Enhance Your Garden with 9 Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges

Posted on 15/06/2025

Enhance Your Garden with 9 Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges

Are you searching for an attractive, natural solution to bring more privacy and beauty to your garden? A fast-growing privacy hedge could be the ideal choice to transform your outdoor space. Not only do these living fences introduce lush greenery, but they also block unwanted views, buffer noise, and provide shelter for wildlife. In this comprehensive guide, we explore nine of the best fast-growing hedges and offer tips for planting and maintaining your living privacy screen.

Why Choose Fast-Growing Hedges for Privacy?

When it comes to gardening, instant gratification can be rare, but fast-growing privacy plants give you quick and effective results. Whether you have nosy neighbors, noisy streets, or simply crave a sense of seclusion, a rapidly maturing hedge will help you achieve a private oasis sooner rather than later. Here are some key advantages:

• Speed: Enjoy mature screening in a few years instead of waiting decades.
• Beauty: Many fast-growing hedges offer year-round color, flowers, or attractive foliage.
• Wildlife value: Hedges provide food and shelter to birds and pollinators.
• Eco-friendliness: Living privacy bushes improve air quality, reduce noise, and offer sustainable privacy.

With so many privacy hedge plants to choose from, it's important to select species that suit your soil, climate, and style. Read on to discover the top options and how best to grow them.

9 Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges to Transform Your Garden

1. Leyland Cypress (Cupressus x leylandii)

Leyland Cypress is one of the most popular choices for a rapid, dense, and evergreen privacy screen. Growing up to 3 feet per year, this conifer quickly forms a tall, lush barrier.

• Growth rate: Up to 3 feet annually
• Mature height: 30-50 feet
• Sunlight: Full sun to part shade
• Soil: Adaptable, thrives in well-drained soil
• Care tips: Prune regularly for fullness, and provide ample space to avoid overcrowding.

Ideal for large yards, Leyland Cypress rapidly creates a windproof, evergreen privacy wall, making it one of the best fast-growing privacy hedges for gardens in many regions.

2. Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja standishii x plicata)

The Green Giant Arborvitae is a favorite among gardeners seeking a fast-growing, resilient privacy shrub. Its lovely, feathery foliage offers year-round coverage and a soft appearance.

• Growth rate: 2-3 feet per year
• Mature height: 30-40 feet
• Sunlight: Full sun to part shade
• Soil: Moist, well-drained
• Care tips: Requires little pruning, drought tolerant once established.

Green Giant Arborvitae is a disease-resistant alternative to Leyland Cypress, making it perfect for a low-maintenance, fast-growing hedge for privacy.

3. Privet (Ligustrum spp.)

With its glossy green leaves and tolerance for shaping, privet has long been a traditional choice for privacy hedges. It's available in both deciduous and evergreen varieties.

• Growth rate: 2-3 feet per year
• Mature height: 10-15 feet
• Sunlight: Full sun to part shade
• Soil: Adaptable to most soils
• Care tips: Prune frequently for denser growth and shape.

Privet is an excellent option for those who want a formal hedge or wish to create intricate living barriers, thanks to its vigor and willingness to rebound from heavy pruning.

4. Bamboo (Phyllostachys & Bambusa spp.)

For a unique and fast-growing privacy screen, bamboo is unrivaled. Some varieties can grow up to 5 feet in a single season.

• Growth rate: 3-5 feet per year
• Mature height: 10-30 feet
• Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil: Well-drained, rich in organic matter
• Care tips: Use clumping varieties to prevent invasive spread, and install rhizome barriers if using running types.

Nothing beats bamboo for a tropical look and ultra-fast privacy. Make sure to choose non-invasive species or take precautions to contain the roots.

5. Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera)

Wax Myrtle is a speedy native shrub that's gaining popularity for privacy hedges. It features aromatic evergreen foliage and decorative blue-grey berries.

• Growth rate: 2-5 feet per year
• Mature height: 10-20 feet
• Sunlight: Full sun to part shade
• Soil: Tolerates a range, including poor or sandy soils
• Care tips: Responds well to pruning and is salt- and drought-tolerant.

Perfect for Southern gardens, Wax Myrtle forms a dense, bird-friendly privacy barrier in record time.

6. Glossy Abelia (Abelia x grandiflora)

If you want a hedge that offers both privacy and flowers, Glossy Abelia is a fantastic choice. Its arching branches display fragrant pink-white blooms all summer, attracting pollinators.

• Growth rate: 1-2 feet per year
• Mature height: 6-10 feet
• Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil: Well-drained, prefers slightly acidic
• Care tips: Prune lightly after flowering to keep its shape and promote blooms.

This versatile shrub is both deer-resistant and drought-tolerant, making it a practical and pretty privacy hedge for a range of climates.

7. Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

Beloved for its dense, glossy foliage, Cherry Laurel makes for an imposing evergreen privacy hedge. Fast-growing and tolerant of urban conditions, it's widely used in landscapes across the world.

• Growth rate: 2-3 feet per year
• Mature height: 12-18 feet
• Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil: Well-drained, moist
• Care tips: Prune in early spring after the last frost to maintain shape and density.

Cherry Laurel's ability to grow in a variety of conditions makes it one of the most versatile fast-growing privacy shrubs.

8. Photinia (Photinia x fraseri)

Photinia stands out with its stunning red-tipped new growth, which eventually matures to glossy green. This vibrant, colorful hedge offers both privacy and visual interest.

• Growth rate: 1-2 feet per year
• Mature height: 10-15 feet
• Sunlight: Full sun for best color
• Soil: Moist, well-drained
• Care tips: Prune in spring to promote colorful new leaves.

This fast-growing privacy hedge works well as a stand-alone screen or as a component in mixed hedges.

9. American Holly (Ilex opaca)

American Holly is not just a holiday icon - it's also a superb evergreen for privacy. Its prickly leaves form an effective security barrier, while the red berries attract birds.

• Growth rate: 1-2 feet per year
• Mature height: 15-30 feet
• Sunlight: Full sun to part shade
• Soil: Moist, well-drained, acidic
• Care tips: Plant both male and female hollies for berry production, and prune for dense growth.

This species delivers year-round privacy, classic looks, and ecological benefits all at once.

How to Plant and Maintain Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges

Establishing a healthy, vigorous hedge starts with good planning and care. Here are step-by-step tips to help your privacy screen plants thrive:

1. Choose the Right Hedge for Your Needs

• Climate: Select species suitable for your USDA hardiness zone.
• Soil type: Test your soil and amend as necessary.
• Desired height & width: Be mindful of spacing and mature size.
• Wildlife: Factor in local fauna if you don't want deer browsing your new hedge!
• Maintenance: Decide if you want a formal clipped look or a more naturalistic screen.

2. Preparing the Site

• Clear weeds and grass from the planting strip.
• Loosen the soil to at least 12 inches deep.
• Incorporate compost or soil amendments if needed for fertility and drainage.

3. Planting Your Fast-Growing Hedge Plants

• Spacing: Space hedge plants according to their mature width for fullness and health (usually 2-4 feet apart).
• Dig holes as deep and twice as wide as each root ball.
• Set plants at the same depth as in their containers.
• Water in thoroughly and apply mulch to retain soil moisture and suppress weeds.

4. Caring for Your Privacy Hedges

• Water regularly during the first two seasons while roots establish.
• Mulch annually to conserve moisture and reduce weeds.
• Fertilize in spring with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer for robust growth.
• Prune to maintain shape, encourage bushiness, and remove dead or diseased wood.

With the right care, your privacy hedges will fill in quickly and remain healthy for years to come.

Tips for Maximizing Privacy and Curb Appeal

• Mix it up: Use a combination of species for year-round interest and extra resilience against pests and diseases.
• Add layers: Plant staggered rows or add low shrubs and flowers in front for a soft, multi-layered effect.
• Use mulch: Organic mulch not only retains water but also enhances the finished look of your hedge.
• Account for growth: Don't crowd your hedge plants; allow proper air circulation to minimize disease.
• Consider wildlife: Select berry-producing or evergreen hedges to support birds and beneficial insects.

Common Mistakes to Avoid with Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges

• Planting too closely: Overcrowding can stunt growth and promote disease.
• Neglecting pruning: Unpruned hedges become leggy rather than bushy.
• Ignoring soil needs: Poor soil can result in weak, slow-growing plants.
• Choosing invasive species: Always research your hedge's growth habits to prevent invasiveness.
• Forgetting to water: Young hedges need consistent moisture, especially in hot weather.

FAQ: Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges

What is the fastest-growing privacy hedge?

Leyland Cypress and Green Giant Arborvitae are among the quickest, often growing 2-3 feet or more per year. Some bamboos can reach up to 5 feet per year under ideal conditions.

Which privacy hedges stay green all year?

Evergreens such as Leyland Cypress, Green Giant Arborvitae, Cherry Laurel, American Holly, and certain types of bamboo provide year-round privacy.

How close should you plant privacy hedges?

Spacing depends on the species and your desired level of immediacy. Most fast-growing hedges do well at 2-4 feet apart, but always check mature widths for best results.

How soon will I have a full privacy screen?

With fast-growing screen plants, you can expect a solid hedge in 3-5 years with proper care, sometimes even sooner for the quickest species.

Conclusion: Creating a Beautiful, Private Garden Retreat

Fast-growing privacy hedges are a smart investment for any gardening enthusiast seeking beauty, tranquility, and nature's own barrier. By choosing the right plants and following the steps outlined in this article, you'll soon enjoy a green, living fence that transforms your outdoor space into a sanctuary. Whether your garden needs instant coverage, year-round greenery, or a burst of color, there is a fast-growing hedge plant that's perfect for you.

Start your privacy garden project today -- in just a few seasons, you'll delight in the lush, secluded oasis you've created. Happy planting!