Hedging & Screening Plants Canberra

The classic dwarf box for low, formal edging. Dutch Box (Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa') is slow-growing and naturally compact, with small glossy, bright green leaves that clip into crisp, neat lines. It's the go-to plant for knot gardens, parterres and edging paths and garden beds, and it's tough enough for Canberra frosts once established.

• Mature size: Approx. 0.5m H x 0.5m W, easily kept lower with clipping
• Foliage: Small, rounded, glossy, bright green, evergreen
• Growth habit: Dense, compact, slow-growing
• Position: Full sun to part shade
• Climate: Frost hardy; shelter from hot afternoon sun in summer
• Water needs: Moderate; keep evenly moist while establishing
• Soil: Well-drained soil improved with compost. Break up heavy Canberra clay with gypsum clay breaker. In pots, use Osmocote Premium Potting Mix.
• Feeding: Osmocote All Purpose in spring, or Yates Dynamic Lifter for an organic feed. Seasol at planting and through summer helps with heat stress.
• Maintenance: Low; clip lightly once or twice a year to keep a sharp shape
• Ideal for: Low hedges and borders, knot gardens, path edging, topiary and pots

Plant about 20–25cm apart for a continuous low hedge.

A compact, slow-growing box with small, glossy green leaves that clip into a dense, neat shape. Korean Box is one of the most cold-hardy box varieties, so it's ideal for low formal hedges and edging through Canberra's frosty winters. Foliage can take on bronze tints in very cold weather, greening up again in spring.

• Mature size: Approx. 60cm-1m H x 60cm W, easily kept as a low hedge of 30-60cm

• Foliage: Small, glossy, mid to dark green, evergreen; may bronze in cold winters

• Flowers: Tiny, inconspicuous cream flowers in spring

• Growth habit: Compact, dense, slow-growing

• Position: Full sun to part shade

• Climate: Very frost hardy; copes with heat and dry spells once established

• Water needs: Moderate; keep evenly moist while establishing

• Soil: Well-drained soil improved with compost. Break up heavy Canberra clay with gypsum clay breaker. In pots, use Osmocote Premium Potting Mix.

• Feeding: Osmocote All Purpose in spring, or Yates Dynamic Lifter for an organic feed. Seasol at planting and through summer helps with heat stress.

• Maintenance: Low; clip once or twice a year to keep a neat shape, feed in early spring

• Ideal for: Low formal hedges, path edging, parterres, topiary and pots

Plant about 30cm apart for a continuous low hedge.

A hardy Australian native shrub with soft, grey-green, rosemary-like foliage and small white to pale mauve flowers for much of the year, peaking in spring. It takes clipping beautifully, making it a popular low-water alternative to box hedging. Frost tolerant and tough once established, it's a reliable performer in Canberra conditions.

• Mature size: Approx. 1.5-2m H x 1.5-2m W (easily kept smaller with trimming)
• Foliage: Fine, grey-green, rosemary-like
• Flowers: Small white to pale mauve flowers, much of the year, peaking in spring
• Growth habit: Dense, rounded shrub; moderate to fast growing
• Position: Full sun to part shade
• Climate: Frost tolerant; drought tolerant once established
• Water needs: Low once established; regular water while establishing
• Soil: Well-drained soil. On heavy Canberra clay, dig in gypsum clay breaker before planting. In pots, use Native Osmocote Potting Mix.
• Feeding: Osmocote Native in spring, or Neutrog Bush Tucker as a liquid feed. Seasol at planting helps it settle in.
• Maintenance: Low; trim to shape after flowering or as needed for a formal hedge
• Ideal for: Hedges, screens, borders, coastal-style and native gardens

Sweet Viburnum is a fast-growing, dense evergreen prized as one of Australia's most popular hedging and screening plants. Its large, glossy, dark green leaves provide excellent year-round privacy, and clusters of small white flowers appear in spring, followed by decorative dark berries. Left unpruned it can form a small tree, but it responds well to regular clipping to hold a tight, formal hedge shape.

• Mature size: 3–6m if left unpruned; easily maintained at 1.5–3m as a hedge

• Foliage: large, glossy, dark green, evergreen

• Flowers: small white clusters, spring, mildly fragrant

• Growth rate: fast

• Position: full sun to part shade

• Water needs: moderate, drought tolerant once established

• Soil: Well-drained soil improved with compost. Break up heavy Canberra clay with gypsum clay breaker. In pots, use Osmocote Premium Potting Mix.

• Feeding: Osmocote All Purpose in spring, or Yates Dynamic Lifter for an organic feed. Seasol at planting and through summer helps with heat stress.

• Maintenance: tolerates regular clipping; prune to maintain hedge shape

• Ideal for: screening, privacy hedging, windbreaks, boundary planting

A compact, evergreen tree, this dwarf form of the classic Southern Magnolia brings the same large, fragrant white flowers and glossy foliage in a far more manageable size, reaching just 4–6m tall by 2–3m wide. Its dense, upright habit and dark green leaves with a rusty-brown underside give year-round structure, while the creamy white blooms appear from late spring through summer. Frost hardy once established but appreciating shelter from strong winds, it's an excellent feature tree, screen, or narrow hedge for Canberra gardens where space is at a premium.

• Current Size: Large 330mm pot (1.6-2m tall), or Small 140mm pot for a budget-friendly young plant.

• Position: Full sun to part shade

• Soil: Enriched, well-draining soil; keep moist over summer, avoid overwatering

• Watering: Regular watering while young; mulch well to handle dry summer periods

• Feeding: Osmocote All Purpose in spring, or Yates Dynamic Lifter for an organic feed. Seasol at planting and through summer helps with heat stress.

• Habit: Compact, dense, and upright — ideal as a feature tree, screen, or narrow hedge

• Flowering: Large, fragrant white blooms, late spring through summer

• Hardiness: Frost hardy once established; provide shelter from strong winds

• Mature size: 4–6m tall x 2–3m wide

Japanese Box is the classic formal hedging plant, valued for its small, dense, glossy green leaves and neat, compact growth. It responds beautifully to clipping, making it ideal for creating crisp hedges, edging, or topiary shapes. Slow and steady growth means it holds its shape well between trims.

• Mature Size: 1.5m tall x 1.5m wide (untrimmed)

• Foliage: small, glossy, dense, evergreen

• Growth rate: slow to moderate

• Position: full sun to part shade

• Water needs: moderate, once established

• Soil: Well-drained soil improved with compost. Break up heavy Canberra clay with gypsum clay breaker. In pots, use Osmocote Premium Potting Mix.

• Feeding: Osmocote All Purpose in spring, or Yates Dynamic Lifter for an organic feed. Seasol at planting and through summer helps with heat stress.

• Maintenance: regular clipping for formal shapes

• Ideal for: formal hedging, edging, topiary, parterre gardens

A classic sasanqua camellia with large, semi-double pure white flowers with ruffled petals and golden centres, covering the plant from late autumn into early winter. Its small, glossy dark green leaves and dense, upright habit make it one of the best flowering choices for hedges and screens. Sasanquas handle more sun than japonica camellias and cope with Canberra's frosts once established.

• Mature size: Approx. 3-4m H x 1.5-2.5m W (easily kept smaller with pruning)
• Foliage: Small, glossy, dark green, evergreen
• Flowers: Large semi-double white with golden stamens, late autumn to early winter
• Growth habit: Upright, dense; moderate growth rate
• Position: Full sun to part shade (afternoon shade in hot spots)
• Climate: Tolerates frost once established
• Water needs: Moderate; keep moist while establishing, mulch well
• Soil: Slightly acidic, moist but well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Mulch with pinebark mulch to keep roots cool.
• Feeding: A light feed of Osmocote All Purpose in spring, plus Seasol every few weeks through the warmer months.
• Maintenance: Low; prune after flowering to shape, feed with camellia/azalea food in spring
• Ideal for: Flowering hedges, privacy screens, feature planting and large pots

A fast-growing evergreen with fresh, pale green wavy leaves set against striking black stems, naturally forming a tall, narrow column. It's one of the quickest ways to build a dense privacy screen without losing much garden space, and it's frost hardy and copes well with Canberra's hot, dry summers once established.

• Mature size: 3–4m tall x 1–1.5m wide (can be kept lower with pruning)

• Foliage: Small, pale green, glossy wavy-edged leaves on contrasting black stems

• Flowers: Small, dark maroon, lightly honey-scented flowers in spring

• Growth habit: Upright and columnar; fast growing (around 0.5–0.75m per year when young)

• Position: Full sun to part shade, in well-drained soil

• Climate: Frost hardy; drought tolerant once established

• Water needs: Regular watering while establishing, then low to moderate

• Soil: Well-drained soil improved with compost. Break up heavy Canberra clay with gypsum clay breaker. In pots, use Osmocote Premium Potting Mix.

• Feeding: Osmocote All Purpose in spring, or Yates Dynamic Lifter for an organic feed. Seasol at planting and through summer helps with heat stress.

• Maintenance: Low — trim once or twice a year to keep it dense and tidy

• Ideal for: Privacy screens, narrow hedges along fences and boundaries, and feature plants in large pots