Instant Privacy Awaits with 9 Quickly Growing Hedges

Posted on 20/05/2025

Instant Privacy Awaits with 9 Quickly Growing Hedges

If you're dreaming of a private, tranquil backyard escape, quickly growing hedges can provide the instant privacy screen you need — without waiting years for saplings to mature. Whether you want to hide from nosy neighbors, buffer street noise, or simply create a lush green backdrop, there are fast-growing hedge plants perfect for every garden style and climate. Explore these nine exceptional choices to transform your outdoor space in record time!

Why Choose Fast Growing Privacy Hedges?

Investing in rapidly growing hedges is the smart solution for immediate privacy needs. Unlike slow-growing trees and shrubs, these vigorous plants deliver dense coverage much sooner. Quick-growing privacy hedges act as living fences, blocking unpleasant views, enhancing beauty, and increasing property value — all in just a few short seasons.

• Instantly Increase Privacy: Enjoy a secluded yard or garden fast.
• Reduce Noise: Dense hedges help muffle street sounds and neighbor chatter.
• Enhance Curb Appeal: Green fences provide year-round beauty and structure.
• Protect Against Wind and Dust: Shelter both your home and delicate plants.
• Eco-Friendly Living Solutions: Attract pollinators and provide bird habitats with hedges.

How Fast is 'Fast'? Factors Influencing Growth Speed

Not all hedges grow at the same pace, even those famed for their quickness. Growth rates can be affected by:

• Plant species and variety
• Soil quality
• Sunlight exposure
• Regular watering and fertilization
• Pruning and maintenance

With proper care, many of the fastest-growing privacy hedges can gain between 2-6 feet per year, assuring thick coverage in just a couple of seasons. Now, let's discover the top nine quickly growing hedges to bring instant privacy to your outdoor oasis!

1. Green Giant Arborvitae

The Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja standishii x plicata) tops the list for fast-growing evergreen privacy screens. This disease-resistant conifer thrives almost anywhere, growing up to 3-5 feet per year once established, making it a popular choice for instant living fences.

• Height: Up to 40-60 feet
• Width: 12-18 feet, responds well to pruning
• Growth Rate: Exceptionally fast
• Best Use: Large-scale privacy hedging, windbreaks
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade

Why you'll love it: Deer-resistant, tolerant of most soils, and lush year-round.

2. Leyland Cypress

The Leyland Cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii) is a tried-and-true favorite for those eager for a rapidly growing privacy hedge. This stately evergreen can soar up to 60 feet tall and puts on 3-4 feet of new height each year.

• Height: 30-60 feet
• Width: 8-12 feet
• Growth Rate: Up to 4 feet per year
• Best Use: Tall, uniform, formal privacy screens
• Sun Requirements: Full sun

Note: Prune annually for dense, manageable hedges.
Careful placement is key — Leyland Cypress needs adequate room to flourish and strong root systems to prevent toppling in storms.

3. Privet (Ligustrum spp.)

A classic choice for fast privacy hedging, Privet produces rapid, lush growth and thick foliage. It is renowned for handling frequent trims and can form rustic or formal hedges depending on your preferences.

• Height: 8-15 feet
• Growth Rate: 2-3 feet per year
• Best Use: Flowering, bird-friendly boundaries and garden dividers
• Varieties: Common Privet (Ligustrum vulgare), California Privet, Amur Privet

Bonus: Fragrant white flowers draw bees and butterflies in early summer.

4. Cherry Laurel

For those seeking a dense, glossy, and evergreen option, Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is a top contender for quickly growing green privacy screens. It thrives in various soils and tolerates shade better than many evergreens.

• Height: 10-20 feet
• Growth Rate: Up to 2 feet per year
• Best Use: Shade-tolerant, low-maintenance privacy hedge
• Leaf: Large, shiny, dark green foliage all year
• Bonus: Pretty white flower spikes in spring

Take care with placement — all parts are toxic if ingested by people or pets.

5. Red-Tipped Photinia

Red-Tipped Photinia (Photinia x fraseri) brings vibrant seasonal color along with privacy. New foliage emerges bright red before maturing to glossy green, providing breathtaking year-round visual interest.

• Height: 10-15 feet
• Growth Rate: Up to 2-3 feet per year
• Best Use: Colorful, medium-height privacy hedges
• Leaf: Shiny and evergreen with fiery red flushes
• Flowers: Clusters of small white blooms in spring

Tip: Prune regularly to encourage fresh red growth and maintain density.

6. Bamboo (Clumping Varieties)

For a modern, lush, and ultra-fast privacy solution, clumping bamboo is unbeatable. Suitable for both garden screens and containers, bamboo creates a tall, tropical green wall in one or two seasons.

• Height: 10-30 feet depending on the variety
• Growth Rate: Up to 5 feet in one growing season
• Best Use: Narrow or urban spaces, zen-style gardens, instant privacy screens
• Varieties: Buddha Belly, Golden Bamboo (Bambusa multiplex), Graceful Bamboo (Bambusa textilis)

Important: Choose clumping, not running varieties, to avoid invasive spreading!

7. Nellie Stevens Holly

The Nellie Stevens Holly (Ilex x 'Nellie R. Stevens') is a hybrid evergreen that impresses with its hardiness, shiny leaves, and striking red berries. It forms a lush, uniform hedge and can reach up to 20-30 feet if left unclipped.

• Height: 10-15 feet (easily maintained at desired height)
• Growth Rate: Up to 2-3 feet per year
• Best Use: Evergreen privacy hedge, foundation planting, windbreak
• Bonus: Attracts birds, tolerates some shade, deer-resistant

A classic, formal choice for Southern gardens and milder climates.

8. Wax Myrtle

Native to the southeastern U.S., Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera) is a tough, fragrant, and salt-tolerant evergreen shrub. It excels in poor soils and coastal areas, making it a terrific option for challenging sites needing instant privacy.

• Height: 10-20 feet (can be pruned to size)
• Growth Rate: 2-3 feet per year
• Best Use: Wildlife-friendly windbreaks, seaside screens
• Leaf: Aromatic, glossy green
• Bonus: Supports native songbirds

Tip: Wax myrtle can be sheared as a formal hedge or left natural for a looser effect.

9. Emerald Green Arborvitae

If you want a smaller, tidy hedge for close quarters or narrow spaces, Emerald Green Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'Smaragd') is an excellent, fast-growing hedge for privacy. Its columnar form stays dense from base to tip.

• Height: 10-15 feet
• Width: 3-4 feet
• Growth Rate: 1-2 feet per year
• Best Use: Compact property lines, space-saving green fence
• Sun Requirements: Full to partial sun

Emerald Green Arborvitae forms a lush, elegant wall requiring little pruning.

Choosing the Right Quick-Growing Privacy Hedge

Selecting the best privacy hedge for your yard means considering several important factors:

• Space Available: How much room do you have for mature width and height?
• Sun or Shade: Does your site get full sun, part shade, or deep shade?
• Soil Conditions: Are you dealing with clay, sand, or loam?
• Maintenance Level: Do you prefer formal clipped hedges or informal natural growth?
• Climate Zone: Ensure your chosen hedge will thrive in your local region.

Consult local nurseries for expert guidance, especially regarding your area's unique pests, diseases, and weather conditions.

Tips for Planting and Caring for Fast Growing Privacy Hedges

• Plan Spacing Carefully: Plant according to mature width; overcrowding can reduce airflow and promote disease.
• Prepare the Soil: Enrich with compost or manure for extra nutrition and drainage.
• Water Regularly: Young hedges need deep watering to establish strong root systems.
• Mulch Generously: Retain moisture and suppress weeds with a layer of organic mulch.
• Prune for Shape and Density: Shearing early and often encourages bushier, thicker growth.
• Feed Annually: Fertilize spring or fall for vigorous, healthy growth.

Benefits of Quickly Growing Hedges for Privacy

Choosing fast growing hedges for privacy provides more than just screening. The benefits include:

• Environmental Advantages: Living walls filter dust, reduce wind and provide carbon capture.
• Wildlife Boost: Seasonally flowering hedges support pollinators, and evergreen types offer bird shelter.
• Property Value: Well-installed privacy landscaping can increase curb appeal and resale value.
• Cost Efficiency: Hedges are a long-term, self-repairing alternative to fences.
• Year-round Beauty: Evergreen hedging looks lush in every season, while deciduous types add spring and fall color.

Common Questions about Instant Privacy Hedges

1. How quickly can I expect full privacy from a new hedge?

Most fast-growing privacy hedges start providing results in the first year, with full coverage usually achieved in 3-5 years. Some, like Green Giant Arborvitae or bamboo, can offer substantial screening in as little as one or two seasons.

2. Can I plant a mixed hedge for privacy?

Absolutely! Combining several quick-growing hedge plants can boost biodiversity, minimize pest issues, and provide year-round interest through varied foliage, flowers, and berries.

3. Are there privacy hedges safe for pets and kids?

Always research varieties — some, like cherry laurel and privet, are toxic if ingested. For pet- and child-friendly options, consider wax myrtle or holly, which are generally safe and wildlife-friendly.

4. How do I keep my privacy hedge from looking leggy or bare?

Start pruning early and regularly. Shearing encourages denser, bushier growth, which leads to a fuller hedge from base to tip.

Conclusion: Your Path to Instant Privacy Starts Now

A fast growing hedge for privacy is the perfect way to get seclusion, peace, and beauty on your schedule. With so many adaptable and attractive options, you can easily find the right plants to match your landscape, climate, and personal style.
Plant today and enjoy your private paradise sooner than you dreamed possible!

Looking for the fastest route to seclusion?

Remember, instant privacy awaits with these nine quickly growing hedges. With a little planning and care, your lush, living privacy screen can thrive for years to come — bringing peace, beauty, and natural elegance to your home environment.