Create a Private Oasis with These 9 Fast-Growing Hedges

Posted on 20/05/2025

Are you dreaming of transforming your outdoor areas into a serene sanctuary or simply seeking more privacy from neighbors? Fast-growing hedge plants offer the perfect solution to create your own secluded retreat, shield unsightly views, and enjoy an inviting landscape in record time. In this comprehensive, SEO-optimized article, we'll introduce nine of the best fast-growing hedges--each bringing unique beauty, density, and function to your yard. Whether you want evergreen privacy, vibrant color, or minimal maintenance, you'll find the perfect fit for your personal oasis!

Why Choose Fast-Growing Hedges for Privacy

When it comes to natural privacy screens, hedges and living fences offer several advantages over traditional fencing. Privacy hedges not only block prying eyes but also enhance curb appeal, offer habitat for wildlife, reduce noise, and even increase property value. Opting for fast-growing hedges means you'll enjoy these benefits much sooner, creating a private oasis in as little as 1-2 years.

• Visual Barrier: Block unsightly views and create an attractive boundary.
• Noise Reduction: Dense foliage absorbs and muffles street or neighbor noise.
• Windbreak: Protect your garden from harsh winds and create milder microclimates.
• Wildlife Haven: Provide nesting sites and food sources for birds and beneficial insects.
• Aesthetic Appeal: Many fast-growing privacy hedges display stunning flowers, berries, or colorful foliage.

Below, we'll take a closer look at the top 9 fast-growing hedge plants that can help you enjoy a lush, green sanctuary faster than you ever thought possible.

1. Leyland Cypress (Cupressus x leylandii)

Why Leyland Cypress is a Top Pick for Privacy

Leyland cypress is renowned for being one of the fastest-growing privacy hedge trees available, sometimes shooting up at a rate of 3 to 4 feet per year. This evergreen provides dense, lush coverage and is a favorite for creating windbreaks and green barriers in large landscapes. Its soft, feathery needles and stately, columnar form make it ideal for those wanting instant results.

• Growth Rate: 3-4 feet annually
• Max Height: Up to 60 ft (can be kept trimmed to desired height)
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
• Hardiness Zones: 6-10

Pro Tip:

Plant Leyland cypress hedges 5-8 feet apart for quick privacy. Prune annually to maintain shape and encourage fuller growth.

2. Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja standishii x plicata)

Arborvitae: The Resilient, Lush Screen

Green Giant arborvitae is a hybrid with a well-deserved reputation for reliability and rapid growth. This evergreen makes an excellent privacy hedge plant due to its tolerance for various soils and resistance to most pests and diseases. Growing up to 3 feet per year, it quickly forms a dense soaring wall of soft, rich-green foliage.

• Growth Rate: 2-3 feet annually
• Max Height: 30-40 ft (pruning can maintain it at desired height)
• Sun Requirements: Full sun
• Hardiness Zones: 5-9

This fast-growing hedge is perfect for delineating property lines or creating a wind-resistant shield in your garden oasis.

3. Privet (Ligustrum spp.)

Privet: Versatility Meets Vigorous Growth

Privet hedges have been used in traditional landscapes for generations--thanks to their rapid growth and ability to thrive in many conditions. Varieties such as Ligustrum vulgare (common privet) and Ligustrum ovalifolium (California privet) produce thick, glossy foliage and can grow up to 3 feet per year.

• Growth Rate: 2-3 feet annually
• Max Height: 12-15 ft
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
• Hardiness Zones: 4-8

Privet is easy to shape with regular trimming, offering a classic look to fast-growing living privacy fences.

4. Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

Evergreen Elegance with Glossy Foliage

If you desire a broadleaf evergreen with luxurious, glossy leaves, cherry laurel is a top contender for your private sanctuary. This shrub provides dense growth--up to 2 feet per year--and can be pruned for formal hedging or allowed to grow freely for a natural look. In spring, cherry laurel produces fragrant, creamy-white flower spikes, adding seasonal interest.

• Growth Rate: 1-2 feet annually
• Max Height: 15-30 ft
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to full shade
• Hardiness Zones: 6-9

Cherry laurel tolerates urban pollution, making it an excellent candidate for fast-growing privacy screens in city gardens.

5. Bamboo (Bambusa, Phyllostachys, & Fargesia spp.)

Bamboo: Exotic Style and Exceptional Speed

Few plants can rival bamboo for its combination of rapid growth and distinctive impact. Some clumping species (e.g., Bambusa or Fargesia) can shoot up at remarkable speeds of up to 5 feet per year. Bamboo hedges not only deliver instant privacy but also create a tranquil, Zen-inspired atmosphere. Choose clump-forming bamboo to avoid running species that can spread aggressively.

• Growth Rate: 3-5 feet annually
• Max Height: 8-30 ft (varies by species)
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
• Hardiness Zones: 5-10 (varies by species)

Bamboo can create dense *screens for privacy* within a single growing season, making it ideal for patios, pool areas, or urban backyards.

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

A Splash of Color for Decorative Hedges

Photinia, especially the popular 'Red Robin' cultivar, is beloved for its vivid red new foliage, which later matures to a deep glossy green. Growing at a rate of up to 2 feet per year, this colorful evergreen hedge is a fantastic choice if you prefer an ornamental privacy screen that grows quickly and delights throughout the seasons.

• Growth Rate: 1-2 feet annually
• Max Height: 12-15 ft
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
• Hardiness Zones: 7-9

With annual pruning, you can maintain a neat, uniform hedge or let the plants grow more freely for a relaxed, cottage-garden look.

7. Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera)

Fragrant, Hardy & Fast-Growing

Wax myrtle is a native North American shrub that thrives in a range of conditions, including sandy soils and coastal environments. Its aromatic, evergreen leaves provide a soft, fine texture--covering up to 2 feet per year. Perfect for either formal or informal hedges, wax myrtle is salt-tolerant, making it ideal for seaside gardens.

• Growth Rate: 1-2 feet annually
• Max Height: 15-20 ft
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
• Hardiness Zones: 7-11

This adaptable fast-growing living fence is perfect for wildlife-friendly or naturalistic gardens.

8. Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)

Deciduous Hedging with Classic Appeal

If you're seeking a classic, formal hedge with rapid establishment, look no further than hornbeam. While it is deciduous, hornbeam's dense, layered branches and lingering coppery leaves in winter still provide a degree of privacy year-round. With a yearly increase of up to 1.5 feet, it quickly creates solid, tidy barriers.

• Growth Rate: 1-1.5 feet annually
• Max Height: 10-30 ft
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
• Hardiness Zones: 4-8

Hornbeam is easy to shape and maintain, making it an excellent choice for fast-growing hedges with a traditional, formal feel.

9. Escallonia (Escallonia spp.)

Flowering Hedges with Coastal Tolerance

For gardeners seeking fragrance and flower power in addition to privacy, Escallonia is an attractive evergreen hedge. This fast-growing shrub boasts glossy foliage and spectacular clusters of pink, red, or white flowers from late spring to fall. Escallonia is especially valued in coastal areas, as it is tolerant of wind and salt spray.

• Growth Rate: Up to 2 feet annually
• Max Height: 6-12 ft
• Sun Requirements: Full sun
• Hardiness Zones: 8-10

Escallonia hedges are perfect for low-maintenance, mixed borders or seaside garden screens.

Tips for Planting and Caring for Fast-Growing Hedge Plants

To ensure your new living privacy fence thrives, follow these essential tips:

• Spacing: Plant hedges according to their mature width. Overcrowding inhibits airflow and leads to disease, while too much space creates gaps.
• Soil Preparation: Prepare the soil by mixing in compost and ensuring good drainage. Most hedge plants appreciate organic matter.
• Watering: Water deeply and regularly during the first two years. Once established, many evergreens are drought-tolerant.
• Mulching: Apply mulch to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and insulate roots.
• Pruning: Trim regularly to promote thick, bushy growth and prevent legginess. Early, light pruning shapes your hedge for the future.
• Feeding: Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in spring for lush, vigorous foliage.

Choosing the Right Fast-Growing Hedge for Your Private Oasis

With a vast range of textures, heights, and colors among fast-growing privacy hedge plants, it's important to consider a few points as you plan your garden transformation:

• Climate: Select hedge species suitable for your USDA hardiness zone.
• Soil and Light: Some hedges require full sun, while others thrive in part or full shade.
• Height and Spread: Choose plants that naturally match your required screen height and width.
• Maintenance: Decide if you want a tidy, clipped effect or a more natural, loose appearance.
• Evergreen vs. Deciduous: For year-round privacy, choose evergreens. For seasonal interest, deciduous varieties add flair.
• Allergies and Toxicity: Check plant properties if pets or children are present, as some hedges can be toxic.

Conclusion: Create Your Secluded Sanctuary

Creating a private oasis with fast-growing hedges is not only possible--it can be lush, beautiful, and attainable in just a few seasons. Whether you prefer the statuesque presence of a Leyland cypress, the unique charm of bamboo privacy screens, or the vibrant color of photinia hedges, there's an option to suit every landscape and purpose.

Ready to get started? Assess your yard's conditions, pick your favorite hedge plants for privacy, and plant your way to an outdoor sanctuary. With a little initial care, you'll soon enjoy seclusion, natural beauty, and an inviting environment for relaxing, entertaining, or simply unwinding. Let these nine fast-growing hedges help you reclaim your space and transform your garden into your own private paradise!