there and each have their own growing preferences, so it may pay to talk to your local nursery to find out which buxus type fits your needs.

Corokia

Is a great native shrub. It’s perfect for hedging as it responds to clipping and is hardy.

Corokia have relatively smaller leaves which allows for a tight looking cut. This hedge is easy to grow, even in dry and windy conditions.

Lonicera

A great alternative to buxus, lonicera is a very fast growing dense hedge.

It’s great as a formal hedge and takes trimming well, meaning that for any beginner or amateur topiary artists this is the best place to start. It prefers full sun so avoid planting it around the back of the house or in places of shade.

Larger Hedges:

Larger Hedges are the perfect way to keep pesky neighbours from looking in. Blending in perfectly with any New Zealand garden, these hedges will effortlessly help your garden look like a tranquil escape and provide perfect privacy and shelter to the rest of the yard.

Eugenia

Visually gratifying and immensely beautiful, this hedge has been hugely popular over the past decade, particularly amongst gardeners in the north island.

It’s very fast growing, and can reach several metres in height whilst being less than a metre wide.

Eugenia prefer full sun, and should be kept watered over the winter months.

Griselinia

This is a very common native NZ shrub, which is often used in hedging.

The two main types can be identified by leaf size. Littoralis is the most common, with its medium sized leaf. The other is Lucida, and is categorised by its large leaves. The relatively large leaves on this hedge make it difficult to get a tidy looking cut, but the shrub itself stands out with its bright green glossy leaf. Griselinia aren’t tolerant to wet feet (damp soil). Make sure your soil has reasonable drainage away from the growing area.