Keep a low screen dense by tip-pruning two or three times a year. Evergreen, fine-leaved species clip the tightest and recover fastest.
Best Privacy Plants Under 3m
Not every boundary needs a towering hedge. These screening plants top out under 3 metres, making them perfect for courtyards, side passages and suburban fence lines where a big screen would overwhelm.
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Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon' · Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon' · from $4.50 One of Australia's most popular garden hybrids — a low-maintenance native shrub producing red toothbrush flowers almost year-round to feed the birds. -
Alphonse Anderson Azalea · Rhododendron indica 'Alphonse Anderson' A favourite indica azalea with large rose-pink blooms variably striped and flecked with white, sometimes throwing solid sports. Showy in shaded beds. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to pets and people. -
Anthony Waterer Spiraea · Spiraea japonica 'Anthony Waterer' A reliable mounding spiraea bearing flat heads of deep carmine-pink flowers through summer, loved by bees. Hardy and easy, with leaves sometimes flecked cream and good autumn tones. -
Apricot Nectar Rose · Rosa 'Apricot Nectar' A classic floribunda bearing big clusters of pinkish-apricot blooms with a fruity, sweet fragrance. Robust and floriferous, an enduring favourite for warm-toned borders. -
Beatrice Emily Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Beatrice Emily' A sasanqua bearing peony-form blooms that open lavender-pink and pale to near-white at the centre, on a neat upright bush. A reliable hedging and feature camellia. -
Bluebell Creeper · Billardiera heterophylla A dainty Western Australian native twiner hung with nodding clusters of bright blue bell flowers through the warmer months, followed by blue berries. Pretty and hardy, but a weed risk outside its native range. -
Blush Pink Nandina · Nandina domestica 'Blush Pink' A dwarf nandina prized for soft pink to coral new growth in the warmer months, deepening to red in winter. A colourful, low-care choice for pots and edging. -
Bonica Rose · Rosa 'Bonica' A landscape floribunda producing arching sprays of soft pink double blooms over a long season, followed by orange hips. The first rose inducted into the Rose Hall of Fame for shrub roses, tough and almost care-free. -
Brilliant Pink Iceberg Rose · Rosa 'Brilliant Pink Iceberg' A colourful Iceberg sport with cerise-pink blooms often marbled and streaked with cream. Carries the same reliable, disease-resistant and prolific nature as its parent. -
Burgundy Iceberg Rose · Rosa 'Burgundy Iceberg' A sport of Iceberg sharing all its toughness and free-flowering habit, but with rich deep wine-purple blooms that reverse to silvery mauve. Striking massed or as a hedge. -
Burgundy Loropetalum · Loropetalum chinense 'Burgundy' A burgundy-leaved fringe flower with deep wine foliage smothered in spidery hot-pink blooms in spring and again in autumn. A bold contrast shrub for hedges and feature planting. -
Captain Cook Bottlebrush · Callistemon 'Captain Cook' A compact weeping bottlebrush with bright red brushes in spring and summer and attractive pink new growth. A neat screening and feature native for small gardens. -
Cardinal Tea Tree · Leptospermum 'Cardinal' A medium shrub smothered in deep red flowers in spring against fine green foliage. A hardy, bee-attracting feature and informal screen for low-water gardens. -
Chinese Fringe Flower · Loropetalum chinense 'China Pink' A burgundy-leaved shrub draped in spidery, fringed hot-pink flowers, repeating through the year against rich purple foliage. A striking colour-contrast feature, hedge or container plant. -
Christmas Cheer Rhododendron · Rhododendron 'Christmas Cheer' An early-flowering rhododendron whose pink buds open to blush-pink bells from late winter, an old cottage-garden favourite. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to pets and people. -
Claret Tops Honey Myrtle · Melaleuca 'Claret Tops' A dense compact melaleuca grown for its claret-red new foliage flushes against fine green leaves. A colourful, hardy low hedge and feature for low-water gardens. -
Coastal Rosemary · Westringia fruticosa A soft grey-green coastal shrub that clips beautifully into hedges and balls. Salt-proof, drought-proof and flowering most of the year — the native answer to box and lavender. -
Copper Glow Tea Tree · Leptospermum 'Copper Glow' A medium tea tree grown for its rich copper-bronze foliage and white spring flowers. A colourful, hardy feature and informal screen for low-water gardens. -
Cosmic White Indian Hawthorn · Rhaphiolepis indica 'Cosmic White' A spreading Indian hawthorn with leathery dark leaves and abundant pink-budded white flowers in spring. Tough, drought- and coastal-tolerant, ideal for low hedges and mass planting. -
Double Knock Out Rose · Rosa 'Double Knock Out' A fuller-flowered form of the Knock Out shrub rose, with double cherry-red blooms over a long season. Shares the same exceptional disease resistance and low-care, self-cleaning habit. -
Dwarf Japanese Barberry · Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea Nana' A compact thorny deciduous shrub with rich burgundy-purple foliage that intensifies to fiery red in autumn. Its dense prickly growth makes a low barrier hedge or colour accent. -
Dwarf Mock Orange · Pittosporum tobira 'Miss Muffet' A naturally compact, dome-shaped form of Japanese mock orange with whorls of leathery dark green leaves. Clusters of creamy flowers carry a rich orange-blossom scent in spring; excellent coastal low hedge. -
Dwarf River Wattle · Acacia cognata A compact, weeping wattle grown for its fountain of fine lime-green foliage rather than its flowers — a soft, mounding feature for pots, borders and low screens. -
Dwarf Sacred Bamboo · Nandina domestica 'Nana' A compact mounding shrub grown for fine ferny foliage that turns brilliant red and burgundy in cold weather. Tough and low, it makes a colourful mass planting or low border. Berries are toxic to pets. -
Edward Goucher Abelia · Abelia x grandiflora 'Edward Goucher' An arching, semi-evergreen abelia smothered in lilac-pink trumpet flowers from summer into autumn, much loved by bees. Hardy, adaptable and good for informal hedges. -
Elephant Bush · Portulacaria afra A bushy succulent with reddish-brown stems and small round glossy green leaves, edible and tangy, favoured for bonsai and hedging in warm climates and grazed by elephants in its native South Africa. -
Endeavour Bottlebrush · Callistemon 'Endeavour' An upright medium bottlebrush bearing large vivid red brushes through spring and summer. A robust, bird-attracting screen and feature shrub. -
English Box · Buxus sempervirens The definitive formal hedge and topiary plant — dense, fine-leaved and endlessly clippable. Slow-growing but unmatched for crisp evergreen structure and parterres. -
English Lavender · Lavandula angustifolia Silvery, fragrant and alive with bees all summer — the classic low hedge for a sunny, free-draining spot. Cut the flowers for drying or the kitchen. -
Escallonia · Escallonia 'Apple Blossom' A glossy-leaved evergreen covered in dainty pink-and-white apple-blossom flowers through the warmer months. Wind- and salt-tolerant, it makes an excellent flowering coastal hedge. -
Eve Price Laurustinus · Viburnum tinus 'Eve Price' A compact, dense laurustinus with deep pink buds opening to white winter flowers, followed by metallic-blue berries. An RHS Award of Garden Merit shrub making a reliable, drought-tolerant evergreen hedge for sun or shade. -
Evergreen Giant Lilyturf · Liriope muscari 'Evergreen Giant' A large, robust lilyturf forming upright clumps of broad dark-green strappy leaves with tall spikes of pale violet flowers. Excellent as a low informal hedge, border or mass planting in sun or shade. -
Faulkner Box · Buxus microphylla 'Faulkner' A Japanese box selection with rounded, deep-green leaves that hold colour well in winter and resist bronzing. Dense and slow, making it a top choice for clipped low hedges and topiary. -
Fireworks Grevillea · Grevillea 'Fireworks' An upright medium shrub with needle foliage and bright red and yellow spider flowers that explode across the bush like fireworks. Hardy and very bird-attracting. -
Flirt Nandina · Nandina domestica 'Flirt' A very dwarf, dense nandina with deep red new growth that holds rich burgundy and crimson tones year-round. Sterile and tidy, perfect for edging and pots. -
Florida Gardenia · Gardenia augusta 'Florida' A compact rounded gardenia carrying intensely perfumed, waxy double white flowers above glossy emerald foliage from spring into summer. One of the most popular fragrant shrubs for warm gardens and pots. -
Francis Mason Abelia · Abelia x grandiflora 'Francis Mason' A golden-leaved abelia with yellow-margined foliage flushing orange in cold, topped by pink-white bells through the warmer months. Brings warm colour to hedges and borders. -
French Lavender · Lavandula dentata The toughest lavender for warm Australian gardens, with grey toothed leaves and an exceptionally long flowering season. Tolerates humidity better than English types. -
Gardenia · Gardenia jasminoides Intensely perfumed white blooms against dark glossy leaves — the scent of a subtropical summer. Give it warmth, acidic soil and steady moisture and it flowers for months. -
Geisha Girl Duranta · Duranta erecta 'Geisha Girl' A fast warm-climate shrub bearing sprays of two-tone purple-and-white flowers followed by golden berry clusters. Popular as a colourful clipped hedge; the berries and leaves are toxic if eaten. -
Glossy Abelia · Abelia x grandiflora 'Grandiflora' The classic vigorous glossy abelia, with arching canes carrying masses of fragrant white-flushed-pink bells over a long season. An easy, drought-tolerant screening shrub. -
Gold Bunny Rose · Rosa 'Gold Bunny' A compact floribunda producing a long, generous display of bright unfading golden-yellow blooms. Reliable, healthy and available in both bush and climbing forms. -
Golf Ball Pittosporum · Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Golf Ball' A dense, naturally ball-shaped pittosporum with tiny wavy bright-green leaves needing little pruning to stay rounded. A tidy low hedge and topiary plant tolerant of wind and coastal sites. -
Grandiflora Star Gardenia · Gardenia jasminoides 'Grandiflora Star' A free-flowering gardenia with glossy dark leaves and large, intensely perfumed double white blooms from spring through summer. A favourite for pots, low hedges and fragrant feature planting. -
Great Balls of Fire Bottlebrush · Callistemon 'Great Balls of Fire' A dense rounded bottlebrush grown chiefly for its brilliant red and pink new foliage flushes, with occasional red brushes. A colourful, hardy low hedge. -
Green Gem Box · Buxus sempervirens 'Green Gem' A very hardy, naturally globe-shaped box forming a tight green ball with minimal clipping. Excellent for cold-climate low hedges, knot gardens and formal balls. -
Green Globe Honey Myrtle · Melaleuca 'Green Globe' A naturally rounded dwarf melaleuca with dense bright green foliage forming a tidy ball without pruning. Ideal for low formal hedges, balls and container feature plantings. -
Grey Box Coastal Rosemary · Westringia fruticosa 'Grey Box' A dense compact coastal rosemary with silver-grey foliage and white flowers, naturally forming a tidy ball. Ideal for low clipped hedges and coastal borders. -
Gulf Stream Nandina · Nandina domestica 'Gulf Stream' A compact, non-invasive nandina with finely divided foliage emerging coppery-red, turning blue-green in summer and flushing brilliant scarlet through cold weather. Rarely fruits, so safe around birds. -
Hibiscus · Hibiscus rosa-sinensis The quintessential tropical flowering shrub, producing a non-stop succession of huge, flamboyant trumpet flowers in every warm colour. Loves heat and sun; frost-tender but spectacular in warm gardens. -
Hino Crimson Azalea · Rhododendron kurume 'Hino Crimson' A compact kurume azalea smothered in small, single brilliant crimson-red flowers in spring on a dense, low bush. Superb for low hedges and pots. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to pets and people. -
Hiryu Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Hiryu' A compact sasanqua densely covered with small, vivid crimson-red semi-double flowers through the cooler months. Its tight, slightly weeping habit suits low hedges, espaliers and large pots. -
Iceberg Rose · Rosa 'Iceberg' The world's most popular floribunda, producing masses of lightly fragrant pure-white blooms almost continuously. Tough, disease-resistant and nearly thornless, it is the backbone of countless Australian gardens. -
Indian Hawthorn · Rhaphiolepis indica 'Oriental Pearl' A tough, compact rounded shrub with leathery dark leaves and clusters of starry white-to-pink flowers in spring, followed by blue-black berries. A reliable low coastal hedge needing little care. -
Indica Azalea · Rhododendron indica 'Alba Magna' A large evergreen Indica azalea that blankets itself in big single white trumpet flowers in spring. Loves dappled shade and acid soil; all parts are toxic if eaten. -
Japanese Box · Buxus microphylla var. japonica The classic clipped formal-hedge and topiary plant, with small glossy rounded leaves on dense slow growth. More heat-tolerant than English box and the standard low border edge in Australian gardens. -
Jennifer Susan Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Jennifer Susan' A graceful sasanqua with soft rose-pink, peony-form blooms whose petals curl and twist prettily. Its slightly weeping habit suits informal hedges, espaliers and containers. -
Jervis Gem Coastal Rosemary · Westringia 'Jervis Gem' A compact low-growing coastal rosemary with fine foliage and abundant mauve-blue flowers over a long season. Hardy and tidy for low hedging and coastal borders. -
Kaleidoscope Abelia · Abelia x grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope' A low, spreading abelia grown for kaleidoscopic foliage that shifts from gold-and-green in spring to fiery orange-red in cold weather, set off by white tubular flowers. Tough, sun-loving and bee-friendly. -
Katie Belles Lomandra · Lomandra longifolia 'Katie Belles' A tall upright lomandra with broad green strappy leaves and tall scented yellow flower spikes. Architectural and hardy, excellent for screening and feature plantings.