Nine fast-growing hedges that redefine outdoor privacy

Posted on 14/06/2025

Nine Fast-Growing Hedges that Redefine Outdoor Privacy

Are you seeking fast-growing hedges to create a private sanctuary in your garden? A living hedge fence not only boosts privacy but also adds beauty, texture, and value to your property. In this comprehensive article, we'll unveil nine fast-growing hedge plants that can transform your outdoor space and redefine what privacy means for your home.

Why Choose Fast-Growing Hedges for Privacy?

When privacy is a top priority, every homeowner wants rapid results. Fast-growing privacy hedges provide a practical and visually appealing barrier, shielding your yard from neighbors, traffic noise, and unsightly views. Besides their quick growth, these hedges help reduce wind, create wildlife habitats, and can act as natural property boundaries.

Key Benefits of Quick-Growth Privacy Hedges

• Speed: You won't have to wait years for a mature privacy screen.
• Aesthetics: Lush greenery enhances curb appeal and landscape design.
• Functionality: Acts as a windbreak, sound barrier, and visual screen.
• Wildlife: Attracts birds, pollinators, and beneficial insects.
• Low Maintenance: Many varieties are resilient and easy to care for.

Let's explore nine outstanding choices for hedge plants that will rapidly redefine the boundaries of your outdoor space.

1. Privet (Ligustrum spp.)

Privet hedges are famous for their rapid growth, dense foliage, and adaptability. This classic choice can grow up to 3 feet a year in ideal conditions and is suited for both formal and informal hedge styles.

• Growth Rate: Up to 3 feet per year
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to part shade
• Hardiness: Zones 5-9

Privet hedges respond well to regular trimming, encouraging a thick, impenetrable wall of green--the perfect living boundary plant for suburban or urban gardens.

2. English Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

Looking for a robust and handsome privacy hedge? English laurel delivers with its lush, glossy leaves and superior growth rate. It's particularly effective for creating natural privacy screens along property lines.

• Growth Rate: Up to 2 feet per year
• Sun Requirements: Tolerates full sun and part shade
• Hardiness: Zones 6-9

Prune regularly to maintain the desired height and shape. As a bonus, it produces fragrant white flowers in spring, adding seasonal interest to your outdoor oasis.

3. Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja standishii x plicata)

When you need fast privacy hedges for tall coverage, the Green Giant arborvitae is hard to beat. This ever-popular variety can reach impressive heights while maintaining a slim profile, making it ideal for narrow property lines.

• Growth Rate: 3-5 feet per year
• Sun Requirements: Prefers full sun but tolerates partial shade
• Hardiness: Zones 5-8

Its conical form and dense, evergreen foliage offer year-round privacy and wind protection. Minimal trimming is needed, and it's mostly deer-resistant.

4. Boxwood (Buxus spp.)

Boxwood hedges are prized for their versatility and fast establishment, especially with strong cultivars like 'Green Velvet' or 'Winter Gem.' This classic evergreen offers a traditional look and is perfect for edged walkways or formal gardens.

• Growth Rate: 1-2 feet per year
• Sun Requirements: Part sun to full sun
• Hardiness: Zones 5-9

With its dense growth habit and willingness to be shaped, boxwood is one of the most adaptable living privacy fences available.

5. Red Twig Dogwood (Cornus sericea)

For privacy hedges that combine stunning winter color with fast growth, red twig dogwood stands out. The brilliant red stems provide year-round interest, especially in colder climates.

• Growth Rate: 2-4 feet per year
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
• Hardiness: Zones 2-8

This shrub tolerates a variety of soils, wet conditions, and cold temperatures. Prune in late winter to encourage fresh, colorful growth.

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

Photinia is beloved for its striking red new foliage that matures to deep green--a dynamic, colorful option for privacy hedges. Its quick growth forms a showy, dense barrier in a couple of seasons.

• Growth Rate: 1-3 feet per year
• Sun Requirements: Full sun for best color
• Hardiness: Zones 7-9

Shape this evergreen shrub into a tidy hedge with regular trims. Expect the stunning new red growth in early spring for a pop of color at your property line.

7. Pittosporum (Pittosporum tenuifolium)

For mild climates, pittosporum is an elegant, fast-growing outdoor privacy hedge with wavy, pale-green leaves and attractive black stems. This adaptable hedge thrives in coastal and urban gardens.

• Growth Rate: 2-3 feet per year
• Sun Requirements: Prefers sun but tolerates light shade
• Hardiness: Zones 8-11

Pittosporum is low-maintenance and tolerates clipping for a neat, contemporary look. Its lightly scented spring flowers are a subtle bonus.

8. Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus 'Rotundifolia')

Cherry laurel is celebrated for its rapid growth and lush, evergreen foliage. It forms a thick hedge capable of blocking out noise and nosy neighbors, making it ideal for busy areas.

• Growth Rate: Up to 2 feet per year
• Sun Requirements: Tolerates shade and dry soil
• Hardiness: Zones 6-9

This low-maintenance shrub is particularly useful where space is limited but shade is prevalent. Prune after flowering in late spring for shape and size control.

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

For the ultimate in rapid privacy hedges, few plants can compete with bamboo. It creates a tall, lush screen in record time and suits a contemporary or Asian-inspired garden.

• Growth Rate: Up to 5 feet per year
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to light shade
• Hardiness: Varies by species (Zones 6-11)

Choose clumping bamboo varieties to avoid invasive spread, and plant a rhizome barrier for extra control. Bamboo's strong upright canes and swaying foliage lend movement and zen-like tranquility to any yard while ensuring privacy.

How to Plant and Care for Fast-Growing Hedges

Successful outdoor privacy hedges start with proper planning. Here are essential steps to establish and maintain your living privacy fence:

Site Preparation

• Test and amend soil for drainage and fertility.
• Clear existing weeds and grass in the planting zone.
• Mark a straight planting line using stakes and string.

Planting Tips

• Space plants according to mature width (refer to nursery guidelines).
• Dig holes twice as wide as root balls, but no deeper.
• Backfill with compost and native soil mix, water deeply after planting.

Hedge Maintenance

• Water regularly during the establishment phase, then as needed for your climate.
• Apply mulch to conserve moisture and suppress weeds.
• Feed with balanced fertilizer in spring for lush growth.
• Prune at least once a year to maintain shape, density, and height.

With care, these fast-growing privacy plants will develop into a robust, natural screen designed to stand the test of time.

Additional Tips for Privacy Hedge Success

• Choose plant varieties best adapted to your USDA hardiness zone.
• Mix evergreen and deciduous varieties for year-round interest.
• Incorporate flowering or colorful-foliaged hedges for enhanced visual appeal.
• Monitor for pests and diseases, treating promptly if they arise.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fast-Growing Hedges

Which hedge grows the fastest for privacy?

Bamboo and Green Giant arborvitae are among the fastest-growing privacy hedges, often adding up to 5 feet or more per year in ideal conditions.

Are there evergreen hedges that grow quickly?

Yes! Green Giant arborvitae, privet, cherry laurel, and English laurel are all rapid-growing evergreen hedge options.

What is the best time to plant fast-growing hedges?

The optimum planting period is early spring or early fall, when soil temperatures are moist and moderate but frost is unlikely.

How do I ensure my privacy hedge grows thick and lush?

Provide ample sunlight, regular watering, annual fertilization, and yearly pruning to encourage dense branching and foliage.

Conclusion: Transform Your Outdoor Privacy with Fast-Growing Hedges

Whether you need an instant barrier for a new property or wish to upgrade your backyard's privacy, these nine fast-growing hedges offer green alternatives to fences and walls. Their rapid growth, low maintenance, and outstanding beauty make them the best privacy hedges for virtually any garden style.

By selecting the right plant for your climate and growing conditions, you'll enjoy a thriving, lush hedge that not only redefines outdoor privacy but also enhances the value and enjoyment of your home for years to come.

Ready to plant your living privacy fence? Explore your local nursery for these fast-growing hedge varieties and start your transformation today!