Privet Hedge Looks Pathetic

I planted a Privet hedge around 6 years ago hopefully to fully screen off the next door property. The hedge appears to be healthy but is very scraggy and thin in the winter all of the leaves come off so the hedge isn't doing it's job.

Any tips to make the hedge a lot thicker? or is it possible to add another variety of hedge as well, so that the hedge want look so pathetic in the winter?

Picture of current hedge.

 

Welcome to Gardeners Corner jazzy. I think the problem is you've let it grow too tall before pruning. When they are young plants they should be given a light pruning as they grow, this encourages them to produce more shoots and fill out.

Privet is pretty hardy and I'd be inclined to cut it down to half it's present size and that will help it fill out. Then prune it lightly just to keep it tidy until it gets to the height you want.

 

I agree with the above. Also you don't say where you live. In most places privet keeps it's leaves through the winter, but ours loses them due to the low temperatures we get here.

 

Privets have escaped into the wild here.. but they make attractive enough small trees and provide birds with black berries in the winter.

Many people around here have given up using them as hedges and have let them go.. so now there are more Lingustrum trees than any other tree!

I find people cut them at the wrong time here, meaning they dont flower in some cases... and I love the smell of Lingustrum flowers.