Why Choose Mixed Hedges for Your Yard?
The best plants for hedges are evergreens because they maintain foliage year-round. When mixed together, they provide variation in height, texture, and seasonal color while also creating valuable habitat. Staggering plants makes the hedge dense and effective as a natural screen.
In a mixed hedge, deciduous plants can be placed in areas that do not require privacy during the winter months. These types of plantings create a softer, more natural look while also serving as a barrier for wildlife due to their diversity.
Viburnums – A Staple for Mixed Hedges
Viburnums are highly versatile hedge plants. Evergreen and semi-evergreen varieties produce berries and provide excellent nesting sites for songbirds.
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Viburnum tinus is one of the most evergreen in this region. Hardy in zones 7–9, it grows 6–8 feet tall and wide, produces white flowers in spring, and develops blue-black berries in late summer.
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Viburnum burkwoodii grows 6–10 feet tall. Its leaves remain into late fall and return in early spring. In autumn, the foliage turns a deep maroon, adding interest to the landscape. White fragrant flowers bloom in spring, followed by red-to-black berries.
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Viburnum x pragense and V. rhytidiphyllum are semi-evergreen, growing 8–10 feet tall by 6–8 feet wide. Both produce spring flowers followed by clusters of blue-black berries that attract songbirds.
Laurels – Dense Evergreen Shrubs for Privacy
Laurels provide dense evergreen foliage and fragrant white spring blooms. They thrive in full sun to part shade.
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Skip Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus ‘Schipkaensis’): A tall, goblet-shaped shrub that grows 10–12 feet, often bare at the base, making it best paired with smaller plantings in front.
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Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus): Grows 8–10 feet tall and wide, with the dwarf variety ‘Otto Luyken’ reaching 4 by 6 feet. Both tolerate full sun to shade and bloom with fragrant white flowers in late spring.
All laurels benefit pollinators and create excellent nesting sites for birds.
Adding Height with Small Magnolias
For added vertical interest, dwarf Magnolia grandiflora cultivars such as ‘Little Gem’ or ‘Kay Paris’ can be incorporated into mixed hedges.
These magnolias grow 15–20 feet tall, feature large glossy leaves with brown undersides, and produce fragrant white flowers in spring and sporadically through summer. Their seed pods also provide food for birds. Magnolias tolerate underplanting, prefer full to part sun, and are hardy in zones 7–9.
Hollies (Ilex) for Berries and Bird Habitat
Hollies are another excellent choice for mixed hedges, providing both berries and seasonal leaf color.
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Japanese holly (Ilex crenata): With around sixty varieties, these compact hollies make good fillers. They thrive in sun to part shade and are hardy zones 6–10. Their rounded leaves are easy to maintain.
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Ilex cornuta ‘Burfordii’: A pointed-leaf holly reaching 10–12 feet tall and wide. It produces red berries at an early age and prefers full sun. Hardy zones 6–9.
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Ilex glabra: A native holly with twenty cultivars, growing to 8 feet tall and wide. It features rounded leaves, small white flowers that support native bees, and black berries for songbirds. Thrives in sun to part shade.
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Ilex x meserveae: A large shrub holly reaching 10–12 feet. Depending on the cultivar, leaves may be bright green or bluish. Male and female plants are required for berry production. Performs best in full sun or part shade in humid climates.
Boxwoods for Formal Evergreen Hedges
Boxwoods (Buxus) are ideal for low hedges or to mix into a larger hedge design. They grow best in full sun to part shade with loamy, well-draining soil.
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Buxus sempervirens ‘Dee Runk’ and ‘Fastigiata’ reach 8 feet tall and 3 feet wide, adding formality to a hedge.
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Buxus microphylla ‘Winter Gem’ grows 4 feet tall and 6 feet wide.
Although boxwoods have been challenged by pests and diseases, they remain a popular choice for their density and traditional appearance. Some varieties bronze in winter, but their year-round structure makes them valuable hedge plants.
Deciduous Plants for Seasonal Flair
Several deciduous shrubs add seasonal interest to mixed hedges:
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Eastern Redbud ‘Ruby Falls’ (Cercis canadensis): Weeping form, maroon leaves, 10 feet tall and 6 feet wide, with pink spring flowers.
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Hamamelis vernalis (Vernal Witch Hazel): Grows 10 feet tall, blooms in late winter to early spring with fragrant flowers attractive to pollinators. Prefers part shade.
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Hamamelis virginiana (Common Witch Hazel): Blooms yellow and fragrant in late fall, growing 15–18 feet tall and 12 feet wide.
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Physocarpus opulifolius (Ninebark): Features peeling cinnamon-colored bark, late spring flowers, and leaves ranging from gold to deep maroon. Its seeds are a valuable food source for songbirds.
Camellias for Winter Color
Camellias are a beautiful addition to hedges but require protection from northwest winds. Once a hedge is established, they can thrive in sheltered spots.
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Camellia japonica: Blooms in winter and early spring.
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Camellia sasanqua: Blooms in fall into early winter.
Both species offer a variety of flower colors (white, pink, red, cream) and are hardy zones 6–9.
Benefits of Planting a Mixed Hedge
A thoughtfully designed mixed hedge provides year-round privacy, enhances landscapes with seasonal beauty, and creates essential habitat for birds and pollinators. With the right combination of evergreens and deciduous plants, homeowners can achieve both structure and biodiversity in their yards.
