Also known as Oval-Leaf Privet or Garden Privet, Ligustrum ovalifolium is a semi-evergreen hedge widely used for its fast growth, neat appearance, and year-round screening potential. Valued for its dense foliage and excellent response to clipping, it remains a popular choice for both residential gardens and urban spaces where structure, privacy, and ease of maintenance are essential.
Growing Conditions
Privet thrives in a wide range of soils, including clay, chalk, loam, and sandy soils, as long as they are well-drained. It grows happily in both sun and partial shade, and tolerates pollution well, making it ideal for city gardens, driveways, and street-side planting.
Where to Plant It
This fast-growing hedge is ideal for front garden boundaries, low-maintenance formal hedges, or topiary-style shapes. It can also be used to create dense screens in smaller spaces where evergreen presence is needed without the scale of conifers or laurels.
Foliage, Flowers & Structure
Privet Hedging produces glossy green, oval-shaped leaves, which it typically retains through winter in milder conditions, though it may drop some leaves in exposed or colder sites. In early summer, small clusters of white flowers may appear, especially on less frequently trimmed hedges. These are followed by black berries that attract birds and other wildlife.
Size & Growth
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Growth Rate: Fast (40–60 cm per year)
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Ultimate Height: Easily maintained at 1–4 metres
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Spacing: 3–5 plants per metre (double row for denser screens)
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Time to Establish: 2–4 years for a full, dense hedge
