Hedges and green fences are environmentally friendly and attractive alternatives to traditional fencing. Hedges provide privacy, create welcome shade during the summer months, fit seamlessly in both formal and more casual landscapes, and can be surprisingly affordable. If you’re thinking of sprucing up your Orlando home with hedges, here are our top five planting picks.
Sweet Viburnum
With dark green, glossy leaves and clusters of small, fragrant white flowers, sweet viburnum does double-duty as a landscape hedge. Fast growing and with an upright habit, this hardy hedge is our favorite for Orlando gardeners who are looking for rapid results.
Pros:
- Fast, full growth for quick coverage
Cons:
- Requires frequent shearing or trimming
Podocarpus
Slow growing but with staying power, podocarpus is a premium shrub that is often seen in high-end Orlando neighborhoods. Also known as yew pine, the podocarpus is an upright evergreen with masses of long, narrow leaves that resemble flattened needles, and is often used to create tall, formal hedges.
Pros:
- Low maintenance; rarely needs pruning; stays full
Cons:
- True hedges take time to develop, although shorter spacing between specimens yields faster coverage
Viburnum Suspensum
Shorter and fuller than sweet viburnum, viburnum suspensum is an evergreen with a low, compact form and rambling growth habit. Trimmed up into a formal hedge or allowed to spread naturally in more free-form gardens, the dark green and leathery foliage provides an excellent backdrop for annuals or other colorful plantings.
Pros:
- Inexpensive; readily available; easy to grow
Cons:
- Prefers sandy, well-drained soils and is susceptible to fungus in wet environments; not cold hardy
Dwarf burfordi
This holly variety is notable for its dense, bright green foliage. Small, fragrant white flowers appear in the spring and are followed by festive red berries. Dwarf burfordi can be grown in rows to create a hedge, or used as a specimen and trimmed into topiary shapes.
Pros:
- Year-round interest; attractive to birds
Cons:
- Requires careful planting; may be susceptible to root rot
Walter’s viburnum
Eco-friendly gardeners insist that this South and Central Florida native is the very best choice for Orlando hedges. Exceptionally hardy, Walter’s viburnum will grow in almost any soil, thrives in sun to partial shade, is salt, smog, disease and pest resistant, and is tough enough to take heavy pruning.
Pros:
- Orlando native; easy to grow
Cons:
- Moderate growth rate; may be difficult to source
