Whether you're trying to add a privacy screen or just need something to separate your yard from the sidewalk, a hedge is a great idea. These flowering hedge plants will add some color and beauty to your garden.
Are you thinking of planting a hedge?
Whether you need some privacy in your yard or just want to create a separation between your yard and the sidewalk, shrubs are a great way to do it.
But why settle for the faithful and commonly used evergreens (like cedar or thuja) when you could have an array of bushes covered in flowers?
They can have fragrant seasonal blooms that attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Or plant something that blooms all summer.
How to choose hedge plants
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But before we get into plants, there are a few things you need to know so you can decide what type of hedge you want to get.
your preferences
First is what you want your hedge to look like and how much work you are willing to put in:
- Do you want a bold wow effect or a classic beauty?
- Do you like hedges that are trimmed and neat? Or something more natural looking?
- How high would you like it?
- How much maintenance are you willing to do?
- Do you want an evergreen hedge or are deciduous trees okay?
growing conditions
Another thing to consider when thinking of planting a flowering hedge is your location.
- Does it have a lot of sun or is partial shade more prevalent?
- In which zone do you live?
- What type of soil do you have? clay or sand? What is thesoil pH?
- How much moisture is it?
You must select plants that will thrive in these conditions. For example, you probably wouldn't have success with hydrangeas planted in an area that doesn't get water.
how much space you have
Now measure the length and width of the planting area.
You should calculate how many plants you need based on their mature center-to-center width.
If you prefer a dense hedge, plan to plant it at the narrower end of the recommended range.
And try to find shrubs that aren't too wide for the space you're filling.
Otherwise, you will constantly prune the bushes so that they do not overtake the sidewalk. Not only is this a lot of work, but it will likely limit the number of buds you will get.
Now let's move on to the shrubs that will make a great flowering hedge.
1 | Kamelienhecke
Zone: 6 bis 10
exposure: Partial shade to full shade
Height: 8′ bis 20′
Broad: up to 20'
heyday: autumn, winter, spring (depending on the variety)
flower color: red, white, pink
Camellia is one of the few flowering hedge plants that bloom in winter.
It's also evergreen and tall, making it a perfect privacy screen.
Plant camellias in compost-infused, acidic, well-drained soil and mulch to retain moisture.
Water regularly with a drip system for the first year.
After that, camellias are drought tolerant. However, they thrive best protected from the wind and in partial shade.
To keep a camellia hedge the desired size, prune it after flowering with very sharp, clean stabs. Don't wait too long after the flowers are ready or you'll cut off next year's buds.
Learn more about growing camellias.
2 | Johannis herbs
Rose of Sharon is a large shrub that grows fairly quickly and makes an excellent flowering hedge.
It blooms in summer through fall. And since it's a member of the hibiscus family, the flowers look pretty tropical for a hardy bush.
It's also fairly deer resistant, which is a bonus if you're growing the hedge to tryKeep deer out of your yard.
Some Rose of Sharon shrubs tend to self-seed profusely. So if you want to keep your hedge low-maintenance, try to avoid these varieties.
Purple Pillar®Johannis herbs (HibiscusSyracuse)
Zone: 5 bis 9
exposure: Sonne
Height: 10′ bis 16′
Broad: 2′ bis 3′
heyday: summer to autumn
flower color: white, lilac
While all Rose of Sharon shrubs make a good hedge, the Pillar is®Hibiscus is an innovative introduction that has revolutionized cultivation because it takes up so little space.
It has an unusual columnar shape that is great for a narrow privacy screen.
The semi-double flowers bloom along the stems, attracting pollinators.
The Rose of Sharon is both heat and drought tolerant and low maintenance. It rarely needs to be cut.
3 | Kreppmyrte
Crape Myrtle is a large shrub or small tree with deciduous leaves and handsome multicolored bark that makes for an interesting display even in winter.
It's not as dense as some of the other shrubs on this list, but can still make a pretty hedge if separation rather than absolute privacy is your goal.
middle stage®Kreppmyrte (Lagerstroemiaindica)
Zone: 6b to 10
exposure: Sonne
Height: 6′ bis 12′
Broad: 8′
heyday: spring to autumn
flower color: red or deep pink with yellow stamens
Focus®Crapemyrtle is a narrower growing shrub than the species, making it a good choice for smaller gardens.
She is more disease resistant and vigorous and has fantastic purple/black leaves.
This Crapemyrtle offers stunning 3 season interest in the landscape.
If you want a tall, long-flowering hedge that doesn't need pruning, it's a top choice.
This shrub can be planted in any soil pH and likes average water.
It attracts pollinators and birds and repels deer.
4| Azaleas (Rhododendron)
There are a few different types of azaleas that make good hedges, including the North American native Encore Azaleas and the smaller Asian varieties.
They don't need pruning to thrive, but if you do want to prune them back, do so immediately after flowering. Otherwise, you can cut off next year's buds.
Note that some azaleas (like the Northern Light series) have a looser habit that is not conducive to a good hedge. So be sure to grab one of the denser varieties.
Native Azalea
Zone: 6 bis 8
exposure: sprinkler Treasures
Height: 2' to 15' (for a hedge, choose a variety that grows 6' to 8' tall)
Broad: 6′ bis 8′
heyday: spring to summer (depending on variety)
flower color: white, pink, orange, salmon, yellow, red
The native azalea is a slow-growing, deciduous shrub that produces flowers at the ends of branches.
And as you can see from the Orange Flame Azalea, which grows wild up in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the blooms are profuse!
Many native azaleas also have leaves that turn yellow, red, or deep burgundy in fall. Pinxter Bloom Azalea (R. periclymenoides) or Pinkshell Azalea (Rhododendron vaseyi) are two such cultivars that will provide three seasons of interest.
This shrub does well in acidic forest soils and needs plenty of moisture. There is even a swamp variety (R. viscosum) if you have a pitch with wet conditions.
Native azaleas should not be pruned extensively except to remove broken or dead branches. Therefore, it is important to choose a species that will reach the desired height and size.
Add azaleas
Zone: 6 bis 10
exposure: Sun to semi-shade
Height: 2′ bis 6′
Broad: 2′ bis 6′
heyday: spring to autumn
flower color: white, pink, purple, red
For a fairly dense evergreen hedge, Encore azaleas are a good option.
They were bred to flower again, producing a large flower show in the spring and then blooming sporadically throughout the rest of the growing season.
As with most azaleas, this shrub does not require pruning, but if you wish to trim it, do so immediately after the spring blooms have ended so you don't remove any buds.
These bushes come in many different sizes, so check the variety to make sure it fits your space.
Learn more about growing azaleas.
5 | bridal wreath spirea (Spiraea prunifolia)
Zone: 5 bis 9
exposure: Sonne, Halbsonne
Height: 6′ bis 9′
Broad: 8′
heyday: Spring
flower color: Weiss
Bridal Wreath Spirea is a fairly wide shrub with white flowers that needs some space to spread out as you don't want to prune its overhanging branches.
Nothing says majesty like the gorgeous white double flowers that drape to the ground and cover the entire row of bushes. It has been described as "fountain-like" in shape.
If the shrub becomes too long-legged, it can be cut right after flowering.
The foliage turns bright orange-red in autumn.
Bridal Wreath Spirea is drought tolerant and repels deer.
6 | Purple hedge
In my opinion, the only thing better than having a beautiful lilac bush bloom in spring is a whole hedge of it!
Not only do they smell nice, their pretty flowers are also great as cut flowers.
And the bushes are pretty low maintenance, which is always a bonus when you have a bunch of them.
Flieder Scentara Pura®(Injectionx Hyacinthiflora)
Zone: 2 bis 8
exposure: Sonne
Height: 4′ bis 6′
Broad: 4′ bis 6′
heyday: Spring
flower color: lila
As the name suggests, 'scentara pura' lilac has a strong, pure lilac scent and beautiful deep purple flowers.
It is disease resistant, so the green foliage will still look good after the flowers have faded.
This lilac does better than other lilacs in places with mild winters.
Plant in well-drained soil. Do not alter the soil when planting. Cut back faded flowers after they have opened.
Learn more about growing lilacs.
7 | hydrangea
Hydrangeas are one of the most popular garden plants for a reason.
They have the most incredible blooms that last through most of the summer and make excellent cut flowers for bouquets, either fresh or dried.
There are many hydrangeas of various heights that would make good flowering hedge plants. These include the Hydrangea macrophylla varieties commonly found in urban gardens (like "Twist and Shout" above).
However, if you want a taller hedge that has more structure in the winter, then the two varieties listed below may be what you are looking for.
Grape Hydrangea (hydrangeaPaniculata)
Zone: 3 bis 8
exposure: Sonne, Halbsonne
Height: 4′ bis 8′
Broad: 4′ bis 8′
heyday: summer to autumn
flower color: White turns pink/red
There are plenty of hydrangeas of various heights that would make good hedges, but if you want a bold wow factor you can't beat .
Hydrangea paniculata bushes bear huge flowers that are white at first and then turn either green or pink, depending on the variety.
Panicle hydrangeas should be planted in rich, well-drained soil, but are more drought tolerant than the macrophilic species.
Cut back to 2-3 nodes from the ground in late winter. They flower on new wood, so you don't have to worry about clipping the buds.
One of my favorite new strains is Zinfin Doll. It has flowers that grow on strong stalks and remain upright in the rain. They start out pure white, then turn pink from the bottom up, eventually turning a deep rose-pink as temperatures cool.
Other full-size panicle hydrangeas to consider are Fire light, Pee gee, Quick fire, Limelight, or Pinky winky.
Unbelievable®Smooth Hydrangea (Hydrangeaarborescens)
Zone: 3 bis 8
exposure: Partial shade to full sun
Height: 4′ bis 5′
Broad: 4′ bis 5′
heyday: summer to autumn
flower color: white, pink
For a low-maintenance, attractive, green hedge with huge, white (or pink) flowers, enjoy this native plant - Hydrangea aborescens.
"Unbelievable®' is an improvement over the old reliable 'Annabelle' as it has stronger stems to hold larger buds.
This shrub needs rich, well-drained but consistently moist soil.
A layer of mulch is important to retain moisture.
It flowers on new wood and will therefore benefit from a pruning of 1/3 of its height in early spring.
However, it doesn't have to be dead to bloom all summer and into fall.
I leave the flowers (which turn beige after the first frost) on the plant over the winter to keep my interest in the landscape.
Incredible hydrangea attracts bees and butterflies.
8 | Reblooming Weigela
Weigela is a deciduous plant with green leaves and a habit.
It is a low maintenance plant that tolerates most soils as long as they are well drained and makes a neat light colored hedge along a fence line.
However, if you want a flowering hedge, you can also have one that blooms all season long. So, instead of planting a standard early flowering strain, choose a post flowering strain instead.
sonic flower pink®Weigela (Weigela Florida)
Zone: 4 bis 8
exposure: Sonne
Height: 4′ bis 5′
Broad: 4′ bis 5′
heyday: Late spring, late summer to autumn
flower color: Rosa
Although Sonic Bloom Weigela comes in red and pearl colors, the pink version is the best Rebloom.
It doesn't need to be dead in order to flower all summer long after the big flower show in May.
This bush attracts hummingbirds and repels deer.
9| Landscape roses
Because of their beautiful flowers and long flowering period, roses are one of the most popular shrubs among gardeners.
However, not all roses make good flowering hedge plants.
Many of the hybrid tea varieties are susceptible to disease if planted too close together and not spreading far enough to form a hedge.
So I recommend using landscape or shrub roses for this purpose.
Oso Easy Double Rot®Rose
Zone: 4 bis 9
exposure: Sonne
Height: 3′ bis 4′
Broad: 3′ bis 4′
heyday: Sommer
flower color: Rot
'Double Red' is a landscape rose that blooms all summer without dying.
The flowers have long stalks that rise above powdery mildew and black spot-resistant green leaves.
It prefers moist, well-drained soil and does not require heavy pruning.
You'll want to pick a bouquet of these beauties!
Last but not least®Rose
Zone: 5 bis 9
exposure: Sonne
Height: 30″ bis 36″
Broad: 30″ bis 36″
heyday: spring to autumn
flower color: Peach
"Finally" is a real breakthrough for rose growers.
It is one of the best dog roses as it has a long flowering season, is disease resistant and does not require a die back to get the plant to flower.
Its fragrant flowers resemble tea roses and the beautiful salmon color is beautifully contrasted by the glossy dark green foliage.
Prune the plant back 1/3 in spring to keep it from becoming leggy and fertilize to get the most blooms.
10 | summer sweet
As the name suggests, Summersweet produces flowers that have a lovely scent during the summer.
And it has fall interest because the leaves turn a spectacular yellow to orange color.
ClethraAlnifoliaalso prefers moist to wet soils that are slightly acidic.
It is a native plant and can look a little wild and unruly. If you want a more controlled strain, try the following strain from Proven Winners.
Zuckertina®‘Crystalina’ Sommersüß (ClethraAlnifolia)
Zone: 4 bis 9
exposure: Partial shade to full sun
Height: 3'
Broad: 2′ bis 3′
heyday: Midsummer
flower color: Weiss
Stunning white fragrant spiers rise above very dark green foliage in mid summer on this easy to grow native dwarf summer sweet.
This plant tolerates some shade and moist soil in a woodland environment.
It's perfect if you want to attract butterflies and repel deer.
The plant maintains its dense mound shape well and does not require pruning.
That's it for my list of flowering hedge plants. I hope you found inspiration for some bushes that will look beautiful in your garden.
Other garden ideas you might like
- Shade-loving shrubs
- Backyard privacy ideas to monitor your neighbors
- Plants that thrive in clay soil
Do you have any comments or questions about our flowering hedge plants? Tell us in the section below.
This post was originally published on September 9, 2021 but was updated with new content on June 1, 2022.