Plant Spacing & Layout

Hedge Spacing Calculator

Pick your hedge plant and enter the row length to find out exactly how many plants to buy for a full, even hedge. Choose single or double rows and a fast, standard, or slow fill-in to match your budget and patience.

How to use the hedge spacing calculator

Buying hedge plants by guesswork usually ends in a row that is either gappy or overcrowded. This calculator removes the guesswork: choose your hedge plant, type in the length of the row in feet, pick a single or double row, and select how quickly you want the hedge to fill in. It returns the number of plants to buy, the spacing to set them at, an estimate of how long the hedge will take to knit together, and the plant count for a denser double row. The math is simple — row length divided by spacing, plus one plant for the end of the row — but doing it per species saves a wasted trip to the nursery.

Choosing the right spacing

Spacing is the single biggest decision when planting a hedge. Set plants too far apart and the hedge stays open for years; set them too close and they compete for light, water, and nutrients, which can leave the bases bare over time. Compact, slow growers such as boxwood, lavender, and yew are planted 1 to 2 feet apart for a tight formal finish. Mid-size shrubs like privet, holly, and ornamental grasses sit in the 1.5 to 4 foot range, while vigorous screening plants — Leyland cypress, lilac, rose of Sharon, and forsythia — need 3 to 6 feet to reach their natural spread. The calculator stores a sensible spacing range for each plant so you only have to choose the fill-in speed.

Fast, standard, or slow fill-in

The fill-in setting trades money against time. The "fast" option spaces plants at the close end of their range for quick, dense coverage — useful for privacy or windbreaks — but you buy more plants. The "slow" option spaces them widely, which is gentler on your budget and lets each plant develop fully, at the cost of waiting longer for a solid screen. "Standard" is the balanced choice and a safe default. As a rough guide, a closely planted hedge can screen in about three years, a standard one in around five, and a widely spaced one in eight years or more.

Single rows, double rows, and planting tips

A single row suits most boundaries and formal hedges. For a thick, view-blocking screen, plant a double row and stagger the second line so each plant sits in the gap of the first — offsetting by half the spacing produces a brick-like pattern with no see-through channels. Whichever you choose, prepare a wide planting trench rather than individual holes, work in compost, and water deeply through the first growing season while roots establish. Mulch along the row to suppress weeds and hold moisture, and give fast growers like privet and Leyland cypress an annual trim from an early age so they branch low and stay dense to the ground.

Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on the plant and how quickly you want the hedge to fill in. Compact plants like boxwood and lavender go 1 to 2 feet apart, mid-size shrubs such as privet, yew, and holly sit 1.5 to 4 feet apart, and large screening plants like Leyland cypress or lilac need 4 to 6 feet. Planting at the closer end of the range fills in faster but costs more; the wider end is cheaper and better for the plants long term.
A single row is the standard, economical choice for most garden hedges. A double row, with the second row offset by half the spacing so plants sit in the gaps, creates a thicker, more opaque screen that blocks wind and views sooner. Use a double row for privacy or shelter belts where density matters more than cost; the calculator shows the plant count for both.
Close planting (the "fast" setting) gives quicker coverage — often a usable screen in about three years — but uses more plants and can increase competition as they mature. Wider "slow" spacing costs less upfront and lets each plant reach its natural size, though it may take eight or more years to knit together. The "standard" setting is the balanced middle ground most gardeners choose.
Divide your row length by the spacing and add one plant for the far end of the row — which is exactly what this calculator does. For example, a 20-foot row of privet at 2-foot standard spacing needs 11 plants (20 ÷ 2 = 10, plus 1). Double that for a double row. Always measure the actual planting line, including any curves, rather than the straight-line distance.
Leyland cypress is among the fastest, putting on roughly 3 to 4 feet a year, followed by privet and forsythia at around 2 to 2.5 feet. Boxwood and yew are slow and dense, growing well under a foot a year, which is why they are prized for formal, tightly clipped hedges. Faster growth means quicker screening but more frequent trimming to keep the hedge in shape.
For most deciduous and evergreen hedging, late autumn through early spring — while plants are dormant and the soil is workable but not frozen — gives roots time to establish before summer heat. Bare-root plants are cheapest and must go in during dormancy, while container-grown plants can be set out almost year-round if you keep them well watered through their first season.

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GardenCalc Editorial Team

Horticulture Writers & Master Gardeners

Our calculators and guides are written and fact-checked by gardeners with hands-on experience in vegetable production, soil management, and home landscaping.