Are you looking for some creative ideas for your garden, but feel like you're staring at a blank wall? Transform that blank wall with exceptional hedges that help you take a break from the world, the wind, and the sun. Whether you want to achieve a bit more privacy, add classic touches to your garden or soften the look of walls and fences, a variety of inspired options await in sizes, shapes and foliage to fit any style. Cupressus sempervirens – What could be more timeless than the classic Italian cypress? Reminiscent of Roman villas, this tall and stately tree is perfect for the Mediterranean garden. Reaching 40-70 feet in height, this columnar cypress draws the eye upward to add a vertical element to the landscape. Makes a beautiful backdrop, screen, and property divider. Berberis thunbergii 'Crimson Pygmy' ('Atropurpurea Nana')– Pretty in purple describes this diminutive Japanese barberry. The colorful reddish-purple foliage makes this an eye-catching low hedge that grows to only 2 feet tall. The more sun, the brighter the foliage. Although deciduous, the bright red berries attract our feathered friends for a winter show. Very adaptable to urban environments and low water. Myrsine Africana – African Boxwood may be small, but is much loved for its toughness, low maintenance, drought tolerance and ability to thrive in urban environments and poor soil conditions. Easily kept to 3-4 feet tall, grow as a low hedge to divide flower beds, as a foundation planting, or to define a pathway. Young plants grow faster with regular deep watering. Shear to maintain shape. Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Marjorie Channon' (P. nigricans)– Not too big and not too small, the variegated foliage and billowy pyramidal shape set it apart. Slender black stems hold oval pale green foliage with rich cream-colored margins. Red-brown bell-shaped flowers fill the spring air with a honey scent. Grows slowly to 8-12 feet tall and 6 feet wide. This shrub is most beautiful in its natural state but can be easily kept as a 4-6 feet tall sheared hedge. Bambusa oldhamii – This ornamental timber bamboo is a jaw-dropping addition to the tropical garden. Growing to an impressive 55 feet, thick bamboo canes and lush green leaves provide a dense and vivid green screen. Looks better and grows faster with ample water. Young plants require protection from winter chill. Ligustrum japonicum 'Texanum' Staked Column – Ah, the many forms of the wax leaf privet. This adaptable and popular beauty can be grown naturally as a hedge or windbreak, sheared into topiary, trained as an espalier, or even made into a patio tree. Glossy dark green leaves are densely packed on this 8-10 foot tall shrub. Light green foliage and fragrant white flowers appear in spring, followed by small blue-black round fruit. Nandina domestica – As showy and exotic as bamboo, but in miniature form, Heavenly Bamboo is a striking ornamental with upright cane-like stems covered in lacy green leaves that turn bright red in fall. Creamy summer flowers produce a spectacular display of bright red berries from fall through spring. Upright to 6-8 feet tall and only 3 feet wide, this shrub is excellent for narrow spaces. Dodonaea viscosa 'Purpurea' – The spreading habit of the purple-leafed hop bush is ideal for an informal hedge or screen. This rapid-growing shrub reaches 12-16 feet tall and wide. Long narrow bronze-green leaves turn purple as the weather cools, providing interest in the winter months. The more sun, the brighter the foliage. Appreciates an occasional deep water. Prune in fall/winter; shear in spring/summer to maintain shape.