Resilience is the most planted hedging lilly pilly in Australia, and installing one correctly is a job you do once. This is the practical version - spacing, hole preparation, the watering schedule that actually matters, and the trimming pattern that keeps a hedge dense to the ground instead of bare at the bottom in year four.
Before you start
| Decision | Answer |
|---|---|
| Spacing | 800 mm centres for most hedges, 600 mm for fast closure |
| Plant size | 200 mm pots are economical; 300-400 mm saves 12-18 months |
| Best planting time | Autumn or spring |
| Unclipped height | 5-6 m - hold it anywhere from 1.5 m upward |
| Hedge width | Plan for 800 mm to 1.2 m at the base |
| Distance from fence | 600 mm minimum, so you can trim both sides |
That last one gets forgotten constantly. A hedge planted hard against a fence cannot be trimmed on the back, and it will push against the palings as it thickens.
Step 1: Set out the line
Run a string line the length of the hedge and mark each planting position at 800 mm centres. Measure rather than eyeballing it - uneven spacing shows permanently in a formal hedge, and gaps do not fill in as readily as people expect.
For a hedge that closes faster, drop to 600 mm. Below that you are paying for plants that simply compete with each other.
Step 2: Prepare the whole trench, not individual holes
Where you can, dig or rip the entire run rather than separate holes. A row of small holes in heavy clay creates a series of buckets that hold water, and roots circle in them rather than spreading.
- Dig to two or three times the root ball width, and no deeper than the root ball itself.
- On clay, break up the base and mix through compost and gypsum.
- On sand, add plenty of compost to hold moisture and nutrients.
- Do not backfill with pure potting mix - roots stay in the soft pocket instead of moving out.
Step 3: Plant
- Water the plants thoroughly in their pots an hour before planting.
- Tease the roots if they are circling the pot. Pot-bound plants that go in undisturbed often strangle themselves years later.
- Set the top of the root ball level with the soil surface, or slightly proud on clay. Planting too deep is a common cause of failure.
- Backfill and firm gently, leaving a shallow saucer around each plant to hold water.
- Water in immediately, deeply enough to settle the soil around the roots.
- Mulch the whole row to 75 mm, kept 50 mm clear of the stems.
Step 4: The first two summers
This is where hedges are won or lost. Resilience is drought tolerant once established, but it is not established for about two years.
- First 8 weeks: deep water every second or third day in warm weather.
- Months 3-12: deep water twice a week through summer, weekly in cooler months.
- Second summer: deep water weekly through hot spells.
- After that: only during extended dry periods.
Deep and infrequent beats little and often. Shallow watering keeps roots near the surface where they cook in an Australian summer.
Feed in early spring and midsummer with a controlled-release or organic fertiliser. A hedge that is being clipped regrows constantly and is hungrier than a specimen plant.
Step 5: Pruning - the taper is everything
The single rule: keep the base wider than the top.
Cut the sides on a slight batter so the hedge is widest at ground level and narrows toward the top. This lets light reach the lower foliage. A hedge clipped vertically - or worse, narrower at the bottom - shades its own base, and the lower growth thins and dies. That is the origin of almost every bare-bottomed lilly pilly hedge in the country, and it is very hard to correct once it has happened.
Timing
- Formative pruning: tip prune lightly from the first season to force branching. Do not wait for the hedge to reach full height before starting.
- Established hedge: three light trims a year - spring, midsummer, early autumn.
- Avoid: heavy pruning in the depths of winter, or immediately before a forecast heatwave.
Technique
Take small amounts often rather than one hard annual cut. Frequent light trimming produces the dense fine-textured surface people want from a formal hedge; annual hard cutting produces coarse growth and visible stubs.
Run a string line for the top if you want a genuinely straight hedge. Freehand looks fine while you are cutting and obviously uneven afterwards.
Recovering a neglected hedge
Resilience reshoots readily from old wood, which makes rescue realistic. In early spring, cut the hedge back hard - including into bare wood if needed - then water and feed well. Expect a full season before it looks presentable, and re-establish the tapered profile as it regrows so the problem does not return.
Where Resilience works in Australia
- Brisbane, Gold and Sunshine Coasts, northern NSW - ideal, with the fastest closure.
- Sydney and coastal NSW - excellent, the standard suburban hedge.
- Melbourne and Adelaide - grows well in sheltered spots. Plant in spring and protect young plants through their first winter.
- Perth - performs with regular summer irrigation in sandy soil.
- Cold inland districts - marginal, as repeated hard frost damages young growth.
Frequently asked questions
How far apart should Resilience be planted?
800 millimetres between plants for a standard hedge, or 600 mm if you want it to close faster. Closer than 600 mm mostly means plants competing with each other rather than quicker coverage.
How long until the hedge closes?
Two to three years from 200 mm pots at 800 mm spacing in Brisbane or Sydney, faster from larger stock and slower in cooler climates. Consistent watering through the first two summers makes more difference than anything else.
When should I start pruning a new hedge?
From the first season. Light tip pruning forces branching and builds density early. Waiting until the hedge reaches full height gives you a tall thin screen that is hard to thicken afterwards.
Why does my hedge look thin at the bottom?
The sides have been clipped vertical or narrower at the base, shading the lower foliage. Cut the hedge on a slight taper so it is widest at ground level, and it will fill back in over a season or two.
How often should an established hedge be trimmed?
Three light trims a year - spring, midsummer and early autumn. Frequent light trimming gives a much finer, denser surface than one hard annual cut.
Can Resilience be cut back hard?
Yes. It reshoots readily from old wood, so a neglected hedge can be cut back hard in early spring and retrained. Allow a full season for recovery and rebuild the tapered profile as it regrows.
Ready to plant?
We grow Resilience in tube stock through to advanced sizes for immediate screening. Browse our hedging and screening collection, or mature plants for immediate privacy.
Related reading: our full lilly pilly care guide and Resilience troubleshooting.
