Choose from 9 fast-growing hedges to enhance your privacy

Posted on 03/07/2025

Choose From 9 Fast-Growing Hedges to Enhance Your Privacy

Are you searching for the best way to create a stunning and private outdoor sanctuary? Fast-growing privacy hedges are the secret weapon you need! With the right fast-growing privacy hedge, you can transform your yard into a secluded oasis in just a few seasons. In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the top nine fast-growing hedges for privacy, their standout features, benefits, and essential care tips. Whether your garden style is modern, cottage, or anything in-between, you'll find the perfect hedge plant to match your vision -- all while boosting your outdoor privacy!

Why Choose Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges?

A well-chosen hedge does more than just mark boundaries. Here's why fast-growing hedge plants for privacy are a game-changer:

• Natural screens: Live hedges create dense, attractive barriers that block out unwanted views.
• Noise reduction: Thick, leafy hedges absorb and muffle urban or road noise.
• Windbreaks: Fast-growing hedge plants cut wind speeds, protecting patios and delicate plants.
• Wildlife habitat: Many hedging species feed and shelter local birds, pollinators, and beneficial insects.
• Curb appeal: A lush privacy hedge adds value and beauty to your property.

Plus, with rapid growth, you won't wait years for coverage. Let's take a look at the best fast-growing hedges for privacy you can choose today!

The 9 Best Fast-Growing Hedging Plants for Privacy

Below you'll find the most popular and effective privacy hedge options for speedy coverage, each with care instructions, growth rates, and unique features.

1. Privet Hedge (Ligustrum spp.)

• Growth rate: Up to 3 feet per year
• Evergreen or Deciduous: Both types available (depends on variety)
• Max Height: Typically 10-15 feet
• Best for: Urban gardens, formal or informal boundaries

Privet is a classic fast-growing hedge beloved for its adaptability, vigor, and dense foliage. It tolerates frequent trimming and can form a neat, boxy border or a soft, cloud-like shape. Choose from evergreen Chinese privet, or opt for semi-evergreen/amur privet in colder climates.

• Pruning: Responds excellently to regular trimming.
• Soil: Thrives in most soils; drought-tolerant once established.

2. Leyland Cypress (Cupressus x leylandii)

• Growth rate: Up to 4 feet per year
• Evergreen: Yes
• Max Height: Can reach 60 feet if left unclipped!
• Best for: Maximum privacy, windbreaks, large gardens

Looking for a tall, instant screen? Leyland Cypress is famed for its rapid vertical growth and lush, green foliage. It forms a thick, living wall perfect for privacy from neighbors. Trim yearly to maintain your desired height.

• Pruning: Prune in late spring or summer to control size and density.
• Sun: Full sun to light shade.

3. Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

• Growth Rate: Up to 2 feet per year
• Evergreen: Yes
• Max Height: 15-30 feet
• Best for: Year-round privacy, screening along driveways

Cherry Laurel's large, glossy leaves make it a top pick for fast-growing evergreen privacy hedges. Its robust nature and shade tolerance mean it thrives where other plants struggle. In spring, delicate white flowers appear, attracting pollinators.

• Pruning: Easily shaped for formal or informal styles.
• Soil: Prefers moist but well-drained soils.

4. Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'Green Giant')

• Growth Rate: 3-5 feet per year!
• Evergreen: Yes
• Max Height: 30-40 feet (can trim lower)
• Best for: Tall hedges, wind protection, privacy in large spaces

'Green Giant' Arborvitae has earned its name among fastest-growing privacy plants. Its conical shape, dense emerald foliage, and resistance to pests/disease make it nearly foolproof.

• Spacing: Plant 5-6 feet apart for a solid screen.
• Sun: Full sun for fastest growth.

5. Bamboo (Phyllostachys spp. or Bambusa spp.)

• Growth Rate: Some varieties exceed 5 feet per year!
• Evergreen: Yes
• Max Height: 10-30 feet, depending on species
• Best for: Modern gardens, Asian-inspired designs, quick privacy

Bamboo is renowned for being the quickest solution to create privacy with fast-growing hedges. Choose clumping bamboo (e.g., Bambusa) over running types to avoid invasive spread. Bamboo brings striking vertical lines, rustling foliage, and exotic charm.

• Planting: Use rhizome barriers or containers to control spread.
• Sun: Most require full sun for maximum growth.

6. Pyracantha (Firethorn)

• Growth Rate: Up to 2 feet per year
• Evergreen: Semi-evergreen in colder climates
• Max Height: 10-12 feet
• Best for: Security hedges, wildlife habitat, colorful berries

Pyracantha's dense, thorny branches make it both a formidable privacy hedge and a burglar deterrent. In autumn, its vivid red or orange berries attract birds and add vibrant color.

• Care: Tolerates tough conditions, though remove suckers for neatness.
• Pruning: Prune after flowering to maintain shape.

7. Elaeagnus (Elaeagnus x ebbingei)

• Growth Rate: Up to 1.5 feet per year
• Evergreen: Yes
• Max Height: 12 feet
• Best for: Coastal gardens, urban privacy screens, drought resistance

Elaeagnus is prized for its silvery foliage, fragrant autumn blossoms, and super toughness. It handles wind, salt, drought, and pollution, making it an ideal hedge plant for privacy in exposed or neglected areas.

• Benefits: Low maintenance and pest-resistant.
• Pruning: Can be clipped to a formal or relaxed shape.

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

• Growth Rate: Up to 2 feet per year
• Evergreen: Yes
• Max Height: 10-12 feet
• Best for: Colorful privacy screens

Photinia is famous for its dazzling red, coppery new leaves, giving a dynamic twist to fast-growing privacy hedges. In spring, it puts on a flush of white flowers, loved by bees and butterflies.

• Pruning: Trim in late spring to encourage red regrowth.
• Sun: Best color in full sun, but will tolerate some shade.

9. Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens)

• Growth Rate: Up to 1 foot per year (slower than others but included for its versatility)
• Evergreen: Yes
• Max Height: 15-20 feet (with patience)
• Best for: Formal gardens, sculptured privacy, smaller spaces

Although Boxwood is not as fast as the others on this list, it's still a contender due to its evergreen coverage, incredible shearing tolerance, and disease resistance. It creates the ultimate living privacy wall with a classic, tidy look.

• Pruning: Easy to shape into topiary or formal lines.
• Care: Avoid waterlogging; prefers dappled or morning sun in hot climates.

How to Select the Perfect Fast-Growing Hedge for Privacy

Which hedge plant for privacy is right for your landscape? Consider the following factors before making your choice:

• Height requirements: How much coverage do you need: partial, full, or towering?
• Climate and hardiness: Match the hedge to your local growing zone and tolerance for heat/cold.
• Space: Some fast-growing hedges require ample room to flourish.
• Evergreen vs. deciduous: Evergreens offer year-round screening.
• Maintenance needs: Are you able to prune regularly, or do you want a low-maintenance option?
• Wildlife value: Want to support birds, bees, and butterflies?
• Allergies: Be aware of pollen/berries if family members have sensitivities.

Tips for Planting and Caring for Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges

To establish your privacy hedge quickly and keep it healthy:

• Site preparation: Remove weeds and improve soil with organic compost.
• Watering: Keep soil moist while plants are young; mulch helps retain moisture.
• Feeding: Fertilize in spring for lush growth, especially for heavy feeders like bamboo or laurel.
• Spacing: Plant close for faster coverage but give each plant ample room to grow and mature.
• Pruning: Most hedges respond well to regular trims, encouraging density and shaping the barrier.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges

How long does it take for a privacy hedge to form a screen?

With fast-growing hedges like Leyland Cypress or Green Giant Arborvitae, you may have a dense screen in just 2-4 years, depending on starting plant size and care. Slower growers like boxwood take longer but offer more formal options.

What are the lowest-maintenance privacy hedges?

Elaeagnus, Arborvitae, and Photinia are among the easiest to care for once established. Avoid bamboo or privet if you can't commit to pruning and containment.

Are fast-growing privacy hedges invasive?

Some--like running bamboo--can become invasive if not planted responsibly. Always choose clumping types, install root barriers, or consult with a local nursery for control tips.

Do all privacy hedges stay green year-round?

No; only evergreens provide year-round screening. Deciduous hedges (like some types of privet) may lose leaves in winter. Check the specifics for each hedge plant.

Conclusion: Boost Your Outdoor Privacy and Landscape Appeal

Whether you want a modern green wall with bamboo, a classic English boundary of boxwood, or a wildlife-friendly firethorn, there's a fast-growing privacy hedge for you! By matching your landscape needs, style preferences, and climate to the right plant, you'll enjoy enhanced privacy, beauty, and even a touch of nature's luxury around your home.

Ready to get started? Consult your local garden center about the best fast-growing privacy hedge plants for your region, and give your outdoor space the living barrier it deserves!

• Screen out prying eyes with lush, green walls
• Reduce noise and create a tranquil outdoor retreat
• Protect your property from wind and dust
• Invite birds and pollinators to your garden
• Increase your home's value and curb appeal

Make your privacy dreams a reality--choose from these nine fast-growing hedges and start enjoying your private paradise today!