9 hedges that provide rapid privacy solutions for your garden

Posted on 22/08/2025

9 Hedges That Provide Rapid Privacy Solutions for Your Garden

If you're looking to enhance privacy in your garden quickly while adding beauty and value to your landscape, fast-growing hedges are the perfect solution. Whether you want to block prying eyes, create a green living fence, or shield your outdoor space from wind and noise, selecting the right hedge plants can make all the difference. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore nine of the best hedges that offer rapid privacy solutions for any garden size or style. Discover their unique benefits and how to optimize their growth for the ultimate natural barrier!

Why Choose Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges?

Planting a hedge isn't just about aesthetics--it's a strategic way to ensure quick privacy for your home and outdoor spaces. Unlike fencing, living hedges:

Grow thicker and more impenetrable over time
Add year-round beauty and greenery
Increase biodiversity by attracting birds and beneficial insects
Improve air quality and provide noise reduction

Let's explore the top nine fast-growing privacy hedges suited to a range of climates and requirements.

garden driveway

1. Leyland Cypress (Cupressus x leylandii)

The Fastest-Growing Evergreen Privacy Hedge

Leyland cypress is a top contender for those seeking rapid privacy solutions for gardens. Known for its vigorous growth--sometimes up to 3 feet per year--this dense, tall evergreen hedge forms an effective screen in minimal time.

Growth rate: Exceptionally fast (up to 3 feet per year)
Height: 30-50 feet (can be kept lower with regular trimming)
Best for: Tall, instant privacy screens and windbreaks
Tolerates pollution and salt, making it ideal for urban and coastal gardens

For best results, plant Leyland cypress 3-4 feet apart, ensure plenty of sunlight, and water during the establishment period.

2. Privet (Ligustrum species)

Classic, Fast-Growing Deciduous and Evergreen Hedges

With its dense foliage and quick growth, privet hedge is a classic choice for those who want a rapid privacy solution that also adapts well to shaping.

Growth rate: Up to 2 feet per year
Varieties: Evergreen and semi-evergreen options (such as Ligustrum ovalifolium and Ligustrum vulgare)
Best for: Formal hedge shapes, garden borders, and driveway screens
Responds well to regular trimming for neat, tidy appearance

Privet hedging is known for being low maintenance and extremely resilient--ideal for busy gardeners wanting immediate results.

3. Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus & Prunus lusitanica)

Lush, Broad-Leaf Evergreens for Quick Privacy

Cherry laurel and Portuguese laurel provide thick, glossy leaves that grow rapidly, enabling homeowners to create robust privacy barriers in record time.

Growth rate: Up to 2 feet per year (sometimes more in ideal conditions)
Height: Can reach over 18 feet if left untrimmed
Best for: Deep, wide screening and noise reduction

Laurels thrive in challenging conditions--from full sun to deep shade--and offer exceptional privacy all year round.

4. Bamboo (Phyllostachys and Fargesia species)

Exotic and Elegant Living Privacy Walls

For gardens seeking an exotic touch, bamboo hedging offers both style and near-instant screening. Clumping varieties like Fargesia are safe and non-invasive, growing quickly and densely.

Growth rate: Up to 3 feet per year (some running varieties even faster)
Best for: Modern gardens, sound breaks, and decorative privacy
Clumping bamboo doesn't spread aggressively, unlike running types
Tolerates a wide range of soils and weather conditions

Tip: For rapid privacy, plant multiple bamboo canes close together, ensuring a thick, upright screen forms within a year or two.

5. Photinia

Vibrant, Colorful Evergreen Hedges for Fast Screening

Popular for its striking red foliage in spring, Photinia 'Red Robin' is a fast-growing privacy plant that delivers year-round interest and dense screening.

Growth rate: Up to 2 feet per year
Height: 6-15 feet depending on pruning
Best for: Attractive boundaries in modern and traditional gardens
Disease-resistant and suitable for all but waterlogged soils

To maximize foliage color and screening effect, prune photinia lightly but often throughout the growing season.

6. Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)

Deciduous Hedges That Cling to Winter Leaves

If you prefer a more traditional, native look, hornbeam hedging forms a fast-growing privacy screen that stays dense even in winter.

Growth rate: Up to 2 feet per year
Height: Up to 30 feet (easily kept shorter)
Best for: Green and gold autumn colors, urban or rural hedges
Retains dead brown leaves in winter, providing year-round privacy

Hornbeam thrives on poor soils where many other hedges struggle, making it a reliable barrier across the UK and northern climates.

7. Escallonia

Flowering Evergreen for Fast, Coastal Privacy Hedges

Escallonia is a charming choice for quick-growing privacy solutions, especially in coastal areas where salt and wind resistance is crucial.

Growth rate: 1-2 feet per year
Features: Glossy evergreen leaves and clusters of pink, red, or white flowers
Best for: Colorful, fragrant boundaries in mild climate gardens

Escallonia hedging thrives in sun and doesn't mind exposed locations, making it perfect for seaside properties.

8. Red-Tipped Photinia (Photinia fraseri 'Red Robin')

Striking Evergreen Privacy with Fast Results

Known for its stunning red new growth, red-tipped photinia is a rapid privacy hedge choice for those looking to combine visual appeal with practical screening.

Growth rate: 1-2 feet per year
Best for: Eye-catching boundaries in small to medium gardens
Tolerates urban pollution and partial shade

Regular trimming encourages even more bright new foliage, creating a constantly changing and highly private backdrop.

9. Italian Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)

Upright, Elegant Evergreen Privacy for Narrow Spaces

Perfect for narrow gardens or as a dramatic focal point, Italian cypress offers rapid vertical privacy thanks to its fast, columnar growth.

Growth rate: 2-3 feet per year
Height: Up to 40 feet
Best for: Mediterranean style, screening in tight spaces, driveways, or avenues

Plant Italian cypress closer together for an effective privacy hedge and remember to water deeply during the first few years.

Tips for Growing Your Privacy Hedges Even Faster

How to Maximize Hedge Growth

While choosing quick-growing hedge varieties is important, there are several easy ways to speed up establishment and ensure thicker, faster privacy:

Prepare the ground thoroughly: Loosen soil, remove weeds and add compost before planting
Water regularly during establishment: Especially for the first 2 years
Mulch: a thick layer of organic mulch helps retain moisture and prevent weed competition
Feed in spring: Use a balanced fertilizer to spur strong growth after winter
Plant at the right spacing: Too close can cause poor airflow; too wide and privacy takes years to form
Prune regularly: Light, frequent trimming encourages dense, bushy growth and faster coverage

With the right care, your hedges will quickly create a living, breathing privacy fence that endures for decades.

Which Fast-Growing Garden Hedge is Right for You?

Choosing the best privacy hedge for your garden depends on several factors:

Climate and soil conditions: Some hedges thrive in wet soils (hornbeam, laurel), others prefer dry (cypress, Photinia).
Evergreen vs. deciduous: Evergreens offer year-round screening, while some deciduous species retain dead leaves in winter for privacy.
Desired final height and width: Think about how much space you want your hedge to fill and how high it needs to be.
Appearance: Do you want lush green or splashes of color? Choose photinia or escallonia for bright foliage and flowers.
Maintenance level: Some hedges require more regular trimming than others for optimal results.

Fast-growing privacy hedges are an investment in comfort, security, and the long-term beauty of your garden. By choosing the right species and caring for them from the outset, you'll enjoy a thriving, private oasis in no time.