I would use the upright.....forget the name.....
When you keep them so small, you will have to prune very carefully and often. Not with electric hedge trimmers....or in a few years it will become dense on the outside and woody and bare on the inside.
I have a friend who did that...only his were a series of green "beach balls"...
When they moved, the new owners trimmed with electric trimmers and in a couple of years they became very ugly....and they pulled them out.
It's a good look....if you trim carefully.
Linda C

Hmmm ... and I would avoid the upright & columnar Taxus cuspidatas in in favor of the spreading T. x media - perhaps something like the very common Wardii or even Hicksii. I figure: if you want a low hedge, why pick a plant with growth tendencies that highly favor the vertical & fight it all its life when there are plenty of yews that tend to grow horizontally?

Al

Because with a hedge, I prefer plants that grow up....rather than horizontally. I prefer the way the new shoots point up rather than sideways.
And even if they are spreaders.....they still will grow taller.....and you still will have to whack them down.
But I am only familiar on a first hand basis with the hicks yew.....don't know the media or the wardi. I like the look of the branches upright habit for a short hedge.
Linda C

Can you prune Yew Hedge with a regular hedge clippers? I want a very tall, dense hedge. Is Hicks Yew the best variety for this?

Why does an electric clippers cause a problem?

when you use electric clippers it cut the tiny green parts whose edges turn brown, and you see the white stem cuts. If you use hand pruners, you can cut the wayward/tall stems without the shrub looking awful all summer. I admit this takes a long time, but what is your goal? The round balls (yews or junipers) are out of fashion right now. as yews become too big you can cut them down and they will re sprout. Junipers will NOT re sprout. The other problem is with an evergreen hedge-if one dies- you are left with a gap and 2 bushes on each side with no green growth. Yews are more tolerant of shade. But don't forget I'm in zone 5 and things may be better in zone 7.

My goal is a tall dense hedge(over 12-15 feet), preferably evergreen to act as a fense. Where can I find out more on the varieties of Yew hedges. I am looking for varieties that will do well in Texas.