Create a Private Oasis with 9 Fast-Growing Hedges

Posted on 23/05/2025

Create a Private Oasis with 9 Fast-Growing Hedges

Imagine unwinding in your backyard, enveloped by lush greenery and secluded from the outside world. Fast-growing hedges are the ultimate solution for privacy, noise reduction, and transforming your outdoor space into a sanctuary. In this comprehensive guide, discover the best fast-growing hedge plants, their advantages, maintenance tips, and how to choose which hedge is right for you. Create your very own private oasis with these top 9 hedge choices.

Why Choose Fast-Growing Hedges for Privacy?

Traditional fences can feel cold and blocky, while a lush green hedge beautifies your landscape, supports local wildlife, and boosts curb appeal. Quick-growing privacy hedges provide a living barrier at a fraction of the long-term cost of wood or metal fencing. Here's why fast-growing privacy hedges are an excellent investment:

• Natural privacy: Protect your garden from prying eyes and create a peaceful retreat.
• Sound barrier: Shrubs effectively reduce noise from traffic or neighbors.
• Wildlife habitat: Flowering and evergreen hedges offer shelter and food for birds, bees, and butterflies.
• Year-round beauty: Many privacy plants look stunning with little maintenance, changing throughout the seasons.
• Property value: A well-maintained living hedge enhances the appeal and value of your home.

How to Choose the Best Hedges for Your Private Oasis

Before deciding which fast-growing hedges for privacy work best for your garden, keep these key factors in mind:

• Climate: Select plants suited to your zone for robust year-round growth.
• Growth rate: If you need instant privacy, look for shrubs that add at least 24 inches per year.
• Evergreen vs. deciduous: Evergreens offer continuous coverage, while deciduous hedges may provide blooms, fall color, or berries.
• Mature size: Consider the ultimate height and width to avoid overcrowding or excessive pruning.
• Maintenance: Some hedging plants require regular trimming, others thrive with minimal attention.
• Sunlight and soil needs: Check if your chosen plant will thrive in the light and soil conditions of your yard.

Top 9 Fast-Growing Hedges for Privacy and Beauty

1. Leyland Cypress (Cupressus x leylandii)

Leyland cypress is a superstar among fast-growing privacy hedges. Its tall, feathery foliage and vigorous rate--up to three feet per year--make it ideal for quick privacy screens. This evergreen hedge thrives in full sun and tolerates diverse soils. With regular shaping, a Leyland cypress hedge develops dense, impenetrable coverage and remarkable height, making it perfect for large properties or busy streets.

• Growth Rate: 24-36 inches/year
• Ultimate Height: Up to 60 feet (prune for desired size)
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

2. Privet (Ligustrum spp.)

For a classic garden look, privet grows quickly into a thick, green privacy hedge that is easy to maintain. It tolerates pollution, drought, and heavy pruning, making it a favorite in urban and suburban settings. Privet can be shaped into tidy squares or left to form informal, fluffy screens. In spring, it showcases clusters of white flowers, adding ornamental value.

• Growth Rate: 12-24 inches/year
• Ultimate Height: 8-20 feet
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

3. Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja standishii x plicata 'Green Giant')

'Green Giant' arborvitae is renowned for its disease resistance and robust, pyramid-shaped growth. This low-maintenance, fast-growing evergreen hedge is perfect for blocking unsightly views and providing all-season structure. Enjoy thick, soft foliage and a neat habit with minimal pruning.

• Growth Rate: 24-36 inches/year
• Ultimate Height: 30-40 feet (prune to control size)
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to light shade

4. Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

English laurel is a glossy-leafed hedge prized for its dense, rapid growth and adaptability. Its broad, evergreen foliage offers an elegant, year-round screen--perfect for windy spots and cooler zones. Spring brings fragrant white flower spikes, making laurel hedges both practical and attractive.

• Growth Rate: 24 inches/year
• Ultimate Height: 15-20 feet
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to shade

5. Bamboo (Phyllostachys and Bambusa spp.)

Want to create a tropical oasis fast? Clumping bamboo provides instant height and thick, leafy coverage while remaining non-invasive. Select varieties suited to your climate, such as 'Alphonse Karr' or 'Golden Goddess.' Bamboo is perfect for modern landscapes, providing movement and a relaxing, tranquil vibe.

• Growth Rate: 24-36 inches/year (some can be faster)
• Ultimate Height: 10-30 feet (variety dependent)
• Sun Exposure: Full sun with some afternoon shade

6. Photinia (Photinia x fraseri)

Photinia 'Red Robin' stands out for its fiery red new leaves, which mature to glossy green. This vibrant evergreen delivers privacy, color, and pollinator-friendly flowers each spring. Fast and bushy, photinia hedges thrive best in sunny, sheltered gardens.

• Growth Rate: 12-24 inches/year
• Ultimate Height: 10-15 feet
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

7. Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera)

Wax myrtle is a fast-growing, aromatic evergreen famous for dense foliage that repels pests and tolerates salty or sandy soil. It's perfect for coastal gardens or challenging locations and needs minimal irrigation once established. Showy blue-gray berries attract birds in autumn and winter.

• Growth Rate: 12-36 inches/year
• Ultimate Height: 10-20 feet
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

8. Viburnum (Viburnum tinus or Viburnum odoratissimum)

Viburnum hedges are admired for their clusters of white or pink blooms and attractive berries, drawing pollinators and birds to your garden. They deliver rapid coverage, lush seasonal interest, and remarkable versatility in sun or shade. Choose V. tinus for mild winters or V. odoratissimum for subtropical climates.

• Growth Rate: 12-24 inches/year
• Ultimate Height: 8-15 feet
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

9. Escallonia (Escallonia spp.)

Escallonia hedges produce glossy green foliage and stunning pink, red, or white flowers. Thriving as a fast-growing evergreen, escallonia is salt-tolerant and perfect for coastal gardens. Its scented blooms make it a favorite for pollinators and for adding a decorative touch to driveways or patios.

• Growth Rate: 12-24 inches/year
• Ultimate Height: 6-12 feet
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

Tips for Planting and Maintaining Fast-Growing Hedging Plants

Once you've chosen your ideal fast-growing hedge, follow these expert tips to ensure healthy, vigorous growth:

1. Prepare the Site

• Clear all weeds and dig a trench twice as wide as the root balls.
• Incorporate organic compost and slow-release fertilizer to encourage quick establishment.
• Check your soil's pH and drainage needs for the specific plant type.

2. Space Properly

• Place plants according to their mature width to avoid overcrowding.
• For a denser screen, stagger plants in two rows for a zig-zag effect.

3. Establish Watering Routines

• Water deeply and consistently, especially in the first two years.
• Mulch around the base to retain moisture and suppress weeds.

4. Prune for Shape & Density

• Lightly prune fast-growing hedges after planting to encourage bushy, dense growth.
• Trim evergreen hedges in late spring or early summer and deciduous ones after flowering.

5. Feed for Faster Growth

• Apply balanced fertilizer in spring for green, lush coverage.
• Refresh mulch and compost annually to nourish roots.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges

What is the fastest-growing hedge for privacy?

The Leyland cypress and Green Giant arborvitae are among the fastest, gaining up to three feet yearly under ideal conditions. Choose these if you desire rapid coverage and tall hedges.

Which hedge plant stays green all year?

Evergreen hedges like laurel, arborvitae, photinia, and wax myrtle maintain foliage throughout the seasons, providing continuous screening without gaps.

How do I make my hedge grow faster?

Improve soil conditions, water regularly, provide balanced fertilizer, and prune the tips to stimulate lush, thick branching. Plant in the right location based on sunlight and spacing, and address pest or disease problems proactively.

Are fast-growing hedges high maintenance?

Some species such as privet and Leyland cypress benefit from annual or biannual pruning, especially the first few years. Many options (e.g., wax myrtle, viburnum) thrive with only occasional shaping once established. Choosing the right plant can minimize maintenance in the long term.

What's the best hedge for a small garden?

Escallonia, viburnum, boxwood (for slower growth), and dwarf bamboo are excellent choices for compact spaces due to their manageable sizes and easy care.

Conclusion: Design Your Private Retreat with Fast-Growing Hedges

Creating a private oasis at home is simpler and more rewarding with the right selection of fast-growing hedges. Whether you seek year-round color, wildlife-friendly screens, or a simple barrier against noise and wind, these 9 hedge plants provide the vitality, speed, and resilience your garden needs.

Invest in these living walls and watch your outdoor space flourish, becoming a haven of beauty and tranquility. With careful planning, regular maintenance, and smart plant selection, the hedge you plant today can become tomorrow's favorite escape.

Your own private paradise is just a hedge away!

• Leyland Cypress: For the fast-growing, tallest privacy screens
• Privet: Adaptable, classic green hedge for all gardens
• Green Giant Arborvitae: Reliable, pest-resistant and lush
• Laurel: Evergreen elegance and thick coverage
• Bamboo: Instant height and a modern, tranquil feel
• Photinia: Vibrant foliage and all-season color
• Wax Myrtle: Fragrant, robust, and perfect for coastal gardens
• Viburnum: Flexible and wildlife-friendly
• Escallonia: Flowering beauty with evergreen screening

Ready to transform your landscape? Pick your favorite hedges from this list, and start creating your own lush, secluded outdoor oasis today!