The Best Privacy Hedge for Perth: Meet ‘Goodbye Neighbours’ Lilly Pilly
If you want fast, natural privacy that looks stunning year-round and thrives in Perth’s sandy, coastal, sun-baked conditions, Acmena smithii ‘Goodbye Neighbours’ should be at the top of your list. It’s one of the most reliable, resilient, and good-looking hedging plants for modern Perth homes and it lives up to its name. This isn’t just another hedging shrub. It’s a living green wall with personality, presence, and performance.
11/17/20252 min read
Why it suits Perth so well
Perth delivers a unique gardening challenge:
hot summers, drying winds, alkaline soils, and a climate that swings from harsh sun to water restrictions.
‘Goodbye Neighbours’ handles it like a pro.
Evergreen all year
Fast growing = quicker privacy
Thick, dense growth habit
Handles wind, heat, and full sun
Responds beautifully to trimming
Hardy once established
Native so it belongs here
Where many hedges scorch, thin out, or go woody, Goodbye Neighbours keeps filling in, deepening in colour, and thickening instead of giving up.
What it looks like
New foliage flushes in soft tones of lime through to deep green, giving the hedge a layered, textured look rather than a flat monotone wall. It holds tight, glossy leaves that clip neatly into any shape formal, layered, sculpted, or relaxed coastal.
Height potential is 3–5 metres depending on soil, water, and pruning.
Maintain it anywhere from 1.2m to 3m for a perfect suburban screen.
Where to plant it
Ideal for:
Backyard boundary hedges
Screening between driveways or patios
Narrow side-boundaries between houses
Noise buffering along fences
Along pool fencing (non-messy foliage)
It copes well in coastal suburbs like Rockingham, Kwinana, Coogee, Scarborough, Mindarie, and performs inland in warmer suburbs such as Baldivis, Harrisdale, Byford, Ellenbrook as long as the soil receives initial amendment and water while establishing.
How to maintain it without fuss
Plant 80cm–1m apart for maximum privacy
Water deeply while young then gradually reduce
Use compost + clay + slow-release fertiliser at planting
Trim lightly every 8–12 weeks in growing season
Mulch generously, it hates exposed, dry roots
Not sure how high to keep it?
Simply clip little and often rather than letting it stretch, then hacking it back.
Bonus feature: natural pest & disease resistance
Unlike older Lilly Pilly varieties, ‘Goodbye Neighbours’ is psyllid-resistant, meaning no ugly leaf pimples or ongoing chemical use.
That alone makes it worth the investment.
Who this hedge is perfect for
Homeowners wanting privacy this year, not in 5 years
Clients building modern, architectural gardens
Families who want soft, non-spiky screening
People who prefer green over Colorbond
Anyone wanting a hedge they can shape like art
In summary
If you want a hedge that grows fast, looks lush, clips beautifully, and handles Perth’s conditions, Acmena smithii ‘Goodbye Neighbours’ is one of the most dependable choices available.
It does the job, looks premium, and keeps growing even when things get tough.
