Fast-Growing Hedges and Shrubs for Privacy

Harriet L. Whitcombe • May 04, 2026 18:12

It’s time to choose plants that shoot up quickly, look great and, as a bonus, do wonders for birds, insects - and even your mood. Instead of a dull, grey fence panel, shrubs and bushes create a living, natural privacy screen, often in as little as two or three years.

Why hedges and shrubs are often better than privacy fences

A tall timber fence can quickly feel like a fortress, and in summer it can soak up heat and radiate it back into the garden. Fast-growing shrubs do take up a little more depth, but they repay you with clear advantages:

They help to reduce noise and trap dust.
They provide habitat for birds, hedgehogs and insects.
They improve the garden’s microclimate.
They look softer and more natural than concrete or plastic.
They can be planned and shaped precisely for form, height and colour.

“If you combine wisely - evergreen shrubs plus flowering shrubs - you’ll get year-round privacy and something worth looking at in every season.”

Fast-growing classics for a dense privacy screen

Arborvitae (tree of life): an upright neighbour blocker

Arborvitae are among the most popular hedge plants full stop. Many varieties put on growth quickly while staying narrow, which makes them ideal for smaller plots.

Height: from just over 2 to more than 10 metres - depending on the variety
Benefits: evergreen, little pruning required, easy to look after
Position: sun to partial shade, standard garden soil
Variety tip: ‘Green Giant’, ‘Spring Grove’ for tall, quickly thickening screens

If you want a “green wall” rather than a wooden fence, these varieties are usually a strong choice. Once established, they generally only need the occasional trim to keep the outline neat.

Butterfly bush: privacy screening plus an insect magnet

Butterfly bush (often called summer lilac) grows quickly, flowers all summer, and is widely seen as a favourite with butterflies and bees.

Height: 1.5 to 3 metres
Benefits: tolerates drought, generous flowering, creates a lighter, looser screen
Position: sunny and warm, free-draining soil
Variety tip: ‘Miss Violet’, ‘Miss Ruby’ (newer, less rampaging varieties)

Butterfly bush isn’t always the best option as a formal hedge on its own, but as a flowering screen planted in front of a looser hedge it works exceptionally well.

Hydrangeas: a wall of flowers instead of a wall of boards

Hydrangeas don’t race upwards quite like some conifers, but they still build size steadily - and they pay you back with huge flower heads.

Height: depending on species, 1 to 2.5 metres
Benefits: enormous blooms, a wide range of colours, an especially elegant look
Position: partial shade to sun with consistent moisture
Variety tip: ‘Firelight’, ‘Monmar’ (strong panicles with good stability)

Planted in a row, panicle hydrangeas can form a dense, flowering hedge that turns heads in late summer and autumn - a brilliant choice along a patio.

Elder: native, tough and useful

Elder grows at speed, copes with less-than-perfect soil, and can look surprisingly refined thanks to its delicate, often cut-looking foliage.

Height: 3 to 5 metres
Benefits: flat flower heads in early summer, berries in autumn, rapid growth
Position: sun to partial shade, humus-rich soil
Variety tip: ‘Instant Karma’, ‘Lemony Lace’ for striking foliage

If you’d like your privacy screen to double as a source for cordial or jelly, elder is an excellent fit. Many varieties also attract plenty of insects.

Firethorn: a prickly bodyguard with a berry display

Firethorn grows in a firm, upright habit, takes well to clipping, and produces bright berries in autumn - orange, red or yellow depending on the selection.

Height: 2 to 3 metres
Benefits: evergreen, extremely dense, excellent at blocking unwanted views
Position: sun to partial shade
Variety tip: for example ‘Graberi’, ‘Kasan’

“Because of the thorns, firethorn works as living break-in protection - ideal under windows or along property boundaries.”

Flowering hedges with a wow factor

Lilac: a scented wall in May

Lilac is almost synonymous with spring fragrance. It matures into broad shrubs which, when in full flower, can turn any terrace into a scented retreat.

Height: 3 to 4 metres
Benefits: powerful scent, early flowering, romantic appearance
Position: sunny, with good airflow to reduce fungal problems
Variety tip: ‘Lavender Lady’, ‘Angel White’

Forsythia and friends: a yellow spring rocket

Forsythia is best known for its vivid yellow flowers in early spring. The description referenced in the source fits better with modern ornamental shrubs that combine coloured foliage with autumn berries - easy to imagine as an extra layer within a mixed flowering hedge.

Height: usually 2 to 3 metres
Benefits: a very early burst of colour, vigorous growth
Position: sunny, tolerates urban conditions
Variety tip: newer ornamental varieties such as ‘Pearl Glam’, ‘Purple Pearls’ (with dark foliage and berries)

Ninebark: foliage star with an arching form

Ninebark is still something of an insider’s choice here. It offers dark foliage, white flowers and an elegant shape that gently arches over.

Height: 1.5 to 2.5 metres
Benefits: very hardy, foliage colour stays attractive throughout the season
Position: sun to partial shade
Variety tip: ‘Diablo’, ‘Summer Wine’

Camellias: evergreen privacy with a rose-like look

Camellias bring glossy, evergreen leaves and, from late winter into spring, abundant blooms that resemble roses.

Height: typically 1.5 to 3 metres
Benefits: evergreen, exceptionally refined flowers, early colour in the year
Position: partial shade, a sheltered spot, slightly acidic soil
Variety tip: Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua

Viburnum: scent, berries and attractive foliage

Many viburnums are evergreen or semi-evergreen, producing fragrant white flower clusters and later colourful berries.

Height: 2 to 3 metres
Benefits: dense foliage, flowers and berries, insect-friendly
Position: sun to partial shade
Variety tip: ‘Allegheny’, ‘Prague’

Colourful specialists for a varied privacy screen

Variegated willow: a pink–white–green showpiece

Variegated willow develops arching shoots and tri-coloured leaves in pink, white and green. On fresh growth, the young shoots often show a soft pink tint.

Height: 1.5 to 2 metres
Benefits: highly decorative, makes a lighter screen, quick to come into growth
Position: sun to partial shade, preferably slightly moist soil
Variety tip: ‘Hakuro Nishiki’, ‘Flamingo’

Spiraea: a white cloud in spring, then autumn colour fireworks

Spiraea shrubs cover themselves in countless small white flowers in spring, then follow up in autumn with foliage that turns orange to red.

Height: 1 to 2 metres
Benefits: low-maintenance, tolerates pruning well, ideal for lower screening hedges
Position: sun to partial shade
Variety tip: ‘Renaissance’, ‘Grefsheim’

Red-stem dogwood and juniper: winter structure instead of a bare wall

Winter is when you really see which shrubs earn their keep. Red-stem dogwood stands out with vivid red branches, while juniper holds green to golden needles.

Shrub	Standout feature	Height
Red-stem dogwood	red shoots in winter	2–3 m
Juniper	many forms and colours, very hardy	0.5–5 m (depending on variety)

Varieties mentioned in the source such as ‘Montodd’ or ‘Spartan’ are among the slimmer, columnar types that work well as vertical accents.

Hardy fuchsias: an exotic note along the boundary

Hardy fuchsias are far tougher than the familiar patio and balcony types. With a little protection they can get through cold winters and reliably shoot again.

Height: 1 to 1.5 metres
Benefits: a very long flowering period from summer into autumn, delicate blooms
Position: partial shade, humus-rich soil
Variety tip: Fuchsia magellanica, ‘Mrs Popple’

“Planted in loose rows, fuchsias create a semi-transparent hedge that softens movement but still lets light and air pass through.”

How to plan your fast-growing hedge properly

Before you start buying, it pays to check the basic conditions in your garden:

Space: How deep can the hedge be? Narrow arborvitae suit small gardens better than lilac, which spreads wider.
Soil: Sandy, clay, very wet, or on the dry side? Butterfly bush tolerates dryness, while willows prefer more moisture.
Sun: At least six hours of sun a day is ideal for flowering favourites such as (panicle) hydrangea, lilac and butterfly bush.
Maintenance: If you rarely want to prune, choose slower-growing plants or naturally tidy, shape-holding species.

A reliable rule of thumb: water generously in the first growing season, especially during hot spells. Fast-growing shrubs respond with strong new growth - and your garden becomes a green calm zone more quickly.

It’s also worth mixing “fast helpers” with “long-haul” shrubs: weave quick growers such as elder or butterfly bush between longer-term choices like camellias or viburnum. Once the permanent shrubs have reached the desired height, you can remove individual quick starters or cut them back more firmly.

One more detail that’s often overlooked: mixed hedges made up of several species are frequently healthier than monocultures. They slow the spread of pests and disease, extend flowering across many months, and provide far more food and shelter for wildlife. That way, a simple privacy-screening project becomes a lively, small ecosystem - and your garden can feel noticeably more private and more vibrant in a short time.