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Alternative Hedging Plants

Alternative Hedging Plants

 

Top Alternative Hedging Plants for a Unique and Beautiful Garden

Hedges don’t have to be boring. While popular choices like Lilly Pilly, Murraya, and Buxus dominate suburban gardens, there’s a world of exciting, hardy, and low-maintenance alternatives that can give your landscape a fresh look, better performance, and even seasonal colour.

Whether you're after a tropical feel, bird-attracting foliage, or drought-tolerant structure, this guide introduces the best alternative hedging plants for Australian gardens.

Why Choose an Alternative to Traditional Hedges?

While classics like Murraya paniculata or Lilly Pilly Resilience are popular for a reason (fast-growing, evergreen, and tidy), they may not suit every garden. Some gardeners seek:

  • Less pruning

  • More colour

  • Better resistance to pests (e.g., psyllid)

  • A softer, more natural appearance

  • Better performance in shade, full sun, or poor soils

Below are our top picks for non-traditional hedging plants that are just as functional — but far more interesting.

🌿 1. Viburnum odoratissimum (Sweet Viburnum)

A lush, fast-growing screen that tolerates both full sun and partial shade.

  • Height: 3–4m (can be pruned lower)

  • Growth rate: Fast

  • Foliage: Glossy green, dense

  • Bonus: Mildly fragrant white flowers in spring

Ideal for creating tall privacy screens with a softer, more tropical look than Murraya.

🌳 2. Syzygium 'Straight and Narrow' (Psyllid-resistant Lilly Pilly alternative)

A narrow, upright form of Lilly Pilly bred to resist common pests.

  • Height: Up to 5m

  • Width: 1–1.5m

  • Growth: Fast, columnar

  • Foliage: Tight, evergreen, with bronze new growth

Perfect for tight spaces where you want height without bulk.

🌸 3. Callistemon 'Slim' (Narrow Bottlebrush)

An Aussie native with striking red flowers and a compact form.

  • Height: 3m

  • Width: 1.2m

  • Growth rate: Moderate to fast

  • Light: Full sun

  • Bonus: Bird and bee magnet

Use it for colour, screening, and tough performance in dry conditions.

🌴 4. Metrosideros 'Fiji Fire' or 'Little Dugald' (NZ Christmas Bush)

A vibrant, compact shrub with glowing red flowers and small leaves.

  • Height: 1.5–3m

  • Light: Full sun

  • Soil: Coastal and sandy soil tolerant

  • Foliage: Neat, rounded, evergreen

Excellent for coastal gardens, low hedging, or a formal look with flair.

🌺 5. Escallonia 'Pink Elle' or 'Iveyi'

A European favourite gaining popularity in Australian gardens.

  • Height: 1.5–2m

  • Foliage: Glossy and evergreen

  • Flowers: Masses of pink or white blooms

  • Climate: Prefers temperate zones

Great for medium hedges with seasonal interest and pollinator appeal.

🌵 6. Westringia fruticosa (Coastal Rosemary)

A tough, drought-resistant native shrub with pale mauve flowers.

  • Height: 1–2m

  • Light: Full sun or part shade

  • Foliage: Silvery-grey, ideal for softening hard landscaping

Excellent for coastal, low-maintenance, and native gardens.

🍃 7. Photinia 'Red Robin'

Known for its fiery red new growth and fast hedge formation.

  • Height: 3–4m (or kept low with pruning)

  • Growth: Fast

  • Best for: Cooler climates or higher elevation areas

Stunning in formal or semi-formal gardens where colour contrast matters.

🌱 8. Diosma (Coleonema pulchellum)

A soft, fine-leaved shrub with a cloud-like appearance and pink blooms.

  • Height: 1–1.5m

  • Foliage: Fine, aromatic

  • Flowers: Tiny pink blooms from winter to spring

Perfect for a fragrant, low border or soft edging hedge.

🌾 9. Lomandra hystrix or ‘Tanika’

Technically a strappy grass, but works beautifully in massed borders or edging.

  • Height: 60–80cm

  • Drought-tolerant: Very

  • Best for: Contemporary or native-style hedging

Use in combination with other hedges for a layered look.

🌼 10. Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’ or ‘Lady O’

Fast-growing natives with long flowering periods and bird-attracting blooms.

  • Height: 1.5–2m

  • Light: Full sun

  • Growth: Fast

  • Bonus: Flowers most of the year in warm climates

Perfect for informal hedges or natural screens in native gardens.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Hedge Alternative

Before you plant, ask yourself:

  • How tall do I want it to grow?

  • How much sun does the area get?

  • Do I need evergreen coverage?

  • How often am I willing to prune?

  • Do I want flowering, native, or tropical styling?

Mixing different hedge species (e.g., flowering and foliage plants) can add visual interest and ecological benefit without losing structure or privacy.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to settle for the usual hedging suspects. There are dozens of versatile, beautiful hedging alternatives that offer:

  • Year-round greenery

  • Bird-attracting flowers

  • Natural pest resistance

  • Drought and coastal tolerance

  • Less maintenance with more personality

Whether you’re after a compact border, lush privacy screen, or a bold flowering hedge, there’s a plant that fits your needs.

Explore our full range of hedging alternatives online and find the perfect plants for your space — all with expert advice, fast delivery, and our 30-day healthy plant guarantee.


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