Viburnum ‘Dense Fence’

Viburnum 'Dense Fence' (Viburnum odoratissimum 'Dense Fence') is a fast growing evergreen screen for people who want a boundary covered this year rather than in three. Left untrimmed it reaches about 4m tall and 2.5m wide, though it is usually held at 2m to 3m as a hedge, and it carries glossy foliage right down to ground level instead of thinning at the base. Small white flowers appear in spring with a light sweet scent.

Why you'll love it

• It covers ground quickly. One of the faster evergreen screens available, so a bare fence line stops being a bare fence line inside a season or two.
• Dense from the bottom up. The selection was made for low branching, which is the whole point of a screen. No gaps at knee height.
• You set the height. About 4m if you leave it, or an easy 2m to 3m hedge with two trims a year. It reshoots from old wood, so a neglected hedge recovers.
• Built for exposed and coastal sites. Salt tolerant, heat tolerant and drought tolerant once established, which makes it a sound windbreak on a hard block.

Where it works best

Screening and hedging. Plant 80cm apart in a single row. Closer spacing does not close the gap faster and makes watering harder as the plants mature. Keep the base slightly wider than the top so the lower foliage holds its light.

Windbreaks. A double staggered row at 80cm filters wind rather than blocking it, which is what an exposed boundary needs. Solid barriers create turbulence on the sheltered side.

Topiary and shaping. It responds well to shaping, so larger individual plants suit a clipped column or a pair flanking an entry.

Growing Viburnum 'Dense Fence' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest growth and the fastest cover. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens and copes well with heat and coastal exposure. It takes light frost only, so cold inland districts and hard frosting southern gardens will damage the foliage.

Soil. Adaptable about type but firm about drainage. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound and work compost through the bed. Mulch 75mm deep, away from the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer to drive the roots down, then taper off as it becomes drought tolerant. A hedge is competitive, so feed a controlled release fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer.

Pruning. Tip prune from the moment you plant rather than waiting for height, because early trimming builds the low density that makes the screen work. After that, trim after the spring flush and again in late summer.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in three sizes: tube stock, 200mm in packs of six, and single 300mm plants. Tube stock is the value option for a long boundary and establishes quickly, though it costs you a season. The 200mm packs are the practical middle ground for most hedge runs, since you need a plant every 80cm.

Packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, minimum order of $300 before delivery. Expect a quiet fortnight after planting, then rapid growth through warm weather. Water consistently through that first summer, because this plant grows fast enough to outrun a slow root system. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Fast growing hedges for Australian gardens
• Compare hedging and screening plants
• Screening plants that finish between 2m and 4m
• Salt tolerant plants for coastal blocks

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Eighty centimetres apart in a single row. That gives a solid screen without the plants competing, and it works for both a clipped hedge and an informal screen.

Can I keep it at 2m?

Yes, and most people do. Two trims a year hold it between 2m and 3m, and it stays leafy at the base rather than lifting into bare stems.

Will it survive frost?

Light frost only. The odd cold morning is fine once established, but repeated heavy frosts burn the foliage, so it is not the right hedge for a cold inland garden.