Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges

Lilly Pilly (Acmena varieties)

Sweet Viburnum (Viburnum odoratissimum)

Lilly Pilly is one of the most popular hedging plants in Melbourne, loved for its glossy green leaves and colourful flushes of new pink or red growth. It’s fast-growing, making it ideal for privacy screens and tall garden boundaries. With regular shaping, it forms a dense, attractive hedge that looks great year-round.

Sweet Viburnum (Viburnum odoratissimum)

Sweet Viburnum is a hardy, fast-growing evergreen hedge that thrives in Melbourne’s climate. Its lush green foliage creates excellent privacy and even helps reduce street noise. With consistent trimming, it develops into a thick, stylish screen that works in both modern and traditional gardens.

Murraya (Orange Jessamine)

Sweet Viburnum (Viburnum odoratissimum)

Murraya (Orange Jessamine)

Murraya is a favourite for hedging because of its vibrant green foliage and sweetly scented white flowers. It grows quickly and responds beautifully to trimming, making it easy to maintain at the height and shape you want. Perfect for adding fragrance and elegance to outdoor spaces.

Photinia (Red Robin)

Sweet Viburnum (Viburnum odoratissimum)

Murraya (Orange Jessamine)

Photinia is striking for its brilliant red new growth, which contrasts beautifully with its darker mature leaves. It’s a vigorous, fast-growing hedge that provides excellent coverage. With regular pruning, you’ll enjoy a continuous flush of bright colour alongside reliable privacy.

Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

Leyland Cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii)

Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

Cherry Laurel is an adaptable, evergreen hedge well-suited to Melbourne conditions. It grows quickly and forms a dense wall of glossy green foliage. Perfect for larger gardens or boundary hedges, it also tolerates partial shade, making it versatile across different settings.

Privet (Ligustrum undulatum)

Leyland Cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii)

Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

Privet is a classic, fast-growing hedge that delivers dense coverage quickly. Its small, glossy green leaves form a thick wall of foliage, making it ideal for privacy screens. Adaptable to Melbourne’s conditions, it establishes rapidly and responds well to shaping.

Leyland Cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii)

Leyland Cypress is one of the fastest-growing screening plants, often chosen for large properties needing tall, dense hedges. With its feathery evergreen foliage, it creates a strong windbreak or privacy wall. It thrives in Melbourne’s conditions and establishes quickly, forming an impressive green barrier.

Mock Orange (Choisya ternata)

Leyland Cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii)

Mock Orange is a fast-growing shrub that doubles as a beautiful hedge. Its glossy foliage and fragrant white flowers make it both practical and decorative. Quick to establish, it’s a reliable choice for medium-sized privacy hedges with added seasonal interest.

Formal & Structured Hedges

Box (Buxus varieties)

Pittosporum tenuifolium (Silver Sheen)

Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata)

Box is the classic choice for formal hedges. Its small, dense leaves and compact growth habit make it perfect for crisp, neat lines. While slower to grow, it rewards patient care with timeless elegance, making it a staple in structured gardens and pathways.

Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata)

Pittosporum tenuifolium (Silver Sheen)

Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata)

Japanese Holly is a popular alternative to box, offering the same refined look with fewer pest issues. Its small, dark-green leaves and compact growth make it ideal for borders or clipped shapes. It thrives in sun or light shade and creates a polished, formal appearance.

Euonymus japonicus (Tom Thumb)

Pittosporum tenuifolium (Silver Sheen)

Euonymus brings a splash of colour to hedges, with vibrant green or variegated foliage. It forms a dense, evergreen hedge that suits both borders and feature plantings. Compact and easy to maintain, it’s a reliable option for neat, small-scale hedging.

Pittosporum tenuifolium (Silver Sheen)

Pittosporum is widely used in Melbourne for tall hedging. Varieties like ‘Silver Sheen’ have light, airy foliage that adds texture and contrast. It grows quickly and forms an elegant screen, perfect for modern homes where a sleek, upright hedge is desired.

Flowering Hedges

Camellia (sasanqua varieties)

Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon)

Camellia (sasanqua varieties)

Camellias are stunning hedges that bring winter colour to the garden. With glossy evergreen leaves and showy blooms, they make excellent screening plants in semi-shaded areas. Their flowers brighten up the cooler months, while their dense foliage provides year-round structure.

Gardenia (Radicans)

Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon)

Camellia (sasanqua varieties)

Gardenia ‘Radicans’ is a compact, low hedge that’s ideal for pathways and front gardens. Loved for its glossy leaves and intensely fragrant white flowers, it creates a luxurious feel in the garden. With light trimming, it maintains a neat, rounded form.

Escallonia (Apple Blossom)

Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon)

Escallonia is a colourful hedging plant that produces masses of pink or white flowers through the warmer months. It grows quickly into a dense hedge and works beautifully as a screening plant with added floral interest. Its foliage remains attractive even outside of flowering season.

Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon)

Hibiscus adds a tropical touch with its large, colourful flowers in summer. It forms a tall, informal hedge with plenty of character. Hardy in full sun, it’s an eye-catching choice for those who want screening with seasonal impact.

Native Australian Hedges

Westringia (Coastal Rosemary)

Bottlebrush (Callistemon varieties)

Westringia is one of the most dependable native hedge plants. Its grey-green foliage and small white flowers suit coastal and suburban gardens alike. Hardy and drought-tolerant, it creates a soft yet structured hedge that blends seamlessly into Australian landscapes.

Bottlebrush (Callistemon varieties)

Bottlebrush hedges are famous for their vibrant red blooms and ability to attract birds. A fast-growing native, they make fantastic screening plants while adding colour and energy to the garden. Regular trimming after flowering helps keep them compact and healthy.

Grevillea (compact forms)

Bottlebrush (Callistemon varieties)

Dodonaea viscosa (Purple Hop Bush)

Compact Grevilleas are excellent hedging plants that provide both colour and wildlife habitat. Their fine foliage and vibrant flowers make them ideal for informal screens. They’re hardy and thrive in Melbourne’s conditions, adding life and movement to the garden.

Dodonaea viscosa (Purple Hop Bush)

Bottlebrush (Callistemon varieties)

Dodonaea viscosa (Purple Hop Bush)

The Purple Hop Bush stands out with its striking purple-bronze foliage, which brings colour and contrast to hedges. A hardy native, it grows well in a range of soils and creates a dense screen with minimal fuss.

Correa alba

Callistemon viminalis (Weeping Bottlebrush)

Acacia longifolia (Sydney Golden Wattle)

Correa alba is a hardy, coastal-friendly native with silvery foliage and delicate star-shaped flowers. It’s an excellent choice for windy or exposed gardens. Compact and resilient, it provides year-round interest with little maintenance.

Acacia longifolia (Sydney Golden Wattle)

Callistemon viminalis (Weeping Bottlebrush)

Acacia longifolia (Sydney Golden Wattle)

A striking Australian native, Acacia longifolia produces masses of golden-yellow flowers in late winter and spring. It’s fast-growing and makes an excellent informal hedge or screen. Hardy and adaptable, it thrives in Melbourne’s sandy or loamy soils and brings seasonal colour to the garden.

Callistemon viminalis (Weeping Bottlebrush)

A compact bottlebrush variety, ‘Captain Cook’ has vibrant red flowers that attract birds and pollinators. It’s perfect for smaller gardens needing a hardy, colourful native hedge. With light trimming, it forms a neat, rounded screen that bursts into bloom in spring and summer.

Syzygium australe ‘Resilience’

Callistemon viminalis (Weeping Bottlebrush)

A native Lilly Pilly variety bred for toughness, ‘Resilience’ is resistant to pests like psyllids and thrives in Melbourne’s conditions. With glossy green leaves and flushes of coppery new growth, it creates a dense, fast-growing hedge that’s both hardy and stylish.

Low-Maintenance & Hardy Options

Lomandra longifolia (Mat Rush)

Portuguese Laurel (Prunus lusitanica)

Acacia cognata (Dwarf varieties)

Lomandra is a tough, grass-like plant that makes an excellent low hedge or border. Its strappy evergreen leaves create a clean, modern look. Extremely drought-tolerant and low-care, it’s perfect for low-maintenance gardens.

Acacia cognata (Dwarf varieties)

Portuguese Laurel (Prunus lusitanica)

Acacia cognata (Dwarf varieties)

Dwarf Acacia cognata varieties are prized for their soft, flowing foliage. They create lush, weeping hedges that are both hardy and elegant. Minimal trimming is required to maintain their shape, making them ideal for easy-care gardens with style.

Olive (Olea europaea)

Portuguese Laurel (Prunus lusitanica)

Olive trees aren’t just for fruit — they also make fantastic hardy hedges. With their silvery-green foliage and Mediterranean look, they create a stylish, drought-tolerant screen. Very low-maintenance once established, they thrive in Melbourne’s climate and add a touch of elegance to any garden.

Portuguese Laurel (Prunus lusitanica)

Portuguese Laurel is a tough, versatile evergreen that forms a dense hedge with minimal care. Its deep green leaves and red stems give it a rich, attractive look. Adaptable to most soils and conditions, it’s an excellent choice for a durable, easy-care hedge in Melbourne gardens.