The first two years decide how a privacy tree performs for the next twenty. Get the planting right, get the watering schedule right, and the trees can be largely left alone after that. Here is the practical care guide we share with customers, alongside the five privacy species we recommend most.
Choosing the right tree
Match the species to the site. Tight formal hedge along a boundary, soft native screen between two outdoor rooms, or a flowering Magnolia as both privacy and feature. Each works in a different setting.
1. Ficus Hillii
Ficus Hillii is the most reliable dense privacy hedge tree. Fast growth, glossy foliage and easy to train into a tight clean form for any boundary.
Plant at 1 to 1.5m centres. Vigorous roots are a feature - managed with regular pruning, they reward you with fast, dense growth.
2. Waterhousea floribunda — Weeping Lilly Pilly
Weeping Lilly Pilly is the softer native screening tree. Glossy dark green foliage drapes from the canopy and creates a dense yet informal privacy screen.
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 foliage, dense growth to the ground, and large fragrant white summer flowers.
Water deeply through dry summers in the first two years.
4. Laurus nobilis — Bay Tree
Bay is a classic Mediterranean evergreen that doubles as kitchen herb. Dense glossy foliage, calm upright form, takes shaping easily.
Shape in late winter or early spring.
5. Murraya paniculata — Orange Jasmine
Murraya is the cleanest low to mid privacy hedge. Glossy dark green foliage, fragrant white flowers through the warmer months, and an even dense form.
Trim two or three times a year for the tightest result.
Planting
Dig the hole twice as wide as the rootball and only as deep. Soak the rootball in water for half an hour before planting. Backfill with soil and water in well. Mulch out to 30cm beyond the rootball.
Watering and feeding
Water deeply twice a week through the first summer. Once or twice a week through the second summer. Drop back to once a week if conditions stay dry. Feed in early spring with a slow release fertiliser.
Pruning
Light formative pruning in the first year. Begin shaping from the second year. Trim two or three times a year for hedges. Light shaping only for feature trees.
FAQs
How long until a screen fills out?
Ficus Hillii will fill within 12 to 18 months. Coolwyn Gloss and Waterhousea take two to three years.
How often should I water a new tree?
Twice a week through the first summer. Once a week thereafter unless conditions stay dry.
When should I prune?
Late winter or early spring for most species. Light shaping in late autumn.
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