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Best-Selling Hedges See All
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Beech
European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) is green in summer, with foliage turning gold and copper in fall. The rust-colored leaves then cling to the branches through winter providing year-round screening. It grows well in full sun to nearly full shade and is hardy in USDA Zones 4-8.
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Green Mountain
Green Mountain Boxwood (Buxus x ‘Green Mountain’) is an extremely popular boxwood. It has great cold tolerance and is one of the most naturally resistant to Boxwood Blight. It is deer and rabbit resistant and grows well in full sun to shade. It is hardy in USDA Zones 4-9.
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Green Giant
Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja x ‘Green Giant’) is a hybrid with extreme vigor! It is the fastest-growing hedge that we offer, making it ideal for large privacy hedges. It has some deer-resistance, grows well in full sun to part shade, and is hardy in USDA Zones 5-8.
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Schip
Schip laurel (P. laurocerasus ‘Schipkaensis’) is excellent for partial shade locations. It grows quickly with a narrow habit. It has dark evergreen leaves and is deer-resistant. It is drought tolerant once established. Schip laurel is hardy in USDA Zones 6-9.
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Hick's Yew
Hicks Yew (Taxus x media ‘Hicksii’) is the best hedge for deep shade locations, although it also thrives in full sun. This is a naturally narrow plant, so it is good for small spaces. It has evergreen needles and bright red fruits. Hicks Yew is hardy to USDA Zones 5-8.
Top Deciduous Hedges
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Flame Maple
Flame Maple (Acer ginnala ‘Flame’) is a deciduous hedge with lush, green foliage in summer and blazing orange fall color, a naturally multi-stemmed and grows quickly into an effective privacy screen. Prefers full sun to shade and is hardy to USDA Zones 3-8.
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Beech
European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) is green in summer, with foliage turning gold and copper in fall. The rust-colored leaves then cling to the branches through winter providing year-round screening. It grows well in full sun to nearly full shade and is hardy in USDA Zones 4-8.
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Mixed Beech
Mixed Beech (Fagus sylvatica) is a mix of green and purple beech seedlings, grown together into a striking tapestry of a hedge. These have excellent winter leaf retention for year-round screening. It grows well in full sun to shade and is hardy in USDA Zones 4-8.
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Hornbeam
Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) is a popular deciduous hedge that is extremely versatile. It tolerates full sun to nearly full shade and a range of soil conditions. It holds its brown leaves into part of the winter for added screening. It is hardy in USDA Zones 4-8.
More Deciduous See All
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Royal Star Magnolia
Royal Star Magnolia (Magnolia stellata ‘Royal Star’) is a deciduous hedge that is covered with large, fragrant, pale pink flowers in late winter. In summer, lush green foliage develops. It grows well in full sun to partial shade and is hardy in USDA Zones 5-8.
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Cornelian cherry
Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas) is a deciduous hedge with ornamental and edible fruit in summer. The fruits are also enjoyed by birds. It also boasts striking yellow flowers in early spring. It grows well in full sun to partial shade and is hardy in USDA Zones 5-8.
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Viburnum
Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) is a North American native plant with pollinator-friendly flowers in spring and small blue fruits later in summer. It is extremely deer-resistant and cold-hardy and grows well in full sun to partial shade. It is hardy in USDA Zones 2-8.
Arborvitae Compare
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Green Giant
Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja x ‘Green Giant’) is a hybrid with extreme vigor! It is the fastest-growing hedge that we offer, making it ideal for large privacy hedges. It has some deer-resistance, grows well in full sun to part shade, and is hardy in USDA Zones 5-8.
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American
American Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) is a fast-growing evergreen hedge with feathery foliage. It grows best in full sun and is very cold hardy. It’s a great choice for a privacy hedge. American Arborvitae is hardy in USDA Zones 3-8.
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Emerald Green
Emerald Green Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’) is a dense, columnar evergreen that is very popular for privacy hedges due to its consistent green color, natural thickness, and low-maintenance habit. It does best in full sun and is hardy in USDA Zones 3-8.
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Virescens
Virescens Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata ‘Virescens’) is a fast-growing evergreen with a fairly narrow habit making it easy to maintain. It is brilliant green all year and is deer-resistant. It grows well in full sun to partial shade. Virescens is hardy to USDA Zone 5-9.
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Little Simon
Little Simon Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Little Simon’) is a dwarf selection of Emerald Green that only reaches 3-4’ tall. It is a great boxwood substitute for colder regions and blight-susceptible areas. It grows best in full sun and is hardy in USDA Zones 3-8.
Boxwood & Boxwood Substitutes Compare
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Green Mountain
Green Mountain Boxwood (Buxus x ‘Green Mountain’) is an extremely popular boxwood. It has great cold tolerance and is one of the most naturally resistant to Boxwood Blight. It is deer and rabbit resistant and grows well in full sun to shade. It is hardy in USDA Zones 4-9.
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Schmidt
Schmidt Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens ‘Schmidt’) is a lesser-known boxwood variety but has a desirable tall and narrow growth habit making it great for hedging. It is deer resistant and grows in full sun to partial shade. It is hardy in USDA Zones 5-8.
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Box Honeysuckle
Box Honeysuckle (Lonicera nitida) is lovely hedge in its own right but also makes a great boxwood substitute for areas with Boxwood Blight. The foliage is evergreen and very similar to boxwood. It is deer resistant, takes full sun to full shade, and grows in USDA Zones 6-9.
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Hick's Yew
Hicks Yew (Taxus x media ‘Hicksii’) is the best hedge for deep shade locations, although it also thrives in full sun. This is a naturally narrow plant, so it is good for small spaces. It has evergreen needles and bright red fruits. Hicks Yew is hardy to USDA Zones 5-8.
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Little Simon
Little Simon Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Little Simon’) is a dwarf selection of Emerald Green that only reaches 3-4’ tall. It is a great boxwood substitute for colder regions and blight-susceptible areas. It grows best in full sun and is hardy in USDA Zones 3-8.
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Teton Firethorn
Teton Firethorn (Pyracantha ‘Teton’) is an evergreen hedge that boasts billows of white flowers in spring, followed by bright orange fruits that feed birds through winter. Sharp thorns keep deer away. It grows well in full sun to shade and is hardy in USDA Zones 6-9.
Laurels Compare
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English
English laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is a popular fast-growing evergreen hedge for privacy. It has large, glossy leaves and is deer-resistant. It grows well in full sun to partial shade and is quite drought tolerant once established. English laurel is hardy in USDA Zones 6-9.
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Schip
Schip laurel (P. laurocerasus ‘Schipkaensis’) is excellent for partial shade locations. It grows quickly with a narrow habit. It has dark evergreen leaves and is deer-resistant. It is drought tolerant once established. Schip laurel is hardy in USDA Zones 6-9.
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Portuguese
Portuguese laurel (Prunus lusitanica) is great for warm, coastal climates but does equally well in other temperate areas. It is very drought tolerant once established. It grows in full sun to partial shade and is deer resistant. Portuguese laurel is hardy in USDA Zones 6b-9b.
More Evergreens See All
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Hick's Yew
Hicks Yew (Taxus x media ‘Hicksii’) is the best hedge for deep shade locations, although it also thrives in full sun. This is a naturally narrow plant, so it is good for small spaces. It has evergreen needles and bright red fruits. Hicks Yew is hardy to USDA Zones 5-8.
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Juniper
Wichita Blue Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum ‘Wichita Blue’) has brilliant blue foliage to make a colorful year-round statement in the landscape. It is deer resistant and grows best in full sun. Once established it is highly drought-tolerant. It is hardy in USDA Zones 4-7.
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Teton Firethorn
Teton Firethorn (Pyracantha ‘Teton’) is an evergreen hedge that boasts billows of white flowers in spring, followed by bright orange fruits that feed birds through winter. Sharp thorns keep deer away. It grows well in full sun to shade and is hardy in USDA Zones 6-9.
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Sizes
Our hedges come in multiple, convenient sizes. Learn about which hedge size option will work best for your project, from our 18-24” tall MiniHedge to our 5-6’ tall InstantHedge. See detailed dimensions for all of our different hedge sizes, including root balls.
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Containers
You have multiple options for the kind of container in which your InstantHedge is shipped. Learn about our standard Biodegradable Cardboard Boxes, as well as the fabric bag and cedar box options. This page will lead you to the best choice for your project.
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Installation
InstantHedge is a unique product and the planting process is very unlike installing a traditional hedge. This page takes you step by step through the easy process of how to plant an InstantHedge. No doubt about it, it’s the fastest way to plant a hedge.
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About Us
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Projects
See real-life examples of our hedges being used in projects all over the country. These photos are provided by our customers and can be used as inspiration for a wide range of uses, from commercial to residential. You can find customer reviews here as well.
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FAQ
Got questions? Of course you do! And chances are, many others have had the same questions. We know that with an unusual product like our hedges there are always many questions. We answer some common questions here on this FAQ page, so it’s a great place to start.
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Inspiration
Get ideas for how to use our hedges in a wide variety of garden styles, from cottage to contemporary to container. See how other landscape architects and designers have used hedges to their best advantage to get inspired for your own project.
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Blog
Our blog is full of helpful articles about designing with and caring for hedges. Check out the Care Guides for information on growing hedges. Instant Design gives insight on how to use our hedges in your designs. Plant Spotlights highlights the best hedge types for certain uses.
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Formal Gardens

Home> Formal Gardens
Formal Gardens2021-02-19T11:12:21+00:00

To create a formal garden look people have been shaping hedges into crisp lines and geometric patterns for centuries.

Formal garden design includes:

  • A tall border around the area, to define the space and provide privacy
  • Low boxwood hedges planted in a clean pattern, creating paths that radiate out from a central spot
  • Hardscaping elements like stone, gravel, sculptures, or water features (typically an element of interest is placed in the middle area where the paths meet)
  • Accents like topiary shrubs or trees, flowering hedges (typically planned en masse and in a monochromatic palette to keep the design simple and clean)
Formal Garden

Formal garden landscape designs may take on a very traditional, renaissance-type design, or they may be very modern. Modern and formal gardens often implement the same design principles of clean, geometric lines, so they blend well together.

Since formal garden elements are very simple, it is a style that can be adapted to any location. Country homes, suburban residences, urban rooftops, event venues, institutions like government or university buildings, public parks, botanical gardens, resorts, and more can all use formal gardens to their advantage.

Formal garden design techniques can also be applied to other spaces like entries and driveways, using the clean lines of hedges with accent plants shaped into columns or other topiaries.

Formal landscapes are usually a defined space, separate from the rest of a landscape, so they can be implemented in any type of garden without changing the feel of the overall design and giving the area a formal garden look.

FORMAL GARDENS GALLERY

18217-Fagus-beech-yew-Buxus-boxwood-hedge-formal-estate-modern-garden-winter-snow

In winter, golden brown leaves remain on the European beech (Fagus sylvatica) hedge brightening up this winter landscape.

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Fagus yew Buxus boxwood formal estate modern garden min

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With sophisitcated hedges, even a garage/storage building like shown here can be made less noticeable in a commercial landscape application.

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Footpaths are neatly bordered in a knot garden style with boxwood (Buxus) hedges in this country garden.

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Older European beech (Fagus sylvatica) hedges can be pruned to create shapes or even structures like this arch.

20729-Taxus-yew-Fagus-beech-hedge-formal-modern-garden-arch-path-stone

Older hedges like this European beech (Fagus sylvatica) can be trained to form an arch or gable.

21321-Taxus-hicksii-yew-hedge-border-pond-water-formal-garden-estate-modern-contemporary-landscape

Dense, evergreen, easily-maintained Hicks Yew hedges are the perfect choice for low, artistic borders.

21321-Taxus-hicksii-yew-hedge-border-pond-water-formal-garden-estate-modern-contemporary-landscape

taxus hicksii yew hedge border pond water feature formal garden modern contemporary estate topiary

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An entryway or courtyard in a modern landscape can give an air of elegance with the use of well-manicured hedges.

25370-Taxus-yew-Buxus-boxwood-formal-country-garden

A low boxwood (Buxus) hedge as well as a taller yew (Taxus) hedge can be used in conjunction with one another to create an outdoor courtyard.

26047-Fagus-beech-hedge-formal-garden-estate-modern-landscape-design

Older hedges like this European beech (Fagus sylvatica) can be trained to form an arch or gable.

26942-Buxus-boxwood-hedge-formal-knot-garden

Knot gardens almost always showcase boxwood (Buxus) which looks very nice when interplanted with perennials and other flowering plants.

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Large, sloping properties benefit from using hedges to add stabilize the soil as well as adding structure and beauty to the landscape

28328-buxus-boxwood-knot-garden-low-border-paths-country-estate-cottage-manor-park-historic

Historic homes and country settings can use low boxwood hedges to line paths and highlight courtyards and patios.

28541-fagus-beech-hedge-estate-commercial-park-garden-path-sculpture-modern-contemporary-hydrangea

Beech hedges can be planted in blocks to create patterns to highlight other plants and sculptures.

28600-Taxus-yew-Prunus-laurel-hedge-modern-garden

This outdoor space is framed thoughtfully with well-maintained yew (Taxus) and laurel (Prunus) hedges.

28619-Prunus-lusitanica-Portuguese-Laurel-Hedge-modern-garden

This outdoor space is framed thoughtfully with well-maintained yew (Taxus) and laurel (Prunus) hedges.

31480-Taxus-yew-hedge-modern-garden

In winter, the yew (Taxus) hedges in this European landscape are so elegant with a dusting of snow.

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