Cultivate Privacy: 9 Hedges that Grow Exceptionally Fast

Posted on 18/05/2025

Cultivate Privacy: 9 Hedges That Grow Exceptionally Fast

Are you looking to create a private oasis in your garden? Whether you want to screen out neighbors, block an unsightly view, or add a touch of green tranquility, fast growing hedges are the perfect solution. In this comprehensive article, we'll explore nine exceptional plants that offer lush, rapid growth - perfect for those hoping to cultivate privacy with fast-growing hedges. Discover the best hedges for rapid privacy, how to nurture them, and tips for creating a living fence that will flourish for years to come.

Why Choose Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges?

Quick-growing privacy hedges provide several advantages:

• Immediate privacy for new homes or open yards
• Natural sound barriers from busy roads or noisy neighbors
• Visual interest and wildlife habitat in your landscaping
• Year-round beauty with evergreen options
• Flexibility to customize height, thickness, and maintenance

Instead of waiting years for slow plants to mature, you can enjoy a secluded space sooner with these fast-growing varieties. Read on to discover the top nine choices for those eager to grow hedges for privacy quickly.

1. Leyland Cypress (Cupressus x leylandii)

The Ultimate Fast-Growing Evergreen Hedge

The Leyland Cypress has long been favored for its astonishing growth rate - as much as 3-5 feet per year in optimal conditions! With dense, blue-green foliage and a naturally columnar habit, this conifer forms a tall, elegant screen perfect for residential barriers.

• Growth Rate: up to 5 feet per year
• Height: 30-60 feet at maturity (can be kept shorter with pruning)
• Best for: Large properties, windbreaks, full sun positions
• Care Tips: Plant at least 3 feet apart for a thick wall; prune annually to maintain desired height and spread

Pro Tip: Avoid overwatering and ensure good drainage to prevent root rot, a common issue in Leyland Cypresses.

2. Privet (Ligustrum spp.)

Versatile, Hardy, and Exceptionally Fast

Privet is an old standby for privacy hedges that grow quickly. Its small, glossy leaves, fragrant white blooms, and ability to thrive in varied soils make it a top choice for suburban gardens.

• Growth Rate: 2-3 feet per year
• Height: 4-15 feet, depending on species and pruning
• Best for: Shaping into formal or informal hedges, urban gardens, pollinator-friendly landscapes
• Care Tips: Tolerates heavy pruning and partial shade; plant densely for a thorough screen

Did you know? Privet attracts butterflies and beneficial insects when in flower!

3. Thuja Green Giant (Thuja standishii x plicata)

Robust, Disease-Resistant, and Vigorous

If you're worried about disease or pests, the Thuja Green Giant stands out among fastest growing privacy hedges. This hybrid arborvitae reaches spectacular heights and forms a dense, emerald wall within a few years.

• Growth Rate: 3-5 feet per year under optimal conditions
• Height: 20-40 feet, but manageable with pruning
• Best for: Large gardens, security screens, areas with deer issues (it's rarely browsed!)
• Care Tips: Low maintenance, drought-tolerant once established, suitable for most soils

Many landscapers recommend Green Giant for its resilience and adaptability, making it a stellar choice for cultivating privacy quickly.

4. Bamboo (Phyllostachys spp. & Bambusa spp.)

The Fastest Choice for a Living Wall

When it comes to speedy green privacy hedges, few plants rival the outrageous vigor of clumping bamboo. Certain species can grow up to 2 feet a day in peak summer!

• Growth Rate: Up to 10-30 feet in the first two years depending on species
• Height: 10-35 feet (choose a clumping, non-invasive variety for gardens)
• Best for: Tropical or modern gardens, sound barriers, dense privacy screens
• Care Tips: Requires root barriers or containers to prevent spreading; likes moisture and well-drained soil

Bamboo is the top pick for instant privacy but manage it carefully to avoid invasiveness.

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

Colorful, Dense, and Rapidly Maturing

For those who want fast-growing hedges with decorative foliage, Photinia 'Red Robin' is ideal. Its young leaves emerge a vibrant red, then mature to glossy green, adding a startling splash of color to your living fence.

• Growth Rate: 1-2 feet per year
• Height: Up to 12-15 feet
• Best for: Showy, formal hedges; mixed border privacy
• Care Tips: Prune once or twice annually for bushiness; tolerates partial shade

Bonus: Photinia is not just fast, but also relatively drought-tolerant and pest resistant.

6. Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

Broadleaf Evergreen for Year-Round Privacy

Cherry Laurel's broad, glossy leaves create a lush, opaque wall that grows fast and thick. This hedge is popular for urban and suburban gardens wanting privacy in all seasons.

• Growth Rate: 2 feet per year
• Height: 10-20 feet (can be shaped lower)
• Best for: Shady areas, formal hedges, noise buffering
• Care Tips: Thrives in both sun and shade; prune in spring or summer to maintain shape

The dense habit of Cherry Laurel makes it one of the best hedges for urban privacy, plus it's resistant to pollution and salt.

7. Pittosporum (Pittosporum tenuifolium and cultivars)

Attractive Foliage and Flexible Growth

Pittosporum is beloved for its tidy, wavy-edged leaves and ability to form a fast, soft-looking privacy hedge. Some varieties even sport silvery or variegated foliage for extra visual interest.

• Growth Rate: 1-2 feet per year
• Height: 8-12 feet
• Best for: Mid-sized gardens, coastal areas, ornamental screens
• Care Tips: Plant in full to partial sun; responds well to trimming after spring growth

Note: Pittosporum can also be grown in containers for mobile privacy solutions.

8. Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)

Traditional, Hardy, and Speedy

European hornbeam offers a dense, formal green hedge with a respectable fast growth rate. Unlike some other deciduous options, hornbeam holds onto its golden-brown autumn leaves well into winter, providing year-round screening in temperate zones.

• Growth Rate: 1-2 feet per year
• Height: 15-30 feet (easily maintained at lower heights)
• Best for: Classic gardens, formal hedges, windy or exposed areas
• Care Tips: Prune in summer for dense growth; tolerant of poor soils and shade

Hornbeam is a smart choice for a fast-growing privacy screen with a stately look.

9. Escallonia

Flowering, Fragrant, and Vigorous

Escallonia is a superb evergreen hedge with glossy leaves and summer-flowering brilliance. In addition to its quick growth, this plant is known for attracting bees and butterflies, making it both beautiful and wildlife friendly.

• Growth Rate: Up to 2 feet per year in good conditions
• Height: 6-10 feet
• Best for: Coastal gardens, flowering screens, sites with poor soil
• Care Tips: Prefers sunny, sheltered positions; prune after flowering for shape

Escallonia's colorful blooms and foliage variety set it apart from more traditional hedges.

How to Choose the Best Fast-Growing Hedge for Privacy

When selecting the perfect plant to cultivate privacy, consider these important factors:

• Growth Rate: How quickly do you need privacy?
• Mature Height and Width: Make sure the hedge fits your space, both now and in the future
• Leaf Type: Evergreen hedges provide year-round privacy; deciduous hedges may lose leaves in winter
• Climate Suitability: Match your choice to your local hardiness zone, exposure, and rainfall pattern
• Maintenance: Some fast-growing hedges need regular pruning to stay neat and healthy

For immediate privacy, you may want to buy larger, more mature plants, but these are often costlier. Most hedges on this list will reach shoulder-height within 2-3 years from planting rooted cuttings or young nursery-grown plants.

How to Plant and Care for Your New Privacy Hedge

Laying the Groundwork for Success

1. Prepare the soil: Dig a trench twice as wide as the root ball. Mix in compost for improved fertility and drainage.
2. Spacing: Follow spacing recommendations - usually 2 to 4 feet apart depending on species and the thickness of privacy desired.
3. Watering: Keep soil moist but not soggy until the hedge is established (typically the first growing season).
4. Mulching: Add a 2-3 inch mulch layer to retain water and suppress weeds. Keep mulch a few inches away from stems or trunks.
5. Pruning: Trim lightly from year one to encourage bushy, dense growth. For some species, such as Leyland Cypress, limit hard pruning after establishment.
6. Feeding: Use a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring to fuel fast, healthy growth.

Extra tip: Water deeply and less frequently, rather than shallowly and often, to promote deep root systems that are drought-resilient.

Common Questions About Fast-Growing Hedges for Privacy

How fast is "fast"? When will my hedge be dense enough for privacy?

Fast-growing hedges typically reach 3-5 feet in height within 1-3 years, dependent on species, planting size, and local conditions. For a thick, impenetrable screen, most hedges will require another 1-2 years, plus annual formative pruning to close gaps.

Can I grow a hedge in containers?

Yes! Many popular species for privacy hedging - including bamboo, laurel, and pittosporum - can thrive in large containers. This is a perfect solution for patios, decks, or rental properties.

How often should I trim a fast-growing hedge?

Generally, trim your hedge once or twice per year (spring and/or late summer). Consistent, light pruning produces denser growth and helps keep hedges tidy.

Will fast-growing hedges require a lot of maintenance?

While they can require a bit more trimming - especially in the first few years - most varieties are surprisingly low maintenance once established and shaped. Mulching, occasional feeding, and an annual trim are often sufficient for lush, healthy privacy screens.

Conclusion: Transform Your Garden with Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges

Choosing the right plants to cultivate privacy allows you to shape your outdoor space exactly how you want it - secluded, peaceful, and bursting with greenery. Whether you choose the towering Leyland Cypress, the vibrant Photinia, or the uniquely beautiful Escallonia, remember that the key to a great hedge is initial planning, proper planting, and regular care.

With these nine exceptionall fast-growing privacy hedges, you can enjoy your personal sanctuary far sooner than you might think. Soon, you'll have a living fence that blocks prying eyes, softens noise, and adds value to your home - all while providing crucial habitat for birds and pollinators.

Start your privacy hedge today and watch your own green retreat flourish and thrive!