Best Hedge for Screening

The best hedge for screening depends on what you want to hide, how much room you have and whether you need cover in winter. A hedge to soften a fence has different requirements from one intended to screen a building or an unwanted view.

Before choosing a plant, consider its mature height and width, how quickly you need the screen, the soil and drainage, the available light and how much trimming you can manage. This guide compares common screening hedges to help you build a shortlist. For guidance on arranging screening hedge supply and professional planting, see our screening hedging and planted guide.

Start with the view you want to screen

Look at the view from the place where it bothers you most. You may not need a hedge as tall as the building or feature behind it: a carefully positioned hedge can interrupt a sightline at a lower height.

Consider whether you want to screen a fence, neighbouring garden, road, parked vehicles, shed or outbuilding. If the main issue is an upper-storey window, a hedge planted at ground level may need to become very tall. [Specimen trees for privacy](/specimen-trees/trees-for-privacy) or pleached trees may provide more targeted screening in some gardens.

Also check how much planting width is available. A vigorous hedge can quickly take over a narrow border if its mature spread and trimming needs are not allowed for.

Evergreen hedges for year-round screening

Evergreen hedges retain their foliage through winter, making them useful when you want a consistent screen throughout the year. Their growth habits, mature sizes and maintenance needs differ, so “evergreen” alone is not enough to choose between them.

Cherry Laurel

Cherry Laurel has large leaves and can form a dense screen. It is a vigorous choice, so allow enough width and be prepared to trim it regularly. It may not suit a narrow planting strip where it would have to be repeatedly cut back to fit.

Portuguese Laurel

Portuguese Laurel has smaller leaves and a finer appearance than Cherry Laurel. It can provide an attractive evergreen screen where you want a more refined look, while still allowing the hedge to be clipped and shaped.

Yew

Yew is a long-lived evergreen hedge that responds well to clipping and can be kept formal. It grows more slowly than vigorous choices such as Leylandii, so consider the starting plant size if you need screening soon. Choose a well-drained planting position; Yew is not suited to ground that remains waterlogged.

Leylandii

Leylandii can grow rapidly and form a tall, dense evergreen screen. That speed comes with a significant commitment to regular management. It needs enough room and consistent trimming; if allowed to grow far beyond the intended size, it can be difficult to reduce successfully.

Western Red Cedar

Western Red Cedar is another conifer option for a substantial evergreen screen. Its foliage has a softer appearance than Leylandii, but it still needs suitable space and ongoing maintenance. Check the variety and site conditions before choosing.

Privet

Privet is a traditional, adaptable hedge that responds well to clipping. Its winter foliage can vary with the variety, weather and exposure, so it may not give the same reliable year-round cover as a fully evergreen hedge.

Deciduous hedges for seasonal screening

Deciduous hedges lose their leaves in autumn, but can still provide useful screening for much of the year. They may be a good choice when seasonal interest, wildlife value or a more natural appearance matters more than a solid green screen in winter.

Hornbeam

Hornbeam is suitable for formal or informal hedges and can be a useful choice for heavier soils. Clipped plants may retain some dry leaves over winter, but it should not be treated as evergreen. Where the ground is heavy or remains damp, Hornbeam may be a better option than Beech.

Beech

Beech gives attractive seasonal colour and clipped hedges may hold some brown leaves through winter. It generally suits soil that drains well, so consider Hornbeam if the planting line is particularly heavy or wet.

Hawthorn and mixed native hedging

Hawthorn can form a robust, thorny boundary with spring blossom and autumn berries. It is deciduous, so it will not provide a continuous evergreen screen. A mixed native hedge can bring more variety and wildlife value, especially where a looser, rural style suits the garden.

The RHS advises choosing hedge plants to suit the site and intended style, and notes that Beech dislikes excessively wet or dry soils. rhs.org.uk

Choose according to your garden

Soil, drainage, light and exposure all affect how well a hedge establishes. A plant that performs well in one garden may struggle in another with compacted ground, standing water, deep shade or strong winds.

  • For a shaded position, compare the options in our guide to [the best hedges for shade](/hedging/best-hedge-for-shade).

  • For heavy soil, see our guide to [hedging for clay soil](/hedging-for-clay-soil).

  • If the planting line becomes saturated, read our advice on [hedging for wet ground](/hedging/hedging-for-wet-ground).

The RHS also recommends matching hedge plants to the particular site and considering maintenance when selecting a hedge. rhs.org.uk

Fast growth or a screen sooner?

A fast-growing plant does not necessarily provide immediate screening: a small plant still needs time to reach the required height and density. If you need coverage sooner, compare larger plant sizes or instant hedging as well as the plant’s expected growth.

Our guide to [bare-root, rootballed, container-grown and instant hedging](/bare-root-vs-rootballed-vs-container-grown-vs-instant-hedging) explains how the different stock types affect starting size, planting season and the result you can expect.

Make your shortlist

Use these questions to compare your options:

  • Do you need foliage through winter?

  • What height must the hedge reach, and how much width is available?

  • Does the soil drain well, or does it stay wet after rain?

  • Is the position sunny, shaded or exposed?

  • How quickly do you need screening?

  • How much trimming and ongoing maintenance can you manage?

For more information on plant sizes, see our guide to [hedging plant sizes](/hedging/advice/hedging-plant-sizes-explained). You can also [browse the hedging collection](/hedge) once you have a shortlist.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best all-round hedge for screening?

There is no single best choice for every garden. Portuguese Laurel, Cherry Laurel and Yew are evergreen options with different growth habits and maintenance needs. Hornbeam and Hawthorn offer deciduous alternatives.

What is the best evergreen hedge for screening?

The right choice depends on the required height, available width, soil and maintenance. Cherry Laurel can form a dense screen but needs room; Yew suits clipped hedges but grows more slowly; Leylandii grows rapidly and needs regular control.

Which hedge is best for a narrow garden?

Choose by mature width and how well the plant responds to clipping. A vigorous, broad-growing hedge can be difficult to manage in a restricted space. Check the eventual dimensions before choosing.

Can a hedge screen an upstairs window?

It may, but a hedge would need to reach considerable height and could create unwanted shade. Consider whether specimen or pleached trees would screen the sightline more selectively.

Will a hedge provide privacy in winter?

Evergreen hedges retain foliage through winter. Some clipped deciduous hedges, including Beech and Hornbeam, may retain some brown leaves, but this is not the same as a reliable evergreen screen.

What is the difference between screening and privacy hedging?

Screening hedging hides or softens a particular view or feature. Privacy hedging aims to limit views into a garden or living area. The same plants can sometimes do both, but the required position, height and density may differ.

Arrange screening hedge supply and planting

Once you have decided what kind of screen you need, visit our [screening hedging supplied and planted page](/hedging/screening-hedging) to discuss plant selection, delivery and professional planting across North West England.

Reciprocal link for the commercial page

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Still choosing between species? Read our guide to the [best hedges for screening](/hedging/best-hedge-for-screening) to compare evergreen and deciduous options, mature size and maintenance.