If you're seeking a hedge that grows fast, remains dense and evergreen all year, and requires minimal maintenance, these three hedge plants are our top recommendations. Whether you need privacy screening, a windbreak, or a living green wall, each species combines reliable growth with beautiful foliage to suit design styles from formal avenues to relaxed, naturalistic gardens. In this guide, you'll discover what makes each plant special, the best combinations for your landscape, and expert tips for planting and care so you can create a stunning, lasting boundary with ease.
1. Ficus hillii (Hill’s Weeping Fig)
Ficus hillii, commonly known as Hill’s Weeping Fig, is a standout choice for gardeners seeking a robust and visually striking evergreen hedge. With its vigorous growth habit and vibrant lime-green foliage, this species brings both elegance and practicality to a wide range of landscape styles. Renowned for its ability to create tall, dense screens in a fraction of the time compared to other hedging plants, Ficus hillii provides instant privacy and a lush backdrop year-round. Its upright yet gently weeping form adds architectural interest, making it equally at home in formal avenues or contemporary gardens. Whether you’re establishing a refined boundary or a green wall for seclusion, Ficus hillii delivers reliable results with minimal fuss.
Key Features:
- Height: 8–10m
- Width: 4–5m
- Foliage: Lush lime-green, evergreen
- Form: Upright to gently weeping
- Growth Rate: Fast
Why It’s Special:
Ficus hillii is prized for its dense, upright growth and ability to form lush, tall hedges or pleached screens. Its fast growth rate and strong recovery from pruning mean you get instant privacy and a seamless evergreen barrier with minimal effort. The elegant, glossy foliage brings a touch of luxury and structure to any garden.
Perfect Pair:
For a formal, European-inspired look, pair Ficus hillii with Laurus nobilis (Bay Laurel) or sculpted Buxus balls. In contemporary landscapes, contrast its bright foliage with Loropetalum or underplant with Lomandra for added texture, colour, and year-round structure.
Tips for Planting:
Plant Ficus hillii in full sun or part shade with well-drained soil, spacing plants about 1m apart for a seamless privacy hedge. Water regularly during establishment, then reduce as it matures. Prune two to three times a year for a dense, compact hedge that maintains its shape and vibrant appearance.
2. Waterhousia floribunda (Weeping Lilly Pilly)
Waterhousia floribunda, also known as Weeping Lilly Pilly, is a graceful Australian native celebrated for its soft, cascading foliage and refined presence in the landscape. This fast-growing evergreen is particularly valued for its ability to provide dense, luxuriant screening without appearing heavy or imposing. Its foliage emerges in attractive flushes of bronze-pink before maturing to a glossy deep green, adding dynamic seasonal colour to your garden. Waterhousia’s naturally weeping habit creates a tranquil, flowing look that is ideal for relaxed and naturalistic settings, but it also adapts beautifully to more structured designs. For gardeners seeking a hedge that combines rapid coverage with visual lightness and a touch of native elegance, Weeping Lilly Pilly is a top contender.
Key Features:
- Height: 6–10m
- Width: 3–5m
- Foliage: Glossy green with bronze-pink new growth
- Form: Dense, weeping habit
- Growth Rate: Fast
Why It’s Special:
Waterhousia floribunda stands out for its soft, cascading foliage and fast-growing, upright form that brings gentle movement and privacy to relaxed gardens. As an Australian native, it's perfect for naturalistic or wildlife-friendly designs, and its salt tolerance makes it an excellent choice for coastal landscapes as well.
Perfect Pair:
Pair Waterhousia floribunda with Syzygium ‘Resilience’ for a multi-layered native hedge, or underplant with Lomandra, Dianella, or Grevillea to add movement, colour, and habitat for birds and pollinators.
Tips for Planting:
For best growth, plant Waterhousia floribunda in full sun or part shade with moist, well-drained soil, spacing plants about 1m apart for quick screening. Mulch well, water regularly during establishment, and prune lightly after each flush to encourage bushy growth and colourful new leaves.
3. Cupressus × leylandii ‘Leighton Green’ (Leighton Green Cypress)
Cupressus × leylandii ‘Leighton Green’, commonly known as Leighton Green Cypress, is a powerhouse hedging conifer prized for its exceptional growth rate and resilience. This upright, conical evergreen quickly forms a thick, impenetrable screen, making it the go-to solution for those needing instant privacy or wind protection. Notably tolerant of cold, wind, and challenging environmental conditions, Leighton Green thrives where many other hedges would struggle. Its finely textured green foliage and statuesque form bring a classic, stately look to large gardens, country properties, or anywhere a bold boundary is required. For those wanting a living wall in record time, Leighton Green Cypress stands out as a reliable and dramatic choice.
Key Features:
- Height: 8–12m
- Width: 3–4m
- Foliage: Dense green with fine texture
- Form: Upright, conical
- Growth Rate: Very fast
Why It’s Special:
Leighton Green Cypress is a powerhouse conifer renowned for growing over a metre a year, quickly forming a dense, upright screen or windbreak. Its resilience to cold, wind, and poor soils makes it ideal for large gardens, rural properties, and exposed boundaries where instant privacy and shelter are needed.
Perfect Pair:
For a Mediterranean-inspired landscape, combine Leighton Green Cypress with Olive trees or Lavender. For a softer, layered effect, pair with Pittosporum, Westringia, or use as a backdrop for deciduous flowering trees like Crepe Myrtle.
Tips for Planting:
Plant Leighton Green Cypress in full sun and well-drained soil, with 1m spacing for a solid hedge or shelterbelt. Water consistently through the first year, then only during dry spells. Prune once a year in late winter or early spring to maintain density and shape, avoiding cuts into old wood for best results.
Final Thoughts
Fast-growing, low-maintenance hedges are the secret to creating privacy, structure, and lush green boundaries—without a long wait. With the right species and a little care, you can enjoy instant screening and lasting curb appeal, whether you’re after a formal look or a relaxed, wildlife-friendly space.
- Choose Ficus hillii for formal or pleached hedges that make a statement.
- Choose Waterhousia floribunda if you want softer lines, native planting, or a privacy hedge that sways with the breeze.
- Choose Leighton Green Cypress when you need the fastest-growing, frost-tolerant screen for large boundaries or wind-prone sites.
All three species are available now at Evergreen Trees Direct and are ready to plant and thrive in your garden this season.
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