Hedging Plant Sizes Explained

Choosing the right size of hedging plant can make a significant difference to cost, establishment time and how much privacy your new hedge provides from the outset.

Hedging plants are available in an enormous range of sizes. At one end are young 40–60cm plants that provide an economical way to establish a long boundary. At the other are substantial 2-metre-plus specimens and instant hedging capable of creating significant screening almost immediately.

It is tempting to assume that the largest hedge plant you can afford must be the best option.

That is not necessarily the case.

A smaller, well-grown hedge plant can establish rapidly and develop into an excellent mature hedge. A larger specimen provides considerably more immediate impact but costs more, is heavier to handle and generally requires greater attention during establishment.

The right choice depends on what you need the hedge to achieve, the species, budget, site access, planting season and how quickly you need privacy.

This guide explains the common hedge plant sizes and specifications so you can make a more informed choice.

How Are Hedging Plants Measured?

Hedging plants are generally sold according to their approximate overall height.

Common specifications include 40–60cm, 60–80cm, 80–100cm, 100–125cm, 125–150cm, 150–175cm, 175–200cm, 200–225cm and 225–250cm.

Larger specimens above 250cm are also available for some species.

These measurements generally describe the approximate plant height at the point of supply rather than the finished height of the eventual hedge.

Height, however, is only one part of the specification.

Two plants described as 150–175cm can look remarkably different.

One may be dense, bushy and well branched from relatively low down. Another may be slightly taller but much narrower and more sparsely branched.

The shorter but denser plant could actually provide better immediate screening.

For this reason, plant quality, density, root system, age and growing method should always be considered alongside height.

Which Size Hedging Plant Should I Buy?

A useful starting point is to decide whether your priority is value or immediate impact.

If you are planting a long boundary and are happy for the hedge to develop over several years, smaller plants can offer excellent value.

If you want a substantial garden boundary but do not require complete privacy immediately, plants around 100–150cm can provide a useful compromise.

If privacy is important from the outset, plants around 150–200cm or larger may be more appropriate.

And if you want the appearance of an established hedge almost immediately, mature or Instant Hedging may be worth considering.

The important point is to buy the size that solves your particular problem rather than automatically selecting the largest plant available.

40–60cm Hedging Plants

Plants in the 40–60cm range are an economical starting point for establishing a new hedge.

They are relatively straightforward to transport, handle and plant and can establish quickly when given suitable ground preparation and aftercare.

This size is particularly useful for long rural boundaries, native hedging, wildlife hedges and projects where immediate privacy is not important.

Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Hazel, Field Maple and other native hedge species are frequently planted at relatively young sizes.

Although the initial result will obviously look much smaller than a mature hedge, good-quality young plants can develop surprisingly quickly once established.

For a long boundary, the cost difference between small and mature plants can be substantial, making younger stock a sensible investment where time is available.

60–80cm Hedging Plants

The 60–80cm range provides a useful compromise between economy and initial presence.

The plants are still relatively easy to handle but create a more obvious boundary from the moment they are installed.

This size is frequently appropriate for native and deciduous species including Hawthorn, Beech, Hornbeam and Field Maple.

For homeowners who do not need immediate privacy, 60–80cm plants can provide a cost-effective route to creating a substantial long-term hedge.

80–100cm Hedging Plants

Once hedging approaches a metre in height, it begins to have a much more noticeable presence within the garden.

Plants in the 80–100cm range can be particularly useful where you want a clearly defined boundary from the outset but do not require a full privacy screen.

At this stage, formative pruning becomes particularly important.

The objective is not simply to encourage the plants upwards as quickly as possible. Developing lateral branching helps create the dense structure needed for a good hedge.

100–125cm Hedging Plants

Plants between approximately one metre and 1.25 metres are a popular option for residential gardens.

They provide meaningful initial structure without becoming excessively difficult to transport or establish.

This size can work particularly well for front gardens, internal garden divisions, boundaries and situations where privacy will be required eventually but is not urgent.

With appropriate spacing, pruning, watering and establishment, plants at this size can develop into a dense hedge relatively quickly.

125–150cm Hedging Plants

For many residential projects, 125–150cm is an excellent middle ground.

The plants are substantial enough to make an immediate visual difference but remain considerably easier to handle than mature two-metre specimens.

Depending on species and planting density, hedging at this size can begin to provide useful screening immediately while continuing to thicken during establishment.

This size is available in various species and can be particularly useful where the customer wants a new hedge to feel established without paying for the largest possible plants.

150–175cm Hedging Plants

At around 1.5 metres and above, a hedge begins to provide significant immediate screening.

Plants of this size are often selected for residential boundaries, overlooked gardens, screening roads and driveways or concealing unattractive structures.

They can also create an excellent evergreen background to garden planting.

As plants become larger, however, establishment becomes increasingly important.

The root system needs sufficient prepared soil, the planting depth must be correct and appropriate watering becomes critical.

The investment in the plants themselves is also greater, making professional planting increasingly worthwhile.

175–200cm Hedging Plants

Plants approaching two metres can create a substantial transformation from the day they are planted.

They are particularly useful where customers do not want to wait several years for smaller plants to reach the required height.

Depending on species and density, hedging at this size can provide a significant degree of privacy immediately.

The practical implications also increase.

Larger plants have correspondingly larger root systems, rootballs or containers and can be much heavier than customers expect.

Before ordering, consider how the plants will physically reach the planting position.

A two-metre hedge plant may sound straightforward until a substantial rootball has to pass through a narrow side gate, down steps and across a finished lawn.

200–250cm Hedging Plants

Hedging above approximately two metres is generally chosen where immediate privacy and screening are major priorities.

Plants at this scale can create the appearance of a much more established garden almost immediately.

They are particularly useful for overlooked properties, high-value residential gardens, screening neighbouring buildings, screening roads and replacing mature hedges that have been removed.

Large rootballed specimens can be extremely heavy.

Mechanical handling may therefore be required, and site access needs to be considered before the plants are ordered.

At this size, we strongly recommend considering professional installation rather than treating the plants as ordinary garden-centre stock.

For supply and professional planting, see Hedging Supplied & Planted.

Hedging Plants Above 250cm

Very large hedging plants are available in selected species and specifications.

At this scale, you are moving beyond ordinary hedge planting and into substantial specimen planting.

The plants may require specialist vehicles, lifting equipment, machinery access, substantial root preparation and appropriate support.

These sizes can be invaluable where an established appearance is required immediately, but they should be selected because the project genuinely requires them rather than simply because they are the largest option available.

Does a Larger Hedge Plant Establish Faster?

Not necessarily.

A larger plant provides more height and potentially more screening on installation day, but that does not automatically mean it will establish faster.

Smaller plants can sometimes establish more quickly because their root systems experience less disruption during transplantation and have less existing top growth to support.

A large plant may initially put considerable energy into rebuilding its root system.

This is why there is always a balance between immediate impact and establishment.

If you have time to wait, smaller plants can represent excellent value.

If you need privacy immediately, larger plants may justify the additional investment.

Should I Buy Smaller Hedging Plants and Wait?

For many gardens, yes.

Smaller hedge plants cost less, are easier to handle and can establish extremely well when properly planted and maintained.

If you are creating a long hedge, the saving can be considerable.

It may be better to invest in good-quality smaller plants, correct ground preparation, irrigation and aftercare than spend the entire budget buying the tallest plants possible.

The decision changes where immediate privacy has real value.

If a patio is overlooked by a neighbouring property, waiting four or five years for a small hedge to develop may not be acceptable.

In that situation, spending more on larger hedging can be entirely justified.

When Should I Choose Larger Hedging Plants?

Larger plants make most sense where there is a clear reason for needing height immediately.

Perhaps a neighbouring extension has created an overlooking problem. An existing mature hedge may have been removed. A road or driveway needs screening. You may want privacy around a patio or outdoor living area.

Larger plants can also be extremely valuable in a newly landscaped high-end garden.

A completely new garden filled exclusively with young plants can look immature even when the design is excellent. Introducing larger hedging and specimen trees can provide enough scale to make the landscape feel established much sooner.

The question is therefore not simply whether large plants are “better”.

It is whether immediate maturity is worth paying for in your particular garden.

What Does Bare-Root Hedging Mean?

Bare-root hedging is supplied without a pot or surrounding rootball of soil.

The plants are field grown and lifted while dormant, with the exposed roots protected from drying before planting.

Bare-root hedging is therefore generally associated with the dormant planting season, broadly from autumn into early spring depending on species, weather and ground conditions.

Beech, Hornbeam, Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Hazel, Field Maple, Dogwood and mixed native hedging are among the species commonly available bare root.

The major advantage is value.

Removing the need to transport large quantities of soil or growing media makes bare-root plants particularly economical for long boundaries.

The disadvantage is seasonality and the need for careful handling.

The roots must never be allowed to dry out before planting.

What Is Rootballed Hedging?

Rootballed plants are grown in the open ground at the nursery.

When they are ready for sale, they are lifted with a substantial quantity of soil retained around the roots.

This rootball is normally secured with hessian and, on larger plants, may also incorporate a supporting wire basket.

Rootball production allows much larger established plants to be transplanted successfully.

Yew, Portuguese Laurel, Cherry Laurel and various larger evergreen hedging plants can be supplied in this form.

Rootballed plants are generally lifted and planted during the cooler dormant or semi-dormant period when water demand is reduced.

Large rootballs can be exceptionally heavy, which is why access and handling need to be considered before purchase.

What Is Container-Grown Hedging?

Container-grown hedging has been established within a pot or container rather than being freshly lifted from open nursery ground.

One of the principal advantages is flexibility.

Because the root system remains relatively undisturbed when the plant is removed from the container, suitable container-grown hedging can generally be planted across a broader part of the year.

This makes it useful when a project needs to be completed outside the traditional bare-root or rootball planting season.

Summer planting is possible, but the watering requirement becomes much greater.

A newly planted container-grown hedge can still fail if it is allowed to dry out simply because it was technically planted at an acceptable time of year.

Bare Root vs Rootball vs Container-Grown Hedging

There is no single stock type that is best for every project.

Bare-root plants are particularly useful where you need to establish a long hedge economically and can plant during the appropriate season.

Rootballed hedging allows substantially larger plants to be supplied and can provide much greater immediate impact.

Container-grown plants provide greater flexibility over planting time.

Your decision should therefore consider species, required size, time of year, budget, access and how much immediate screening you require.

For a detailed comparison, read Bare Root vs Rootballed vs Container Grown vs Instant Hedging.

What Is Instant Hedging?

Instant hedging takes mature hedge planting a stage further.

Instead of planting individual plants and waiting for their branches to knit together, instant hedging is nursery-grown as established hedge sections or units.

These are then lifted with an established root system and installed to create the appearance of a mature hedge very quickly.

This can be extremely effective for overlooked gardens, new landscape projects, high-end residential properties and situations where an existing mature hedge has been removed.

The main disadvantages are cost, weight and access requirements.

Established hedge units can require specialist machinery to transport and position.

If this is what you need, explore our Instant Hedges page.

How Many Hedging Plants Do I Need Per Metre?

The number of plants required per linear metre depends on species, plant size, stock type and desired density.

There is no universal spacing that should be applied to every hedge.

Small bare-root plants are generally planted more closely than substantial mature specimens.

Planting too widely can leave gaps that take years to close.

Planting unnecessarily closely increases cost and can create excessive competition between plants.

For this reason, use the spacing recommendation for the specific species and plant size you are purchasing, rather than applying a generic plants-per-metre figure found elsewhere.

Don't Choose Hedging by Height Alone

This is one of the most important points on this page.

Height does not automatically equal quality.

A good hedge plant should have an appropriate structure for its species, a healthy root system and sufficient branching to develop into a dense hedge.

A tall but narrow plant may actually provide less useful screening than a slightly shorter, well-branched specimen.

Different species also naturally have different habits.

Yew does not look like Portuguese Laurel. Beech does not develop in exactly the same way as Hornbeam.

Compare plants according to their complete specification, not just the largest number printed on the label.

Choosing the Right Hedge Size for Privacy

If privacy is the main objective, first identify exactly what needs screening.

If people can see through a boundary at ground level, a conventional hedge around 1.5–2 metres may solve the problem.

If the garden is overlooked from an upstairs window, simply planting an increasingly tall hedge may not be the best solution.

You may need foliage at a greater height rather than a solid hedge from ground level upwards.

In those circumstances, specimen trees or pleached trees can sometimes solve the problem much more elegantly.

See our Pleached Trees & Pleached Hedging page if the privacy problem occurs above an existing fence or wall.

The aim should always be to solve the actual sightline rather than simply buying the tallest hedge available.

What Hedge Size Should I Choose for Immediate Privacy?

For immediate conventional boundary screening, plants around 150–200cm or larger are usually the sizes customers begin considering.

However, height alone still does not guarantee privacy.

The density of the individual plants and the spacing between them are equally important.

A row of sparse two-metre plants with large gaps may provide less privacy than slightly shorter but much denser stock.

Where the objective is a genuinely established screen from the outset, mature or instant hedging may provide a better result than simply buying tall individual plants.

What Hedge Size Is Best for a Front Garden?

Front garden hedges often do not need to be particularly tall.

Plants around 60–125cm can provide a strong starting point depending on the intended finished height and species.

A lower hedge can define the boundary without completely separating the property from the street.

Before planning a tall front hedge, consider sightlines at driveways and entrances as well as the eventual maintenance required.

What Hedge Size Is Best for a New-Build Garden?

New-build gardens often require privacy quickly because neighbouring properties can be relatively close together.

This makes larger hedge plants attractive.

However, new-build soil can also be compacted, disturbed or poorly drained.

Spending heavily on mature plants without addressing the ground first can therefore be a false economy.

For new-build gardens, we would usually assess privacy requirement + soil + access + budget before deciding whether medium-sized plants, mature hedging, instant hedging or a combination of hedging and trees is the best solution.

Access for Large Hedging Plants

Access becomes increasingly important as hedge size increases.

A substantial rootballed plant can weigh far more than its height suggests.

Before ordering large hedging, consider gateway width, narrow side passages, steps, retaining walls, changes of level and the distance between the delivery vehicle and planting position.

Also consider what the plants must cross.

Finished lawns, paving and garden structures may need protection, while mechanical handling equipment needs sufficient space to operate.

Where access is severely restricted, several smaller plants may provide a more practical solution than extremely large specimens or instant hedge units.

Ground Preparation Matters as Much as Hedge Size

Buying expensive mature hedging does not compensate for poor ground preparation.

The plant still needs suitable soil, drainage, correct planting depth, adequate water and room for the root system to establish.

This becomes increasingly important as plant size increases.

A substantial hedge plant may have a large canopy or mass of foliage that needs to be supported by a root system that has just been transplanted.

If that root system cannot establish successfully, the investment in a larger plant is wasted.

Ground preparation, planting and establishment should therefore be considered part of the purchase rather than an afterthought.

Watering Larger Hedging Plants

Large hedging needs particular attention to watering.

A plant may be two metres tall and look mature, but after transplantation its effective root system is still concentrated within its rootball or original root area.

It cannot immediately obtain water from the same volume of soil as an established hedge.

Water therefore needs to reach the root zone consistently during establishment.

Lightly wetting the surface is not enough.

This is particularly important during spring and summer and during prolonged dry or windy periods.

For detailed aftercare information, read Looking After Your Newly Planted Trees and Hedging.

Is Mature Hedging Worth the Extra Cost?

It can be.

If you simply want to establish a boundary and are prepared to wait, smaller plants usually provide better value.

If you have an overlooked patio that you cannot comfortably use, immediate privacy has a tangible value.

Likewise, if you have invested substantially in a complete garden transformation, mature planting can prevent the finished garden looking immature for several years.

The right question is therefore not whether mature hedging is expensive.

It is what is the immediate screening or maturity worth to you?

Professional Hedge Supply and Planting

Choosing hedging involves considerably more than selecting a species and height.

The plants need to suit the soil, available light, exposure, available space and purpose of the hedge.

Only then should the plant size and specification be chosen.

Landscaping Emporium can supply hedging from smaller establishing plants through to substantial mature specimens, with professional installation available for suitable projects across North West England.

Our Hedging Supplied & Planted service considers species selection, plant specification, quantities, access, ground preparation, planting and establishment rather than simply delivering plants to the property.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hedging Plant Sizes

What is the best size hedging plant to buy?

There is no universal best size. Smaller plants offer better value and can establish quickly, while larger plants provide more immediate height and screening. The right size depends on your budget and how quickly you need the finished hedge.

Is a larger hedge plant better?

Not necessarily. A larger plant provides greater immediate impact, but a smaller high-quality plant can establish extremely successfully and may provide better long-term value.

What size hedge plants should I buy for privacy?

Plants around 150–200cm and above are commonly considered where immediate privacy is important. Density, species and spacing matter as much as height.

Can I buy 2-metre hedge plants?

Yes. Many hedging species are available at approximately two metres or more, depending on species, season and nursery availability.

Can I buy hedging taller than 2 metres?

Yes. Selected species are available as substantial mature specimens above two metres, although access, weight, handling and establishment become increasingly important.

Are 60–80cm hedge plants too small?

Not if immediate screening is unnecessary. Plants of this size can be an economical and successful way of establishing a long-term hedge.

How quickly will a 1-metre hedge reach 2 metres?

There is no reliable universal answer because growth rate varies enormously according to species, soil, moisture, light, exposure and maintenance.

Are bare-root hedging plants smaller?

Bare-root hedging is commonly sold at younger sizes, but larger bare-root specifications are available for certain species. Stock type and plant height are separate parts of the specification.

What is the difference between rootballed and container-grown hedging?

Rootballed plants are field-grown and lifted with soil retained around the roots. Container-grown plants have established within a container. This affects planting season, available sizes, handling and cost.

Is instant hedging the same as buying large hedge plants?

Not quite. Large individual plants are positioned separately and grow together after planting. Instant hedging is generally nursery-grown as established hedge sections or units designed to create a mature hedge effect immediately.

How many hedge plants do I need per metre?

It depends on species, plant size and specification. Use the recommended spacing for the particular plants being supplied rather than a generic figure.

Can large hedging be planted by hand?

Some can, but substantial rootballed and instant hedging can be extremely heavy and may require mechanical lifting and professional installation.

Can Landscaping Emporium plant mature hedging?

Yes. Professional hedge supply and planting is available for suitable projects across North West England.

Need Help Choosing Your Hedging Size?

If you are unsure whether you need economical 60–80cm plants, substantial 150–200cm specimens or a mature instant hedge, start with the problem you are trying to solve.

For immediate privacy, explore Instant Hedges.

For help comparing how hedging is supplied, read Bare Root vs Rootballed vs Container Grown vs Instant Hedging.

If you want us to supply and install the hedge, see Hedging Supplied & Planted.

Or contact Landscaping Emporium with your postcode, approximate hedge length, required finished height, photographs of the planting area and an indication of how quickly you need privacy.

We can then help determine an appropriate species, plant size and specification rather than simply recommending the largest plants available.

The aim is to create a hedge that works on planting day, during establishment and as a mature part of your garden for years to come.