Privacy Hedging: Adding Seclusion with Style

Privacy hedging isn't just a boundary—it's a living wall that brings peace, softens sound, and adds a refined layer of natural charm to your garden. Whether you're hoping to block out unwanted views or create a calming retreat, the right plants can completely re-define your outdoor space. 

Beyond good looks, privacy hedging serves many practical roles:

• Seclusion - Creates a barrier between your home and garden, and the outside world. No prying eyes!
• Noise Reduction - Dense greenery helps muffle street noise or noise from other gardens.
• Wind Protection - Acts as a buffer against strong gusts and helps to regulate and reduce the airflow coming through.
• Visual Interest - Structured hedges bring shape, colour and texture to your outdoor space
• Wildlife Friendly - Provides shelter and food for birds, pollinators, and other small creatures, promoting bio-diversity.

Before you embark on your privacy hedging journey, there are a few things to bear in mind in terms of which hedge is right for you and how high a hedge is ok for your intended boundary. Here are our top points to consider to help you choose the right species plus how to stay on the right side of the law - and neighbours!

• Growth Speed & Maintenance: Fast growers need more upkeep, but will grow to height quicker.
• Sunlight & Orientation: Consider possible shadow impact on your or neighbours’ gardens. No-one wants to give up their sunshine or have darkened rooms.
• Soil & Drainage: Choose species that suit your garden’s soil profile. If you have waterlogged soil for exmaple, you need the right species to handle those conditions.
• Wind Exposure: In exposed spots, hardy varieties work best. Not all hedges will handle exposed locations.
• Space: Give plants room to grow to their full potential. If the space isn't adequate, growth can be stunted. Bye-bye privacy hedge!
• Pets & Wildlife: Some species are toxic; others benefit biodiversity. An important consideration if you have pets, or if you want to attract wildlife.
• Budget: Weigh both up-front planting costs and ongoing care. Hedges are an investment so there are always ongoing costs, but the benefits are numerous. Make sure you can afford the initial purchase and the upkeep or your hedge may not thrive and grow as you intend.

As helpful as hedges are, they come with responsibilities—especially where neighbours are concerned.

What UK Law Says:
According to the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 in England and Wales:

• Hedges above 2 metres can lead to official complaints.
• They're considered problematic if they block light or access.
• Only applies to hedges mainly made up of evergreen or semi-evergreen plants (like Laurel or Leylandii)
• Note: This law doesn’t apply to single trees or fully deciduous hedges (like Beech or Hornbeam), though they might still cause tension if unmanaged.

How to approach this to keep neighbours happy:

• Talk it through: Let neighbours know your planting intentions, especially near shared boundaries.
• Be selective: Choose slower growers or lower-maintenance varieties to avoid future issues.
• Keep it tidy: Yearly trimming helps prevent overgrowth and keeps everyone happy.

Any hedge will afford you a degree of privacy but we have our top recommendations for those that always get the job done properly. Generally all of these are fast-growing species but are still reasonable on the maintenance requirements and don't require a lot of help to grow. Many are native species, which are already adjusted to our climate and soils so will thrive in most gardens.

Here are some standout choices based on appearance, growth and care needs:

• Hornbeam Hedging (Carpinus betulus) - Known for its lush green serrated leaves that make a dense screen, bringing privacy and security to your garden, as well as providing an effective barrier against noise and wind. Native hedge.
• Green Beech Hedging (Fagus sylvatica) - Admired for its magnificent foliage, the ever-popular native green beech hedge is bursting with fluttery leaves of a delicate golden-green colour that gradually brighten before turning a rich copper colour in autumn. The leaves remain on the branches until new growth pushes through in spring. Good for formal hedging.
• Purple or Copper Beech Hedging (Fagus sylvatica 'Purpurea') - Deciduous native hedging plant that will add year-round interest to your garden with its beautiful range of rich colours throughout the year. As with Green Beech, it retains its autumnal leaves to provide some leaf cover through winter. 
• English Yew Hedging (Taxus baccata) - This evergreen hedge offers more than just privacy; it forms a thick, natural barrier against external noise, wind, and pollution that’s perfect for formal garden settings or spaces. It can also be shaped easily!
• Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata 'Atrovirens') - A popular alternative to Leylandii hedging, as it is slightly slower growing but still provides a dense, evergreen, conifer hedge - and it's scented too!
• Leylandii (Cupressocyparis leylandii) - Leylandii is a fast-growing, dense hedge plant that has the quickest growth rate of approximately 75-90cm per year, a go-to for rapid results. Despite its growth rate and reputation, it's actually quite easy to maintain but must be kept in check.
• Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus 'Rotundifolia') - A true evergreen staple of any British garden, Cherry Laurel is a fast-growing, dense, evergreen hedge bursting with glossy, vibrant green leaves. An all time UK garden favourite.
• Golden Privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium 'Aureum') - A widely grown, colourful, semi evergreen hedge with green-golden variegated foliage to give a vivd pop to boundaries. Generally evergreen but may lose some of its leaves in very hard winters or coastal areas.

These are just some of the best varieties for privacy hedging and with the right match, your hedge can be both a feature and a function, adding beauty, calm and privacy.

Well, luckily there are lots of available alternatives to a traditional hedge which can still give you privacy in your outdoor space and that cater for smaller gardens or more urban spaces like yards, patios or even balconies.

In summary, a privacy hedge is not only a more attractive and environmentally responsible choice—it also offers excellent practical benefits, combining beauty with function in a way that rigid barriers can't match.

Privacy hedging (or screening) is a beautiful and natural way to create a more secluded, peaceful garden. However, it’s essential to:

• Choose species that suit your site conditions.
• Maintain them responsibly.
• Be mindful of how they affect those living around you.

A well-considered hedge can enhance your space and foster good neighbourly relations—without crossing any lines!