If you want year-round privacy, an evergreen hedge is often better than a fence on its own. The trick is choosing a plant that suits your garden, your maintenance appetite and the height you actually need.
Evergreen hedge short list
- Yew – formal, long-lived and easy to maintain once established.
- Portuguese laurel – smart leaves, good for 1.5–3m hedges.
- Griselinia – softer look, ideal for coastal and milder areas.
- Privet – versatile, fast to establish and easy to shape.
Yew (Taxus baccata)
A classic hedge for neat, formal gardens.
- Best height: from around 1.2m up to tall screens.
- Pros: dense, clips very neatly, slow growth once mature.
- Cons: poisonous if eaten; needs good drainage; slower to establish.
Portuguese laurel (Prunus lusitanica)
A tidier, smaller-leaved alternative to common cherry laurel.
- Best height: 1.5–3m.
- Pros: evergreen, glossy leaves, responds well to clipping.
- Cons: still needs regular trimming in strong growth conditions.
Griselinia littoralis
Lime-green, evergreen hedge often used in milder parts of the UK.
- Best height: around 1.5–2.5m.
- Pros: fast to establish, soft look, good for coastal areas.
- Cons: can struggle in very cold inland spots; may need extra care in harsh winters.
Privet (Ligustrum)
A traditional, versatile hedge that still works well in many gardens.
- Best height: roughly 1–2m.
- Pros: quick to fill, clips neatly, copes with many soils.
- Cons: can look leggy if trimmed too hard at the wrong time.
Summary
The best evergreen hedge for you depends on space, soil and how much time you want to spend maintaining it. It is often worth planting fewer, better-chosen plants and looking after them well, rather than a long line of the fastest-growing option.
If you are in Staffordshire and would like help choosing, planting or maintaining evergreen hedges, we can advise and do the hard work. Get in touch for a no-obligation quote.