Why Are Conifers Good For Privacy Hedge?

Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 08:26 pm

When you see a hedge planted in a garden to protect the privacy of the garden owners, it is usually a conifer hedge. In fact, conifers may be the best hedge plants available to create a privacy hedge. But why are conifers good for privacy hedges? Therefore, we will first look at the characteristics of different conifer species. Then it will quickly become clear why conifers are ideal hedge plants with which you can protect your garden from gazes.

Most conifers are evergreen

If you prefer that no one can see into your garden all year round, then of course it is distinctly pleasant if your hedge has leaves at all times of the year. Bare branches can, of course, theoretically grow quite close together so that you can’t see through them, but there are few hedge plants that are so heavily branched. Evergreen hedge plants that can grow one to two feet tall are therefore often a better option. A major advantage of conifers is that most hedge conifers retain their leaves in winter. Only the virgin sequoia will shed its needles in winter.

De Leyland cypress, the mock cypress, the arbor vitae and the yew are popular when it comes to evergreen conifer hedges. With the yew, be aware that it can grow two feet tall, but its slow growth means it takes a while. However, if you use a ready-made hedge with a height of 1.80 meters or higher, then everything will go much faster. However, if you want to have an inexpensive privacy hedge relatively quickly, then you should plant a Leyland cypress hedge or a mock cypress hedge at the edge of your garden, because these species of conifers grow quickly, especially the Leyland cypress, therefore, the result you want will be achieved quickly.

Conifer hedges are compact and opaque.

Of course, it is good if the conifer hedge remains green throughout the year. But if the branches grow far apart and the hedge is rather open, then it is not opaque. So a strong branching is also helpful to protect the privacy in your garden. This is exactly why beech and hornbeam, for example, are also good hedge plants for a privacy hedge, even if they are deciduous. If you prune your hedge every year, it will also become more compact over the years. In fact, pruning encourages branching right where you cut the hedge.

Many conifers are already quite branchy and compact on their own. In addition, most conifers have a fast growth rate, so they should also be pruned back regularly. You should definitely do this, too, because there are almost no conifer species that can be cut back to the old wood. Yew is an exception here, but if you don’t trim your cypress hedge often enough, for example, you’ll quickly end up with bare or brown spots in your hedge that won’t recover. Regular pruning has the advantage of stimulating branching in your hedge.

However, be aware that because a Leyland cypress is particularly fast growing, it is not automatically the best option right away if you want to create a compact and opaque hedge in your yard fairly quickly. After two to three years, however, a Leyland cypress will already be at eye level, but in the first period a Leyland cypress hedge has a much more open growth than, for example, a mock cypress hedge or a arborvitae hedge, which, by the way, is also often called a Thuja hedge.

What should I look for when buying a conifer hedge?

So conifers are quite good for protecting your garden, but there are still some things you should consider when buying a conifer hedge. We’ve already talked about trimming your conifer hedges in this blog article. However, if you don’t have too much time to spend on maintaining your hedge, then you shouldn’t plant a conifer hedge in your yard. Also, it is important that you make sure in advance that the conditions in your garden are suitable for a conifer hedge to grow and thrive well in your garden.

This is because there are certain environmental requirements that apply to almost every conifer species. Wet garden soils, for example, are not suitable for conifers. However, the primeval redwood is an exception here, but this tree does not lose its needles, we had already mentioned. However, some soil types can be drained, but if you have, for example, a heavy clay soil in the garden, then you can better plant a hornbeam hedge and then also cut it back regularly. Dry soil types are also unfavorable, because plant roots need water. So always give your plants enough water, but you should be careful with a dry sandy soil.

Where can I find conifers for my privacy hedge?

Many garden centers offer conifers, but then you are dependent on what these garden centers have on offer at the moment. . Have you already found the perfect hedge for your garden?