Common Privet Hedge

A crisp, formal hedge

Privet has small, neat leaves, so it can be clipped tightly into sharp lines and flat tops without the browned, half-cut leaves you get on large-leaved hedges. It is the traditional choice for front boundaries, low dividing hedges and topiary shapes.

Quick to establish and very forgiving

Common Privet grows quickly once its roots are settled, thickens up well with regular trimming, and will shoot again from old wood. An overgrown or gappy Privet hedge can usually be cut back hard and renovated rather than replaced.

Is Privet evergreen?

Common Privet is semi-evergreen. In most UK gardens it keeps the majority of its leaves through winter, but in a cold winter or an exposed spot it can drop some of them, coming back into full leaf in spring. Read Is Privet evergreen? for more detail.

Common, Golden or Wild Privet?

For colour, see Golden Privet. For a native hedge, see Wild Privet. On exposed coastal sites, New Zealand Privet (Griselinia) is a better evergreen choice.

Soil

Privet grows in almost any reasonably drained soil, including clay, chalk and sandy ground. Avoid ground that stays waterlogged. On heavy or compacted soil, dig over the whole planting strip rather than individual holes so water can drain away.

Sun and shade

It does best in full sun or partial shade. It will grow in shade, but more slowly and less densely, so expect a thinner hedge in deep shade or under trees.

Town gardens and safety

Privet copes well with town and roadside conditions, which is one reason it has been a favourite front-garden hedge for so long. The leaves and berries are mildly poisonous if eaten, so read Is Privet poisonous? if you have young children, dogs or livestock nearby.

How fast does Privet grow?

Once established, Common Privet typically grows around 30–60cm a year, depending on soil, light and watering. Growth is usually slower in the first season while the roots establish. Our answer to How can I make a Privet hedge grow faster? covers the things that make the biggest difference.

How many Privet plants per metre?

Plant in a single row. As a guide, plant 40–60cm bare-root plants at 6 per metre and 60–120cm bare-root plants at 5 per metre. Pot-grown plants up to 100cm go in at 3–4 per metre, and root-balled plants at 3 per metre up to 150cm and 2 per metre above that. Instant hedging is sold by the metre. Our Privet hedge planting guide takes you through planting step by step.

When to cut a Privet hedge

Trim an established hedge two or three times between late spring and late summer to keep it dense and tidy, and always check for nesting birds first. Hard renovation is best done in late winter or early spring. See our Privet hedge pruning guide for timings and technique, and our Privet hedge care guide for watering and feeding. If your hedge is struggling, our Privet problems, pests and diseases guide can help you work out why.