Haven’t got a clue when it comes to hedges? Planting a hedge on the Gold Coast requires proper preparation and planning if you want the best results.
A well-planted hedge will give your garden much-needed structure and texture. Whether you want a flowering hedge to beautify your garden or a formal hedge as a fence line, there are a few things you need to consider before getting your hands dirty…
1. Avoiding Neighbourhood Disputes
Nobody wins when it comes to neighbourly tiffs. From boundary disputes right through to blocking out your neighbour’s view, hedges can create unexpected dramas down the track.
Here’s a couple of tips to avoid becoming the neighbour from hell when planting a hedge:
- Always talk to your neighbour if you feel like your hedge might intrude on their property or view.
- It’s important to try and stop any disputes before they start.
Know your boundaries and stick to them. Allow yourself a little extra room if your hedges really take.
2. Follow Gold Coast City Council Regulations
According to Gold Coast City Council regulations a fence is a structure, ditch or embankment, or a hedge or similar vegetative barrier, enclosing or bounding land.
Put simply, if you’re planting a hedge around your property’s boundaries it must adhere to the same council legislation as if you were installing a fence. Which means you can’t grow your hedge any higher than 2 metres above natural ground level without a permit.
3. Dial Before You Dig
4. Picking The Perfect Spot To Plant Your Hedge
Just like any other plant, your hedge needs the sun to thrive. If you intend to plant your hedge near a house, fence or large object, you need to take into account how much sunlight it’s going to receive. Spend one day establishing when and where the shadows come across your garden. Hedges that don’t get enough sunlight will look frailer and take much longer to fill out.
If in doubt, give Focal Point Landscape Maintenance a call. We know what suits the local environment, what has worked well for us in the past, and what will suit your conditions.
5. Get The Right Hedge For Your Needs
Before deciding what type of hedge you will be planting, you need to know what you want. Do you want a formal hedge for a touch of class? A flowery hedge to match your colourful garden beds? Or a fuller hedge with plenty of foliage to fill your backyard? It’s all up to you! Give our friendly gardening team a call today if you’re stumped and need a little expert advice.
Find out the most popular species of hedge on the Gold Coast.
Here’s a couple of things to consider before handing your money over:
- More formal hedges will require weekly upkeep
- If you’re going for a less-formal flowery look, pick a hedge with flowers that match the rest of your garden
- Formal hedges and a flowery look don’t go hand in hand—you’ll need to let them grow out in order to flower
- If you’re going for a fuller look, hedges with smaller leaves will look less bare and gappy
Once your hedge begins to blossom, here’s a few hedge trimming tips to keep on top of the maintenance.
If you need help choosing, planting or maintaining your hedges on the Gold Coast, Focal Point Landscape Maintenance will be happy to help! Give us a call or request a quote online.
5 Responses
My neighbours trees(lilly pillies) are over 4 metres high on our boundary, he refuses to maintain them- they make our house dark and block the sun to our clothes line.
What can i do,
he does not have a permit.
Hi John,
If the branches are hanging over your fence then you can legally trim them. The advice from Queensland Govt (link below) is always to have a conversation with your neighbour first. If that doesn’t bear fruit then you can legally “exercise your right of abatement”. That’s legal speak for being able to reduce or trim.
The laws can get a bit murky where taller trees are concerned, eg what to do about branches that aren’t accessible but which do overhand your boundary. That shouldn’t be an issue for you and your neighbour’s lilly pillies.
The next issue is what to do about the stuff you’ve just trimmed from the trees. The law says, “You do not have to return anything you trim from the neighbour’s tree but you may do so.” That doesn’t say whether chucking them back over the fence is allowed. It only indicates that you don’t have to return your trimmings. I’d suggest it wasn’t a good idea regardless. It would antagonise your neighbour.
It’s quite possible that you don’t want to be required for trim your neighbour’s foliage and hence the above does not apply to you. In that case, you can give them written notice. You have to give them 30 days notice. More info in the link below.
If all else fails, you can go to QCAT and have it arbitrated. There are some caveats on what QCAT will arbitrate though and which include damage, danger and “unreasonably get in the way of your use and enjoyment of your land”. Perhaps that last may apply here. I’m no lawyer so I can only guess at how such a statement is interpreted.
https://www.qld.gov.au/law/housing-and-neighbours/disputes-about-fences-trees-and-buildings/resolving-tree-and-fence-disputes/what-to-do-if-a-neighbours-tree-is-affecting-you
Neighbours planted a hedge crooked that is on my land. I don’t want it, can I remove it? He believes because it didn’t bother previous owners it’s ok and I should leave it.
Hi Anna, I don’t want to give out legal advise but I would expect that anything growing on your land is yours to do with as you wish. I wonder though, is part or all of it on your property? Or is it planted on the neighbour’s side but leans into your property because it is crooked? If it is the latter then my to John above would count equally well for you here.
Some is planted on his side of fence line, then he goes crooked and planted it on my side of the fence line.