If your garden experiences regular frosts, selecting the right hedging plants is essential for a resilient and attractive landscape. Frost damage can hinder growth, alter the shape of your plants, and compromise the long-term success of your garden.
Finding the right hedge for cold climates can be challenging, with frost and snow posing a threat to many common plants. That’s why our expert team has curated a list of the most reliable, frost-hardy evergreen hedges, ideal for creating long-lasting privacy, windbreaks, and vibrant structure in both residential and commercial gardens, all year round.
Fortunately, there are several cold-hardy, evergreen hedging options that tolerate and even thrive in the coldest climates. This guide explores the top frost-tolerant hedges for cold climates and provides expert tips for achieving year-round privacy, windbreak, wildlife-friendly screening, and structure in your winter garden using the best hedges for cold climates.
Frost-tolerant hedges offer:
- Year-round privacy and structure, even in harsh winters
- Effective windbreaks for garden protection
- Attractive evergreen foliage for winter interest
- Shelter for wildlife during colder months
- Low-maintenance, long-lasting resilience
1. Juniperus ‘Spartan’
Juniperus ‘Spartan’ is one of the best frost-hardy conifers for cold climates, offering a visually striking yet low-maintenance evergreen privacy hedge for winter gardens. This narrow, upright conifer maintains its rich green colour and tidy structure throughout the year, providing consistent visual appeal and cold tolerance even in the coldest months. Its compact form is especially suited to modern landscapes, small gardens, and driveways where space is at a premium. Beyond its resilience, ‘Spartan’ brings a sense of order and elegance to any setting, making it perfect for those desiring both style and function in their hedging design.
Key Features:
- Mature Height: 3–4m
- Mature Width: 1–1.5m
- Foliage: Dense, rich green
- Growth Habit: Columnar and fast-growing
Why It’s Special:
Juniperus ‘Spartan’ is one of the most frost-hardy, low-maintenance conifers available for cold climate hedging. Its neat structure makes it ideal for clipped evergreen hedging, driveway borders, and symmetrical garden design, providing reliable winter garden screening and year-round structure.
Perfect Pair:
Pairs well with low-growing evergreens such as Buxus microphylla, dwarf pines, or spreading junipers to create a layered, frost-tolerant hedge. For extra winter color, consider underplanting with heathers or hellebores; this combination highlights structure and keeps the landscape lively even in the colder months.
Tips for Planting:
Space at 1m intervals for a dense, tidy hedge. Plant in full sun or part shade with well-drained soil, and enrich heavy soils with compost. Water regularly in the first year to establish strong roots, then reduce. Prune yearly in late winter for a neat, bushy look and to encourage healthy new growth.
2. Cupressus sempervirens ‘Glauca’ (Pencil Pines)
Cupressus sempervirens ‘Glauca’, commonly known as the Pencil Pine, is celebrated for being one of the best cold climate hedges due to its tall, slender silhouette and striking blue-green evergreen foliage. This frost-resistant conifer adds instant drama and architectural presence to gardens, especially when planted in rows for screening or as a bold accent along pathways. Its unique form evokes classic Mediterranean gardens and formal European landscapes, but it is equally at home in contemporary designs. Exceptionally robust in cold climates, this variety delivers both visual impact and practical windbreak, making it a staple for winter garden screening in frost-prone areas.
Key Features:
- Mature Height: 8–10m
- Mature Width: 1–1.5m
- Foliage: Silvery-blue, fine-textured
- Growth Habit: Tall and narrow
Why It’s Special:
These Pencil Pines are extremely cold-hardy and provide instant vertical interest and evergreen privacy screening in frosty zones. When planted tightly, they form a dense windbreak or year-round privacy hedge, perfect for snowy and cold-prone regions.
Perfect Pair:
Pairs perfectly with flowering underplanting such as Lavandula dentata, clipped Laurus nobilis, or rosemary for a Mediterranean touch and color. Add tulips or alliums for extra spring color at the base and a boost of pollinator activity.
Tips for Planting:
Plant at a spacing of 70–90cm for a dense, upright screen in full sun and well-drained soil. Water regularly during the first year and mulch to retain moisture and discourage weeds. Lightly trim in late winter to maintain a tidy, vertical shape.
3. Cupressus ‘Better Green’
‘Better Green’ is a vigorous, upright conifer that shines in gardens where rapid growth and privacy are top priorities, especially in cold climates. This selection fills out quickly to form dense, lush evergreen walls, offering year-round privacy, windbreak, and shelter even in the chilliest climates. Its soft-textured foliage and robust structure make it a versatile choice for both informal and formal frost-hardy hedging. Not only does it withstand frosty winters with ease, but it also creates an attractive, living backdrop that enhances the beauty, function, and winter garden structure of any outdoor space.
Key Features:
- Mature Height: 5–8m
- Mature Width: 2–3m
- Foliage: Rich green, soft textured
- Growth Habit: Upright and vigorous
Why It’s Special:
Perfect Pair:
Pairs perfectly with Portuguese Laurel for added textural contrast and a robust, winter-hardy hedge. For more interest, mix in native grasses or viburnums, adding wildlife value and a softer, layered look.
Tips for Planting:
Space at 1m intervals for a lush, fast-growing hedge. Plant in full sun in enriched soil, water well to establish, and mulch to protect roots. Lightly clip in late winter to encourage bushy, dense growth and improve screening.
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4. Prunus lusitanica (Portuguese Laurel)
Prunus lusitanica, or Portuguese Laurel, is a distinguished evergreen hedge prized for its lush, glossy green foliage and striking red stems—making it a top choice among cold-hardy hedging plants. This broadleaf species brings a luxurious, sophisticated feel to gardens, while its dense growth habit ensures privacy, windbreak, and screening throughout the seasons. Adaptable and resilient, Portuguese Laurel thrives in challenging, frost-prone conditions, making it an excellent option for exposed and cold-climate sites. Its classic appearance and tolerance for pruning allow it to be tailored for both traditional and contemporary landscapes, ensuring year-round privacy and structure.
Key Features:
- Mature Height: 3–5m
- Mature Width: 2–3m
- Foliage: Glossy green with reddish petioles
- Growth Habit: Dense and upright
Why It’s Special:
Portuguese Laurel tolerates heavy frost, wind, and cold climates, making it a popular choice in inland, elevated, and snowy regions. It also lends itself well to shaping and creates a classic, formal evergreen hedge, ideal for winter garden privacy and structure.
Perfect Pair:
Pairs perfectly with clipped conifers such as Juniperus ‘Spartan’ or upright olives for a Mediterranean effect. Add blue fescue or snowdrops for seasonal texture and color, making the hedge more dynamic and wildlife-friendly.
Tips for Planting:
Best in sun to part shade, spacing 80cm to 1m apart for a dense, formal hedge. Improve drainage with compost if needed and mulch after planting. Prune after flowering and again in late summer to keep the hedge compact, healthy, and looking its best.
5. Olea europaea ‘Tolley's Upright’ (Upright Olive)
Olea europaea ‘Tolley's Upright’ is an exceptional, cold-tolerant olive tree selection renowned for its upright, columnar habit and remarkable frost resilience. Unlike many traditional olive varieties, this variety has been bred to withstand frosty conditions, making it a unique and valuable choice among evergreen hedges for gardens in cooler climates. Its elegant, narrow grey-green leaves and strong vertical growth create a refined hedge or specimen feature that brings Mediterranean charm and year-round structure to even the coldest winter gardens. Beyond its ornamental appeal, ‘Tolley's Upright’ offers gardeners an unexpected combination of hardiness, beauty, and reliable privacy screening in cold climates.
Key Features:
- Mature Height: 4–6m
- Mature Width: 2–3m
- Foliage: Grey-green, narrow
- Growth Habit: Upright and columnar
Why It’s Special:
Unlike many olives, ‘Tolleys Upright’ performs exceptionally well as a frost-resistant, drought-tolerant evergreen hedge in cold-prone and snowy regions. Its formal shape lends well to modern designs, and its resilience makes it a go-to choice for winter garden screening and privacy in cold climates.
Perfect Pair:
Pairs perfectly with Cupressus ‘Glauca’ for striking vertical lines and a bold, modern look. Underplant with lavender or thyme for Mediterranean flair and year-round color contrast.
Tips for Planting:
Plant in full sun with excellent drainage, spacing 1m apart for a dense hedge or specimen row. Amend soil with grit if needed and water deeply the first two years. Lightly trim after flowering or in early spring to keep a tidy shape, or leave natural for a relaxed look. Mulch annually to protect roots from winter cold.
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Final Thoughts
- Assess your site’s sun, wind, and soil
- Select cold-hardy varieties suited to your climate
- Prepare soil well and mulch to conserve moisture
- Water regularly during establishment
- Prune annually for shape and bushiness
