Screening Hedging
Screening hedging creates an attractive living barrier that can conceal buildings, soften fences, reduce views towards roads and make utility or storage areas less prominent. It can also divide a large garden into smaller, more comfortable spaces.
The right screening hedge depends on what needs to be hidden, the required height, the available planting width and the growing conditions. A hedge selected purely for fast growth may eventually become too large, while an attractive evergreen plant may struggle if the soil, drainage or light levels are unsuitable.
Landscaping Emporium supplies and professionally plants screening hedges across North West England. Our service can include plant selection, quantity calculations, delivery, ground preparation, planting, irrigation, mulching and establishment advice.
For a detailed comparison of individual species, read our guide to the best hedges for screening.
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What Can Screening Hedging Hide?
Screening hedging can be used to soften or conceal:
Neighbouring buildings
Garages and extensions
Sheds and garden offices
Roads and parked vehicles
Fences and walls
Bins and storage areas
Oil tanks
Heat pumps and utility equipment
Commercial buildings
Agricultural structures
Unattractive distant views
The required hedge height depends on the dimensions of the object, its distance from the planting position and the viewpoint from which it is most visible.
A hedge does not always need to equal the height of the object behind it. A carefully positioned hedge may interrupt the sightline while remaining considerably lower than the building or feature being screened.
Screening Hedging Versus Privacy Hedging
Screening and privacy are related, but they are not exactly the same.
Screening hedging is primarily used to hide or soften an object or unwanted view. Privacy hedging is intended to prevent people from looking into a garden, window or seating area.
A privacy hedge usually needs dense foliage at eye level. A hedge used to screen a building may require greater eventual height, while one planted in front of a fence may only need to soften its appearance.
The same species can perform both roles, but the position, density and required height may be different. For overlooking and personal privacy, compare the best hedging for privacy.
Choosing the Right Screening Hedge
Before selecting a plant, consider:
What needs to be screened
The height and width of the unwanted view
Whether screening is required throughout the year
The available width for the hedge
How much sunlight reaches the planting line
The soil type and drainage
Whether the site is exposed
The proximity of buildings, paths and drainage
The preferred appearance of the hedge
How frequently it can be maintained
How quickly screening is required
Delivery and planting access
The best screening hedge is not necessarily the fastest-growing plant. A slightly slower species that suits the site and can be maintained at the correct size will often provide a better long-term solution.
Evergreen Screening Hedging
Evergreen hedging retains foliage throughout the year and is generally the best choice where the unwanted view remains intrusive during winter.
Yew
English Yew creates a dense, refined evergreen screen. It grows more slowly than Laurel or Leylandii but responds well to pruning and can be maintained as a relatively narrow formal hedge.
Yew is particularly suitable for traditional properties, formal gardens and high-quality landscaping schemes. It tolerates sun and partial shade but should not be planted in permanently waterlogged soil.
Buy Yew hedging
Portuguese Laurel
Portuguese Laurel has smaller leaves and a more refined appearance than Cherry Laurel. Its dark evergreen foliage and reddish young stems suit both traditional and contemporary gardens.
It provides a good balance between growth, density and long-term manageability. Portuguese Laurel is an excellent general-purpose screening hedge where the soil drains adequately.
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Cherry Laurel
Cherry Laurel produces large, glossy evergreen leaves and relatively fast coverage. It is particularly effective for hiding fences, walls and neighbouring buildings.
It requires sufficient growing width and regular pruning. Cherry Laurel may become difficult to manage if it is planted in a narrow strip and repeatedly forced into a space that is too small.
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Western Red Cedar
Western Red Cedar creates a tall evergreen screen with softer-looking foliage than Leylandii. It can be used for boundaries, roads and larger buildings where substantial height is required.
It tolerates moisture-retentive ground but should not be planted in permanently waterlogged soil. Regular trimming from an early stage will help maintain its density and shape.
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Leylandii
Leylandii is one of the fastest-growing evergreen screening hedges. It can provide tall, dense coverage but creates a significant maintenance commitment.
It should not be chosen solely because it grows quickly. Without regular trimming, Leylandii can rapidly exceed its intended height and width. It is most appropriate for larger gardens and boundaries where routine maintenance can be guaranteed.
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English Holly
English Holly provides evergreen foliage, wildlife value and a defensive boundary. Female plants may produce berries when a suitable male pollinator is nearby.
Holly establishes more slowly than Laurel or Leylandii, but it creates a strong, long-lasting screen. It is especially useful in traditional, rural and partially shaded gardens.
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Photinia ‘Red Robin’
Photinia creates evergreen screening with bright red new foliage that gradually matures to green. It provides more colour than a conventional plain green hedge and works particularly well in contemporary gardens.
It normally performs best in sun or light shade with reasonable shelter and good air circulation.
Privet
Privet is a traditional, adaptable hedge that responds well to regular clipping. It can be maintained at a comparatively narrow width and is useful in urban and suburban gardens.
Depending on the climate and level of exposure, Privet may be evergreen, semi-evergreen or partially deciduous. It should not be relied upon for completely consistent winter foliage in every location.
Deciduous Screening Hedging
Deciduous hedging provides its greatest density during spring and summer. It can be a better choice where winter light is important or where soil conditions are unsuitable for evergreen plants.
Hornbeam
Hornbeam is one of the best screening hedges for heavy or moisture-retentive soil. It responds well to clipping and can be used in formal, traditional or rural settings.
Although deciduous, regularly clipped Hornbeam often retains some brown leaves through winter. It is generally more suitable than Beech where the soil is heavy, damp or slow to drain.
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Beech
Beech produces fresh green summer foliage followed by attractive copper-brown autumn colour. A regularly clipped Beech hedge may retain dried foliage during winter, although it should not be treated as a guaranteed evergreen screen.
Beech performs best on reasonably well-drained ground. On wet clay, Hornbeam is normally the more dependable choice.
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Hawthorn
Hawthorn creates a dense, thorny native hedge with white spring blossom and autumn haws. It is particularly suitable for rural boundaries, exposed gardens, wildlife planting and agricultural settings.
It can be planted alone or as the principal species within a mixed native hedge.
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Hazel
Hazel creates an informal native screen where sufficient width is available. It provides wildlife value and works particularly well as part of a mixed rural hedge.
Hazel is not normally maintained as a very narrow formal screen, but it can be valuable on larger sites where a natural appearance is required.
Explore UK native hedging
Screening Buildings
A hedge used to screen a building may need more height than one used to soften a fence.
Before choosing the plants, consider:
The height of the building
Which part of the building is visible
The distance from the principal viewpoint
The available planting width
Potential loss of light
The required eventual height
Long-term maintenance
Whether trees would provide more effective upper-level screening
A ground-level hedge may not be the most efficient way to hide an upper storey. A combination of hedging and carefully positioned trees can create screening at different levels without producing an excessively tall wall of foliage.
For elevated screening, consider specimen trees for privacy or pleached hedging.
Screening Fences and Walls
Where an existing fence already provides privacy, a hedge may only need to soften its visual appearance.
Suitable options can include:
Portuguese Laurel
Photinia
Privet
Yew
Beech
Hornbeam
Mixed native hedging
The hedge does not necessarily need to grow above the fence. Keeping it slightly lower may soften the boundary while reducing the amount of maintenance required.
Allow enough space between the hedge and fence for future growth, trimming and repairs.
Screening Roads and Parking Areas
Roadside hedging may need to tolerate:
Vehicle movement
Headlights
Dust and pollution
Wind and exposure
Road salt
Public visibility
Compacted soil
Evergreen hedging provides year-round visual separation, while mixed native hedging may be more appropriate alongside a rural road.
A dense hedge can make a road feel less visually intrusive, but it should not be described as a soundproof barrier. Meaningful noise reduction normally requires substantial depth and may involve fencing, earthworks or specialist acoustic measures.
Screening Bins and Utility Areas
A lower evergreen hedge may be sufficient to conceal bins, oil tanks, heat pumps, garden equipment and storage areas.
Potential choices include:
Yew
Portuguese Laurel
Privet
Photinia
Holly
Adequate access must remain available for bin collection, equipment servicing, fuel deliveries and repairs. Heat pumps and other equipment may also require specific clearances and airflow.
The mature width of the hedge should be considered before fixing the planting line.
Screening for Small Gardens
In a small garden, the width of the hedge is often more important than its theoretical growth rate.
Yew and Privet can be maintained comparatively neatly. Portuguese Laurel may also be suitable with regular pruning. Cherry Laurel and Leylandii can become too broad or vigorous for restricted planting strips.
Where screening is only needed above an existing wall or fence, pleached trees may use the available space more efficiently than a tall hedge growing from ground level.
Screening for Large Gardens
Larger gardens can accommodate broader hedges, staggered native planting and layered screening.
Suitable options may include:
Cherry Laurel
Portuguese Laurel
Western Red Cedar
Leylandii
Mixed native hedging
Hornbeam
Holly
Hazel
A large site also provides the opportunity to combine hedging with specimen trees. This can create a more natural layered screen instead of one continuous block of foliage.
Screening Hedging for Shade
Yew, Holly, Cherry Laurel, Privet and Hornbeam tolerate varying levels of shade.
The final choice depends on whether the position is lightly shaded, shaded for part of the day, deeply shaded by a building or affected by competition from established tree roots.
Dry shade beneath mature trees is particularly challenging. Growth will normally be slower, regardless of which hedge is chosen.
Read our hedging for shade guide for a more detailed comparison.
Screening Hedging for Clay Soil
Hornbeam is one of the strongest screening choices for heavy, moisture-retentive clay. Cherry Laurel and Holly may also tolerate clay where drainage remains adequate.
Beech and Yew are less suitable where the soil remains saturated for long periods.
Read our complete hedging for clay soil guide.
Screening Hedging for Wet Ground
Hornbeam tolerates heavy and seasonally wet ground better than Beech. Alder, Hawthorn, Dogwood and Guelder Rose may be appropriate for more informal wet-ground planting.
No conventional hedge will thrive indefinitely where its roots remain in stagnant, oxygen-depleted water.
Read our hedging for wet ground guide.
Screening Exposed Gardens
Exposed sites need hedging that can tolerate wind and increased moisture loss.
Hawthorn and mixed native hedging are strong options for many exposed rural gardens. Hornbeam, Western Red Cedar and other species may also be suitable depending on the soil and severity of the exposure.
New hedging in windy positions may require careful staking or support. Reliable watering is also important because wind can dry foliage and soil more quickly.
Fast Growth or Immediate Screening?
A fast-growing plant does not necessarily provide an immediate screen.
A small Leylandii plant may grow rapidly but still take several seasons to reach the required height. A larger rootballed Portuguese Laurel may provide substantially more screening from the day it is planted.
Consider:
Annual growth rate
Initial plant height
Initial plant width
Planting density
Required finished height
Time available
Project budget
Long-term maintenance
For faster-growing options, read our fast-growing hedging guide.
Where screening is required immediately, larger rootballed plants or instant hedge modules may be more appropriate than small, fast-growing plants.
Mature Screening Hedging
Larger rootballed or container-grown plants provide more immediate height and coverage.
Mature hedging may be useful where:
A building has recently become visible
A new extension overlooks the garden
A fence needs to be softened quickly
A development has changed the view
Smaller plants would take too long
Immediate garden structure is required
Larger plants need more careful delivery, handling, planting, support and watering. The available access should be assessed before plants are ordered.
Instant Screening Hedging
Instant hedging is supplied as established sections or modules and offers the greatest immediate density.
Installation considerations include:
Module dimensions and weight
Delivery vehicle access
Machinery access
Ground preparation
Drainage
Lifting and handling
Irrigation
Aftercare
Long-term maintenance
Instant hedging still needs to suit the soil, drainage, exposure and available space. Its larger size will not compensate for unsuitable growing conditions.
Bare-Root Screening Hedging
Bare-root hedging is generally the most economical option for long boundaries. It is normally planted during the dormant season and suits projects where the screen can establish gradually.
Mixed native hedging, Beech, Hornbeam and Hawthorn are commonly available as bare-root plants.
Bare-root plants usually provide less initial coverage than larger rootballed or container-grown hedging but can be extremely cost-effective.
Rootballed Screening Hedging
Rootballed plants are grown in nursery fields and lifted with soil retained around their roots. They are normally supplied during the dormant planting season.
Rootballed hedging is often available in larger sizes and can provide more immediate structure than bare-root plants. The rootballs can be heavy, so delivery, handling and access must be considered.
Container-Grown Screening Hedging
Container-grown plants can generally be installed throughout more of the year, provided the soil and weather conditions are suitable.
Planting during warmer periods creates a greater watering commitment. When comparing plants, consider their actual height, width and branching rather than relying solely on the container size.
Preparing the Ground
A screening hedge requires a continuous, well-prepared planting strip.
Preparation may include:
Removing turf
Removing perennial weeds
Relieving compaction
Assessing soil and drainage
Improving the wider planting area
Marking the planting line
Installing irrigation
Preparing stakes or supports
Arranging bark mulch
Digging individual holes and filling them with compost will not correct wider drainage or compaction problems. The surrounding ground must allow new roots to establish beyond the original rootball.
Read our hedge delivery, access and planting guide before ordering larger plants.
How Many Screening Plants Will I Need?
The correct spacing depends on:
Species
Plant height
Plant width
Stock type
Desired density
Single- or double-row planting
How quickly coverage is required
Using too few plants will delay screening. Planting excessively closely creates unnecessary competition and expense.
Use our guide to calculate how many plants you need for your hedge.
Irrigation and Watering
Newly planted screening hedges require reliable watering while their roots establish in the surrounding soil.
Long hedges can be difficult to water evenly by hand. A dedicated irrigation system can distribute water along the planting line, although it must still be monitored to ensure every plant receives sufficient moisture.
The correct watering frequency depends on the weather, soil, plant size and stage of establishment. Check the soil rather than relying on a fixed schedule.
Read our newly planted hedge aftercare guide for further advice.
Mulching New Screening Hedges
Bark mulch helps suppress weeds, retain moisture and protect the soil surface.
Apply mulch across the prepared planting strip, but keep it clear of the plants’ stems. Mulch should not be piled deeply against trunks or used to conceal plants that have been installed too deeply.
Keeping grass and weeds away from newly planted hedging reduces competition for water and nutrients.
Pruning a Screening Hedge
Appropriate formative pruning encourages branching and helps create density from the base of the hedge.
The correct method depends on the species. Some hedges respond well to harder pruning, while many conifers should not be cut back into old brown wood.
Do not allow a fast-growing hedge to reach far beyond its intended dimensions before beginning maintenance. Regular light trimming normally produces a denser and more manageable screen.
Delivery and Planting Access
Before ordering, assess:
Delivery vehicle access
Gate widths
Narrow paths
Steps
Sloping ground
Soft lawns or surfaces
Overhead restrictions
Distance from the unloading point
Access for machinery
Availability of water
Large rootballed and instant hedging may require mechanical handling. Restricted access can affect which plant sizes can be delivered and how the hedge can be installed.
Trees, Hedging or Fencing?
Hedging is effective at lower and middle levels, but it may not efficiently screen an upper-storey window or tall building.
A layered screening solution might include:
Hedging along the boundary
Standard specimen trees for elevated foliage
Pleached trees above a fence
Multi-stem trees within a border
Climbing plants on suitable structures
Fencing for immediate lower-level privacy
This can create screening at several heights without producing an excessively tall solid hedge.
Read our guide to choosing between trees, hedging and fencing.
Screening Hedging Supplied and Planted Across North West England
Landscaping Emporium supplies screening hedging throughout Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside, Cumbria and the wider North West.
Depending on your requirements, our service can include:
Reviewing the screening problem
Assessing the required height
Recommending suitable species
Advising on evergreen or deciduous hedging
Selecting the plant size and stock type
Calculating plant quantities
Checking delivery and planting access
Preparing the planting strip
Professional planting
Installing stakes or supports
Installing irrigation
Applying bark mulch
Providing establishment guidance
The exact service will depend on the plants, site, location and access.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best all-round hedge for screening?
Portuguese Laurel provides a strong balance of evergreen foliage, appearance and manageable growth for many gardens. However, the soil, available width, exposure and required height must still be considered.
What is the fastest hedge for screening?
Leylandii is among the fastest evergreen options. Cherry Laurel provides relatively fast broad-leaved coverage. Both create a significant long-term maintenance requirement.
What is the best premium evergreen screening hedge?
Yew is an excellent choice where appearance, longevity and control are more important than maximum growth speed. It creates a dense formal hedge but should not be planted in waterlogged ground.
What is the best screening hedge for clay soil?
Hornbeam is one of the strongest choices for heavy and moisture-retentive soil. Cherry Laurel may also tolerate clay where drainage remains adequate.
What is the best screening hedge for a narrow garden?
Yew, Privet and carefully maintained Portuguese Laurel can be more manageable than Leylandii or Cherry Laurel. The available width and required height must both be considered.
Can a hedge screen a two-storey building?
Possibly, but the hedge may need to become excessively tall. Specimen or pleached trees can provide more efficient elevated screening for upper-storey buildings and windows.
Can you provide immediate screening?
Larger rootballed plants and instant hedge modules can provide substantial immediate coverage, subject to species availability and suitable delivery access.
Do screening hedges reduce noise?
Dense planting can make a road or neighbouring property feel less intrusive, but a normal hedge should not be treated as a soundproof barrier.
How long will a screening hedge take to establish?
This depends on the species, starting size, soil, drainage, watering and aftercare. Larger plants provide more initial coverage but still require an establishment period.
Should screening hedging be planted in a single or double row?
Most formal evergreen garden hedges are planted in a single row. Double staggered rows are more commonly used for mixed native, wildlife and agricultural hedging.
Arrange Screening-Hedge Supply and Planting
To help us recommend the correct screening hedge, please send us:
Your postcode
Photographs of the unwanted view
Its approximate height and width
The proposed hedge length
The required screening height
Details of the soil and drainage
Photographs of the delivery and planting access
Your preference for evergreen or deciduous hedging
We can then advise on suitable species, plant sizes, quantities, availability, delivery and professional planting.
Call us on 01942 604976 or email hello@landscapingemporium.co.uk.
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