Explore 9 Quick-Growing Hedges to Enhance Your Privacy

Posted on 20/05/2025

Enhancing privacy in your outdoor space while adding beauty and natural charm is easy with quick-growing hedges. Whether you want a lush living fence to block out neighbors or simply seek a tranquil garden retreat, fast-growing privacy hedges offer a sustainable, attractive solution. In this detailed guide, we'll explore nine of the best quick-growing hedges for privacy and help you choose the right one for your landscape.

Why Choose Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges?

Fast-growing hedges offer numerous benefits:

• Instant Privacy: Quickly shield your garden or backyard from unwanted views.
• Green Living Walls: Enhance curb appeal and property value with a lush, natural boundary.
• Wildlife Habitat: Provide food and shelter for birds, pollinators, and beneficial insects.
• Sound and Wind Barrier: Reduce street noise and wind, creating a peaceful outdoor environment.
• Sustainable Choice: Replace traditional fences with an eco-friendly privacy solution.

Let's discover which quick-growing hedge plants are best for your privacy needs.

1. Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja standishii x plicata)

Widely recognized as one of the best fast-growing privacy hedges, the Green Giant Arborvitae is a coniferous evergreen that thrives in most climates. With a bold, columnar shape and dense foliage, it forms an effective green wall in just a few seasons.

Key Features:

• Growth Rate: 3 to 5 feet per year
• Height at Maturity: 30 to 40 feet
• Hardiness: USDA Zones 5-8
• Disease and deer resistant

Green Giant Arborvitae is virtually carefree and can be trimmed for a formal hedge or left unpruned for a more natural effect.

2. Leyland Cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii)

Another popular fast-growing hedge for privacy, Leyland Cypress boasts soft, feathery green foliage and a rapid growth habit. It remains evergreen year-round, forming a thick, tall barrier in record time.

Key Features:

• Growth Rate: 3 to 5 feet per year
• Height at Maturity: Up to 60 feet
• Hardiness: USDA Zones 6-10
• Tolerates a range of soils

Plant Leyland Cypress trees 5 to 7 feet apart for the fastest, densest living privacy fence.

3. Privet (Ligustrum spp.)

Privet hedges have adorned gardens for generations, thanks to their vigorous growth and adaptability. Their semi-evergreen to deciduous leaves and snow-white, fragrant flowers make them a classic choice for quick, attractive living privacy screens.

Key Features:

• Growth Rate: 2 to 3 feet per year
• Height at Maturity: 4 to 15 feet (variety dependent)
• Hardiness: USDA Zones 4-10
• Excellent for topiary and formal hedges

Privet requires regular trimming to maintain a crisp, dense appearance.

4. Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

Cherry Laurel is prized for its broad, glossy evergreen leaves and beautiful white flower spikes in spring. It forms a dense, robust privacy hedge remarkably fast and tolerates shade better than many alternatives.

Key Features:

• Growth Rate: 2 to 3 feet per year
• Height at Maturity: Up to 20 feet
• Hardiness: USDA Zones 6-9
• Tolerates poor soils and shade

For a glossy, elegant privacy hedge, Cherry Laurel is hard to beat.

5. Bamboo (Bambusoideae)

Bamboo is a truly rapid growing hedge plant, capable of reaching screening height in as little as a year or two. Clumping bamboos are best for privacy hedges, as they don't run rampant like spreading types. Their vertical canes and feathery leaves transform dull spaces into lush retreats.

Key Features:

• Growth Rate: 3 to 5 feet per year
• Height at Maturity: 10-30 feet (species dependent)
• Hardiness: Varies (check species for your zone)
• Modern, exotic look

Choose non-invasive clumping bamboo varieties like Fargesia for a fast privacy hedge with minimal maintenance.

6. Photinia (Photinia x fraseri)

The vibrant red new growth of Photinia, especially the 'Red Robin' variety, makes it a showstopper among fast-growing privacy hedges. Its dense growth and adaptability to shaping make it a favorite for both informal and formal landscaping.

Key Features:

• Growth Rate: 2 to 3 feet per year
• Height at Maturity: 10-15 feet
• Hardiness: USDA Zones 7-9
• Striking red foliage in spring

Photinia is ideal for colorful, evergreen privacy hedges that stand out year-round.

7. Viburnum (Viburnum tinus, Viburnum odoratissimum)

Versatile and persistent, Viburnum hedges offer a range of options suited to various climates and soil types. Certain varieties, like Sweet Viburnum (V. odoratissimum), are especially renowned for their fast growth and dense coverage, as well as fragrant spring blooms.

Key Features:

• Growth Rate: 2 to 4 feet per year
• Height at Maturity: Up to 12-20 feet
• Hardiness: USDA Zones 5-10 (varies by species)
• Attracts pollinators

Viburnum makes an excellent, wildlife-friendly privacy screen that blooms beautifully each spring.

8. Pittosporum (Pittosporum tenuifolium)

Pittosporum is a compact evergreen shrub known for its charming variegated foliage and fast growth. It is drought-tolerant once established, making it a low-maintenance and water-wise privacy hedge for contemporary and traditional gardens alike.

Key Features:

• Growth Rate: 1.5 to 3 feet per year
• Height at Maturity: 6 to 15 feet
• Hardiness: USDA Zones 8-11
• Attractive wavy leaves and sweet-scented flowers

Pittosporum excels as a tidy, evergreen privacy hedge with a refined look.

9. Boxwood (Buxus species)

While not always the fastest-growing, certain boxwood varieties still make the list of quick privacy hedges thanks to their dense, evergreen foliage and ease of shaping. Ideal for more formal gardens, boxwoods create impeccably neat hedge lines.

Key Features:

• Growth Rate: 1 to 2 feet per year (variety dependent)
• Height at Maturity: 2 to 8 feet (variety dependent)
• Hardiness: USDA Zones 5-9
• Tolerates heavy pruning, some types are deer resistant

Boxwood offers timeless elegance for a low to medium height privacy hedge.

How to Choose the Best Quick-Growing Hedge for Your Privacy Needs

Selecting the right fast-growing privacy plant involves more than just picking the fastest grower. Here are key factors to consider:

• Space and Size: Choose species that mature to the right height and width for your boundaries.
• Sun/Shade: Ensure the hedge plant tolerates your garden's light conditions.
• Climate: Check hardiness zones to guarantee winter survival.
• Maintenance: Consider pruning needs and disease resistance.
• Leaf Retention: For year-round privacy, select evergreen or semi-evergreen varieties.
• Non-Invasiveness: Avoid spreading types or install root barriers, especially with bamboo.

Consult local nurseries or extension services for region-specific advice on the best quick-growing privacy hedges.

Tips for Planting and Establishing Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges

• Prep the Site: Clear the ground, incorporate compost, and ensure good drainage.
• Spacing Matters: Follow recommended spacing for rapid, healthy growth and thick hedges.
• Water Regularly: Young plants need consistent moisture until established.
• Mulch: Suppress weeds and conserve water with a 2-3 inch layer of mulch.
• Feed Annually: Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring.
• Prune as Needed: Early annual pruning promotes denser growth and desired shape.

With proper care, your new quick-growing privacy hedge will transform your landscape within just a few seasons.

Frequently Asked Questions about Quick-Growing Privacy Hedges

Which is the fastest growing hedge plant for privacy?

Leyland Cypress and Green Giant Arborvitae are among the fastest growers, often exceeding 3-5 feet of growth per year under ideal conditions.

How close should I plant hedge plants for a privacy screen?

Spacing depends on species, but generally 2 to 5 feet apart ensures a dense, seamless hedge in the shortest time.

What's the best hedge for small gardens?

Consider semi-dwarf varieties of boxwood, pittosporum, or compact viburnum species for effective privacy without overwhelming a small space.

Are there deer-resistant privacy hedges?

Yes! Green Giant Arborvitae, some boxwoods, and certain viburnums are less attractive to deer, making them excellent choices for wildlife-prone areas.

Conclusion: Create Instant Privacy with Quick-Growing Hedges

Investing in rapid-growing hedges is one of the smartest ways to boost your home's privacy, beautify your property, and support local ecosystems. With a careful selection from these nine top contenders, you'll enjoy natural, green seclusion almost year-round. Whether your style is formal, rustic, or modern, there's a quick-growing privacy hedge to suit your needs. Start planting today and transform your landscape into an oasis of beauty and solitude!

Ready to enhance your privacy? Visit your local nursery or consult a landscaping professional to choose the right fast-growing hedge for privacy and get planting!