Privacy made easy: 9 fast-growing hedges for any garden

Posted on 30/05/2025

Privacy Made Easy: 9 Fast-Growing Hedges for Any Garden

Seeking privacy in your outdoor space? Want to enjoy your backyard sanctuary without prying eyes? Installing quick-growing privacy hedges might be the perfect solution. Hedges aren't just natural green walls--they also offer noise reduction, habitat for wildlife, and a lush, elegant aesthetic for your garden. In this comprehensive guide, discover nine fast-growing hedges that suit any garden style, space, or climate.

Why Choose Fast-Growing Hedges for Privacy?

No one likes waiting years for a privacy screen to develop. Fast-growing hedge plants can transform your garden within a couple of seasons--sometimes even a single year! These living fences are not just attractive, but also act as effective barriers against wind, dust, and unwanted views.

• Quick results: Lush screening within a short time frame.
• Eco-friendly: Absorb CO2 and attract birds and pollinators.
• Customizable: Many options suit every garden size and style.
• Noise reduction: Help buffer street sounds and create tranquility.

Let's explore the top 9 fast-growing hedges to make your garden private, beautiful, and inviting.

1. Leyland Cypress (Cupressus x leylandii)

If you need a rapid privacy hedge, Leyland Cypress is among the fastest-growing conifers available. Expect impressive growth rates of 3 to 4 feet per year when conditions are right!

Key Features

• Growth: Up to 60 feet tall, can be kept trimmed at desired height.
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade.
• Soil: Adaptable to many soil types.
• Maintenance: Prune annually for a formal hedge or allow natural shape.

Best for: Large gardens and boundaries where instant height is desired. Leyland Cypress privacy screens are unbeatable for speed and density, but need regular trimming to prevent them from becoming overwhelming.

2. Privet (Ligustrum species)

Privet hedges have been the staple of traditional British gardens for decades, thanks to their fast growth and lush foliage. Most varieties can be grown in sun or shade and recover quickly from pruning.

Key Features

• Growth: 2-3 feet per year.
• Sun: Full sun to semi-shade.
• Soil: Tolerant of poor soils.
• Maintenance: Easy to shape and rejuvenate.

Best for: Formal or informal hedges in all-sized gardens. Privet hedges create a dense, leafy screen and are simple to maintain--perfect for privacy on a budget.

3. Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja standishii x plicata 'Green Giant')

The Green Giant arborvitae is a superstar among fast-growing privacy hedges. It has a natural conical shape, requires little trimming, and resists deer and most pests.

Key Features

• Growth: 3-5 feet per year under prime conditions.
• Sun: Thrives in full sun to partial shade.
• Soil: Adaptable, prefers moist but well-drained soil.
• Maintenance: Low-maintenance; prune to shape if desired.

Best for: Creating tall, imposing living screens quickly. Green Giant hedges stay evergreen all year and are ideal for large boundaries and quick privacy.

4. Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

Cherry Laurel offers shiny, broad leaves and a dense growth habit, providing instant green coverage. Some cultivars boast fragrant spring flowers and black berries (watch out for pets, as they're mildly toxic).

Key Features

• Growth: 2 feet per year or more.
• Sun: Full sun to full shade--very versatile.
• Soil: Tolerates poor and alkaline soils.
• Maintenance: Prune for height and width control.

Best for: Shady gardens and creating lush, leafy privacy fast. Cherry Laurel is one of the quickest privacy hedges for difficult spots.

5. Bamboo (Phyllostachys and Fargesia species)

If you're after an exotic look and rapid growth, bamboo hedges for privacy are hard to beat. Many clumping varieties are non-invasive and form thick, tall screens within a couple of years.

Key Features

• Growth: Some species reach 20 feet in 2-3 years.
• Sun: Prefers sun or light shade.
• Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained soils are best.
• Maintenance: Stick to clumping (not running) varieties or install root barriers.

Best for: Contemporary gardens and narrow spaces. Bamboo screens provide unique texture and strong sound reduction.

6. Photinia (Photinia x fraseri 'Red Robin')

Famous for its vivid red young foliage, Photinia Red Robin is increasingly chosen for stylish, evergreen privacy hedges. It grows quickly and adds color to your landscape year-round.

Key Features

• Growth: 1-2 feet per year, sometimes more.
• Sun: Best in sun to partial shade.
• Soil: Not fussy, avoid soggy spots.
• Maintenance: Prune twice yearly for bushier hedges.

Best for: Eye-catching, medium-height privacy screens. Photinia also attracts pollinators with its white flowers in spring.

7. Escallonia

Escallonia hedges combine performance and beauty, offering glossy leaves and clusters of pink, white, or red blooms. Excellent for coastal and windy areas, escallonia tolerates salt and drought once established.

Key Features

• Growth: 1-2 feet per year.
• Sun: Enjoys full sun, tolerates light shade.
• Soil: Well-draining, neutral to alkaline soils preferred.
• Maintenance: Prune after flowering to tidy and encourage dense growth.

Best for: Colorful, flowering privacy hedges in coastal gardens. Escallonia screens offer beauty as well as function.

8. Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera)

Wax myrtle is a tough, fast-growing shrub native to the southeastern United States. It's perfect for naturalistic hedges in warmer climates, providing wildlife habitat and fragrant leaves.

Key Features

• Growth: Up to 3 feet per year.
• Sun: Prefers full sun to part shade.
• Soil: Tolerates poor soils and wet feet.
• Maintenance: Minimal--can be left unpruned or clipped for a formal look.

Best for: Large gardens in Zones 7-10. Wax myrtle hedges for privacy thrive where other plants struggle.

9. Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)

Hornbeam hedging is admired for its dense, neatly pleated foliage. It grows fast enough to offer screening within a couple of years and holds on to tan leaves over the winter, providing year-round privacy.

Key Features

• Growth: Up to 1.5 feet per year once established.
• Sun: Performs in full sun or shade.
• Soil: Thrives in clay and damp soils.
• Maintenance: Clip once or twice a year for a dense hedge.

Best for: Formal gardens and boundary hedges in European and temperate climates. Hornbeam hedges offer structural beauty and effective privacy screening.

How to Choose the Best Fast-Growing Hedge for Your Garden

With so many fast-growing hedging plants available, selecting the right one comes down to your garden's conditions and your personal style. Consider the following when planting a privacy hedge:

• Climate: Some fast-growing hedges are frost tender; others withstand all weather.
• Size: How tall and wide do you need your privacy screen?
• Evergreen or Deciduous: Evergreens provide year-round privacy; deciduous varieties can be elegant and seasonally changing.
• Maintenance: Some hedges need regular trimming, others are low maintenance.
• Wildlife: Do you want berries and flowers for birds and bees?

Always check your hedge's eventual size and invasiveness--especially with plants like bamboo or Leyland cypress. Some hedges grow extremely large if left unrestricted, so plan for annual maintenance.

Planting and Caring for Your Fast-Growing Hedge

Planting Tips for Best Results

• Spacing: Plant young hedges close enough for quick screening, but not so tight that growth is stunted.
• Soil preparation: Dig a generous trench, enrich with compost, and loosen soil beneath the roots.
• Watering: Fast growers need regular moisture, especially during their first year.
• Mulching: Helps retain moisture and keep weeds at bay.
• Fertilizing: Annual feeding encourages lush, vigorous hedges.

Patience is key: While these hedges are quick, even fast-growing screens need proper care in their first seasons to establish roots and density for lasting privacy.

Pruning and Maintaining Your Privacy Hedges

• Trim formally shaped hedges two or three times a year for tidy, dense growth.
• For informal hedges, prune lightly after flowering, or remove only dead or overcrowded branches.
• Remove weeds and apply mulch yearly.
• Monitor for pests and diseases--healthy hedges resist most problems.

Enhancing Privacy and Style: Final Thoughts

Adding a fast-growing hedge for privacy is one of the smartest investments you can make for any garden. Whether you prefer the formal lines of hornbeam or the wild, lush texture of bamboo and privet, there is a living screen suitable for your space and style.

Ready to reclaim your outdoor privacy? With the right choice from these top nine quick-growing privacy hedges, you'll enjoy a more secluded, peaceful haven--sooner than you think!

Frequently Asked Questions About Fast-Growing Hedges

Which fast-growing hedge is best for small gardens?

Try Photinia, escallonia, or cherry laurel for compact spaces. Bamboo (clumping varieties) can thrive in containers for narrow screening.

How long does it take for a privacy hedge to reach full height?

With the right plant and ideal conditions, privacy hedges hit their mature size in as little as 2-4 years. Regular watering, feeding, and shaping are essential for best results.

Are these hedges suitable for wildlife?

Many fast-growing hedges support birds, bees, and beneficial insects--look for varieties with flowers and berries for maximum wildlife benefit.

Can I mix different fast-growing shrubs for a hedge?

Absolutely! A mixed hedge offers resilience, seasonal color, and can better suit a range of local conditions. Consider combining several varieties for year-round visual interest and privacy.

Conclusion

With these nine fast-growing hedges, privacy is truly made easy for any garden. Tailor your choice to your climate, style, and desired level of seclusion, and you'll soon enjoy a garden sanctuary that's as beautiful as it is private.

Transform your outdoor space with the perfect fast-growing garden hedge and enjoy the peace, beauty and privacy you deserve!