Almost everyone who’s thinking about planting a new hedge ends up wavering between privet and yew at some point. They’re two completely different species, and the choice really always comes down to the same trade-off. Do you want results fast and are you willing to pay for that with more maintenance? Or are you patient and want a hedge that will still look perfect in twenty years? Below is my honest comparison.

How fast do they grow?

Privet grows about 30 to 50 cm per year. Yew grows at a rate of 15 to 25 cm. Do you want to see a green wall within a single season? Then privet is the way to go. Are you patient? Then go for yew, because it will keep growing over the long term.

What about maintenance?

Prunus: Prune twice a year, or you'll lose its neat shape.
Yew: Once a year is enough.

Do they stay green in the winter?

Both remain green, but during a harsh winter, privet often sheds some of its leaves. Yew remains completely dense. For some customers, that’s really the deciding factor.

For what type of garden?

For me, privet is the way to go if you have a long property line and speed and price are major factors. Yew is the long-term choice. For formal gardens, a grid-pattern garden, or a sleek, modern design, I almost always choose yew—nine times out of ten.

What would I recommend?

Do you need a practical property boundary and don’t want to break the bank? Privet. Do you want a hedge you’ll still be happy with in thirty years? Yew. If you’re still undecided, you can simply combine the two. At our nursery, we’ve had a privet windbreak behind a formal yew hedge for years, and it works wonderfully.