Secure your space with 9 fast-growing hedges for privacy

Posted on 26/08/2025

Secure Your Space with 9 Fast-Growing Hedges for Privacy

Is your backyard or garden in desperate need of privacy? Whether you want to block out nosy neighbors, muffle street noise, or simply enjoy a secluded paradise, planting fast-growing privacy hedges is the perfect natural solution. In this comprehensive guide, we unveil nine top-performing privacy hedges that grow rapidly, require minimal maintenance, and create dense green walls. Embrace natural beauty and tranquility with these lush solutions--let's explore which species can dramatically secure your outdoor space!

Why Choose Fast-Growing Hedges for Privacy?

Privacy is becoming a precious commodity in modern neighborhoods. Traditional fencing often lacks aesthetic appeal, whereas strategic hedges offer a living, breathing barrier that enhances curb appeal and supports local wildlife. Fast-growing privacy hedges are especially valuable because they deliver results in just a few seasons, rather than years or decades. Here's why these hedges are in such high demand:

• Efficient Privacy: Rapid growth means your hedge covers unsightly fences, keeps pets in, and deters onlookers quickly.
• Sustainable and Eco-Friendly: Living hedges improve air quality and provide habitat for birds and pollinators.
• Natural Noise Barriers: A dense green hedge helps dampen urban noise better than many hardscape solutions.
• Visual Interest Year-Round: Many fast-growing hedges offer colorful blooms, evergreen leaves, or seasonal interest.

With all these benefits, let's dig into the 9 best privacy hedges that grow fast and discover which suits your landscape best.

1. Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja standishii x plicata)

The Green Giant Arborvitae is a superstar among fast-growing privacy screens. Revered for its quick upsurge--up to 3-5 feet per year--this evergreen hedge creates a towering wall of green in record time.

• Growth Rate: 3-5 feet per year
• Mature Height: 40-60 feet (trim to desired size)
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
• Hardiness Zones: USDA 5-9

Why Choose Green Giant Arborvitae?
It's low maintenance, deer-resistant, and tolerant of most soils. Plant them 5-6 feet apart, and soon you'll have a lush, living privacy wall! Their dense, feathery foliage provides year-round screening and wind protection.

Tips for Planting Green Giant Arborvitae

• Space trees adequately for airflow and to prevent disease.
• Mulch well after planting to retain moisture.
• Water regularly, especially during the first season.

2. Privet (Ligustrum spp.)

Privet hedges have been prized in gardens for centuries, thanks to their dense foliage and super-fast growth rate. A privet privacy hedge can often provide coverage in just one or two growing seasons!

• Growth Rate: 2-3 feet per year
• Mature Height: 4-15 feet
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
• Hardiness Zones: Varies by species, commonly zones 5-8

Privet is easily shaped and maintained, making it a classic choice for a formal privacy hedge or boundary. Some varieties produce showy, fragrant white flowers in early summer.

Privet Planting Quick Tips

1. Plant 12-18 inches apart for a tight hedge.
2. Shear regularly to encourage dense branching.
3. Consider root barriers if planting near sidewalks.

3. Laurustinus Viburnum (Viburnum tinus)

If you crave a flowering privacy hedge with multi-season interest, look no further than Laurustinus. Its evergreen leaves and clouds of white (sometimes pink-tinted) spring flowers make it a show-stopper.

• Growth Rate: 1-2 feet per year
• Mature Height: 6-12 feet
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
• Hardiness Zones: 7-10

Laurustinus Viburnum's dense habit, plus attractive blue-black berries that feed birds, make it a fabulous, wildlife-friendly privacy plant.

Caring for Laurustinus Hedges

• Prune lightly after flowering to shape.
• Tolerates some drought once established.
• Great for screening patios or driveways.

4. Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

The Cherry Laurel hedge offers lush, glossy leaves and rapid growth--up to 3 feet per year. It's among the best choices for an evergreen privacy hedge in shaded sites and urban gardens.

• Growth Rate: Up to 3 feet per year
• Mature Height: 10-20 feet
• Sun Requirements: Prefers partial to full shade, tolerates sun
• Hardiness Zones: 6-9

This species is hardy, tolerant of urban pollution, and forms a thick, impenetrable screen quickly. Just be sure to keep pets away from the berries, which can be toxic if ingested.

Proper Planting & Maintenance

• Plant 2-3 feet apart for a dense screen.
• Trim once or twice a year to maintain shape.
• Water thoroughly until established.

5. Bamboo (Phyllostachys or Bambusa species)

If speed is your top priority, few plants rival the growth rate of Bamboo hedges. Some running varieties can grow several feet in just a week during peak summer months!

• Growth Rate: Up to 3-5 feet per year (sometimes more!)
• Mature Height: 10-50+ feet, species dependent
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
• Hardiness Zones: 5-11, depending on species

Bamboo's unique look and evergreen foliage offer instant privacy for modern and tropical landscapes. Clumping bamboos are usually preferred for home gardens to prevent unwanted spreading.

How to Control & Enjoy Bamboo Hedges

• Use root barriers or select clumping varieties to avoid invasive spread.
• Mulch generously to encourage robust growth.
• Prune older canes for a tidier appearance.

6. Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera)

Wax Myrtle is a fast-growing native hedge option that quickly fills in and provides year-round privacy with aromatic, evergreen foliage.

• Growth Rate: 2-3 feet per year
• Mature Height: 10-20 feet
• Sun Requirements: Thrives in full sun to partial shade
• Hardiness Zones: 7-11

This drought-tolerant species attracts birds with its tiny waxy berries and forms a thick, informal privacy screen with minimal fuss.

Best Practices for Wax Myrtle Hedges

• Responds well to shearing for a formal hedge effect.
• Thrives in a variety of soil types, even poor soils.
• Plant 4-6 feet apart for optimal coverage.

7. Pyracantha (Firethorn) (Pyracantha coccinea)

If you desire both protection and privacy, Pyracantha makes an excellent hedge with its dense, thorny branches and vibrant orange or red berries in autumn.

• Growth Rate: 2-3 feet per year
• Mature Height: 6-18 feet
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
• Hardiness Zones: 6-9

Firethorn hedging acts as a formidable thief deterrent while delighting pollinators and songbirds.

Pyracantha Hedging Tips

• Wear gloves when pruning to avoid thorns.
• Plant 3-4 feet apart for a solid barrier.
• Great for boundary lines or property edges.

8. Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster lucidus & related species)

Cotoneaster hedges are prized for their adaptability and seasonal beauty, featuring white spring flowers, glossy leaves, and a bounty of red autumn berries. This fast-growing hedge brings color and privacy to any landscape.

• Growth Rate: 1-2 feet per year
• Mature Height: 6-10 feet
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to light shade
• Hardiness Zones: 4-7

The upright varieties create dense, formal hedges perfect for privacy screens along walkways, patios, or driveways.

Cotoneaster Hedges: Planting Advice

• Plant 2-3 feet apart for a swift-growing hedge.
• Tolerant of most soil types, including clay.
• Little pruning is needed--reducing maintenance.

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

For a hedge that makes a real statement, choose Photinia. Its striking red new leaves and fast, bushy growth create a colorful privacy barrier against unwanted views.

• Growth Rate: 1-2 feet per year
• Mature Height: 10-15 feet
• Sun Requirements: Full sun for best leaf color
• Hardiness Zones: 7-9

This hedge flourishes with regular pruning, encourages vibrant new growth, and provides a bold accent in mixed plantings.

What Makes Photinia a Top Privacy Option?

• Stunning visual interest each spring and fall.
• Tough, disease-resistant, and suitable for most soils.
• Ideal for formal or informal hedges, especially in mild climates.

How to Plant and Maintain Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges

To get the best results from your fast-growing hedge for privacy, proper planting and aftercare are crucial. Here's a simple step-by-step approach for establishing any privacy hedge:

1. Select the right plant for your climate, soil, and desired height.
2. Prepare the site: Remove weeds, dig a trench or individual holes suitable for root spread.
3. Amend with compost or organic matter to promote strong growth.
4. Position plants at correct spacing (see above species tips).
5. Backfill with soil, press firmly, and water deeply after planting.
6. Mulch to conserve moisture and suppress weeds.
7. Water regularly during the first 1-2 growing seasons as roots establish.
8. Prune annually to maintain desired height and encourage bushiness.

Tip: For double the privacy, consider planting two staggered rows in a zig-zag for thicker coverage!

FAQs About Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges

1. How fast should I expect my privacy hedge to grow?

With optimal sunlight, water, and fertile soil, many of these hedges can grow anywhere from 1-5 feet per year. Growth rates vary by species and local conditions.

2. Which privacy hedge is best for small gardens?

Compact options like Laurustinus, Cotoneaster, Privet, or even dwarf varieties of Bambusa (clumping bamboo) are suitable for tight spaces.

3. Can I mix hedge varieties for year-round interest?

Yes! Combining several fast-growing evergreen and flowering hedge plants boosts biodiversity, supports pollinators, and ensures seasonal color and privacy.

Secure Your Space--Naturally & Beautifully

Choosing the right fast-growing privacy hedge can transform your yard into a personal sanctuary, block out noise, and add unmatched natural beauty to your landscape. From the stately Green Giant Arborvitae to striking Photinia, there's a hedge plant on this list suited for every taste, climate, and privacy need.

Ready to secure your garden with a living green wall? Select one of these nine fast-growing hedges for privacy, and enjoy a secluded, serene environment in as little as 1-2 years. Not only will you boost your property's privacy, but you'll also create a greener, healthier, and more inviting outdoor retreat for years to come.

Start planting today and watch your oasis grow!