Privacy comes from the right trees in the right places. An evergreen hedge along a boundary, a dense feature near a window, a softer screen between two outdoor rooms. Done well, the planting reads as part of the garden rather than a wall. Here are five evergreen trees we recommend for privacy in Australian backyards.
Why evergreen trees work for privacy
Evergreen trees hold foliage year round, so the screen holds form in winter. The right species also give dense growth from the base up, so privacy is genuine at sitting and standing heights rather than only at canopy level. Each of the five below is reliable, low maintenance once established, and useful in most Australian climates.
1. Ficus Hillii
Ficus Hillii is the fastest dense screen available. Glossy dark green foliage, a tight upright habit, and the easiest of the screening trees to train into a clean tall hedge along a boundary. Trim two or three times a year to keep the form crisp.
Plant at 1 to 1.5m centres for fast fill. Vigorous roots are a feature - managed with regular pruning, they reward you with fast, full-bodied growth.
2. Waterhousea floribunda — Weeping Lilly Pilly
Weeping Lilly Pilly is an Australian native screening tree with a soft cascading habit. Glossy dark green foliage drapes from the canopy and creates an informal yet dense privacy screen along a boundary. Slightly softer feel than Ficus Hillii.
Suits coastal sites and bird friendly plantings. Mulch well and water deeply through the first two summers.
3. Magnolia grandiflora 'Coolwyn Gloss' — Coolwyn Gloss Magnolia
Coolwyn Gloss is the screening tree that doubles as a feature. Glossy dark green foliage with bronze undersides, dense growth right to the ground, and large fragrant white summer flowers. Useful where you want privacy and a flowering display.
Light shaping while young. Water deeply through dry summers in the first two years.
4. Laurus nobilis — Bay Tree
Bay is a classic Mediterranean evergreen that doubles as a kitchen herb. Dense glossy foliage, a calm upright form, and a fragrant aromatic quality that suits courtyards and boundary planting. Can be pruned to desired height as a formal hedge or kept loose as a screen.
Shape in late winter or early spring. Bay prefers free-draining sites.
5. Murraya paniculata — Orange Jasmine
Murraya is the cleanest low to mid privacy hedge available. Glossy dark green foliage, fragrant white flowers through the warmer months, and an even dense form that takes shaping easily.
Useful planted in front of a taller hedge for a layered privacy screen. Trim two or three times a year for the tightest result.
Planting tips for evergreen privacy
Mark out the line with a string and a stake at each end. Plant at the centres recommended for the species. Water deeply through the first two summers. Mulch out to the drip line each year to keep roots cool and feed the soil.
Trim regularly from the second year. A hedge that is shaped from young keeps its form for decades.
FAQs
How long until a screen fills out?
Ficus Hillii will fill a screen within 12 to 18 months from 40cm pots. Coolwyn Gloss and Waterhousea take two to three years. Bay and Murraya are best planted at higher density for a faster effect.
Are these trees coastal tolerant?
Waterhousea floribunda and Magnolia Coolwyn Gloss handle coastal exposure well. Ficus Hillii prefers sheltered sites. Bay and Murraya cope with mild coastal winds.
How often should an evergreen hedge be trimmed?
Twice a year is the standard for Ficus Hillii, Murraya and Bay. Coolwyn Gloss and Waterhousea need only once a year for shaping.
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