Top 9 Speedy-Growing Hedges for Secluded Spaces

Posted on 15/08/2025

Top 9 Speedy-Growing Hedges for Secluded Spaces

If you're dreaming of a private retreat in your backyard, planting fast-growing hedges is one of the most effective and attractive solutions. These natural living walls not only create secluded spaces but also add greenery, structure, and even wildlife interest to your garden. Whether you are seeking year-round privacy or a seasonal shield, choosing the right hedge can dramatically transform your landscape. In this comprehensive article, explore the top 9 speedy-growing hedges for secluded spaces--each offering charm, rapid growth, and dense foliage perfect for privacy.

Why Choose Fast-Growing Hedges for Privacy?

Fast-growing hedges provide instant screening, shelter, and protection from prying eyes, wind, and noise. With the right species, you can quickly establish a lush green wall that not only enhances privacy in your garden but also increases the value of your property. Besides screening, dense hedging supports local wildlife and can serve as a backdrop to your ornamental beds.

• Rapid establishment compared to traditional fencing
• Natural beauty and seasonal interest
• Eco-friendly--absorbs CO2 and fosters biodiversity
• Reduces wind and noise pollution
• Long-lasting solution with proper maintenance

If you're eager to achieve a feeling of seclusion and tranquility, let's dive into the fastest and most reliable hedging plants for your private garden or backyard oasis.

1. Leyland Cypress (Cupressus x leylandii)

Features & Benefits

• Fastest-growing evergreen hedge--up to 3 feet per year
• Dense, lush green foliage perfect for privacy
• Thrives in a wide range of soil types and climates

Leyland Cypress is a top choice for those needing quick privacy. It forms a dense screen, is easy to trim into tidy shapes, and provides year-round coverage. With its upright, columnar habit, it's ideal for narrow spaces and suburban lots. Be mindful: regular pruning is crucial, as this hedge can easily outgrow its space!

2. Privet (Ligustrum spp.)

Why Choose Privet Hedges?

• Grows up to 2-3 feet per year
• Deciduous or semi-evergreen (depending on climate)
• Highly tolerant of pruning and shaping

Privet hedges are known for their speed of growth and incredible density. They are classic hedging plants perfect for formal gardens or boundaries requiring tight control. Flowering privets can attract pollinators in spring, while thick foliage provides ample seclusion.

3. English Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

Dense & Tough Evergreens

• Growth rate: 2 feet per year
• Large, glossy leaves offer outstanding privacy
• Highly resilient--tolerates pollution, shade, and drought

If you prefer a broadleaf evergreen hedge with showy leaves, English Laurel fits beautifully. Its vigorous growth and sturdy structure make it excellent for secluded spaces. This hedge performs well in difficult urban environments, providing thick coverage and a lush aesthetic all year.

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

The Modern Privacy Giant

• Growth rate: 3-5 feet per year under optimal conditions
• Evergreen, disease-resistant, and low-maintenance
• Attractive, feathery green foliage forms a living privacy fence

This hybrid thuja hedge is revered for both speed and resilience. It grows tall and wide, quickly establishing an impenetrable screen--ideal for spacious gardens. Being deer-resistant and tolerant of heat, this hedge is a superb modern solution for secluded backyards.

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

Colorful and Quick

• Growth rate: 1-2 feet per year
• Glossy green leaves with brilliant red new growth
• Responds well to trimming for dense privacy

With its unique red-tinted flushes in spring, Red-Tipped Photinia creates privacy and vibrant garden color. Prune regularly to maintain its bushy shape and enjoy a flashy, evergreen privacy hedge especially suited for Mediterranean and temperate climates.

6. Bamboo (Clumping Varieties e.g. Fargesia spp.)

Eco-Friendly, Exotic Privacy Screens

• Fast-growing--up to 3 feet per year
• Evergreen, flexible, and surprisingly hardy
• Non-invasive clumping types are best for hedges

Bamboo hedges deliver rapid growth and striking, vertical allure. Clumping species like Fargesia are well-behaved and do not run wild like their spreading cousins. They're perfect for narrow spaces, Asian-inspired gardens, and natural screens with a tropical ambiance. Bamboo's rustling leaves are also excellent for noise reduction and calming privacy.

7. Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus 'Rotundifolia')

Broadleaf Evergreen Hedging

• Growth rate: 2 feet per year
• Dense, round leaves with white spring flowers
• Thrives in sun or shade; adaptable and robust

This classic hedge has bushy, dense foliage ideal for seclusion. Cherry Laurel is famed for its glossy, hardy leaves and rapid growth. It tolerates shaping and hedging, establishing an impervious screen very quickly in almost any setting.

8. Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata)

Native Evergreen Hedging

• Growth rate: 2-3 feet per year
• Scented, scale-like leaves and natural disease resistance
• Responds very well to pruning

A native favorite in North America, Western Red Cedar is both an attractive and effective choice for speedy privacy screens. Its light, feathery look belies a seriously dense structure--making it suitable for extensive or large spaces that require natural barricading.

9. Forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia)

Seasonal Privacy with Bold Blooms

• Growth rate: Up to 2 feet per year
• Show-stopping early spring flowers
• Deciduous, but super-dense during the growing season

If you'd appreciate a hiding spot drenched in color, Forsythia is hard to beat. Its explosive yellow blooms in spring are followed by robust green foliage that forms a living screen through summer and fall. It's especially striking planted in groups and can be shaped into hedge form for private seasonal spaces.

Tips for Planting & Maintaining Fast-Growing Hedging Plants

• Preparation: Dig a wide, well-drained trench and amend the soil with compost before planting.
• Spacing: Plant according to the species' mature size; dense hedges require closer intervals (18-36 inches for most).
• Water Wisely: Ensure frequent watering during establishment, then reduce as the hedge matures.
• Pruning: Early and regular trimming improves density and coverage, especially in vigorous varieties like Leylandii and Privet.
• Feed Annually: Balanced fertilizers in early spring improve foliage and keep growth robust.

Remember: Always check local regulations, as some hedge plants--including certain bamboo and privets--are restricted in some regions due to invasive tendencies.

Comparison Chart: Popular Speedy-Growing Privacy Hedges

How to Choose the Right Fast-Growing Hedge for Your Secluded Space

1. Consider your climate and soil: Some hedges thrive in temperate regions, while others, like cherry laurel and photinia, prefer milder winters.
2. Space availability: Choose columnar species for narrow boundaries (Leyland Cypress, Bamboo) and broader hedges for open areas (Green Giant Arborvitae).
3. Evergreen vs. Deciduous: Evergreens guarantee year-round cover, while deciduous options like forsythia bring seasonal drama and color.
4. Maintenance needs: Faster growers demand regular pruning; pick slower "speedy" species for lower maintenance.
5. Wildlife value: Some hedges, like privet and laurel, provide food and shelter for birds and beneficial insects.

Summary: Your Path to a Secluded, Beautiful Outdoor Space

Installing quick-growing hedges for privacy is the ideal way to achieve both beauty and seclusion in your garden, yard, or property boundary. Whether you choose the ever-reliable Leyland Cypress, colorful Photinia, exotic Bamboo, or another from our list, these fast-growing hedging plants promise rapid transformation from exposed to enclosed. With proper selection and care, your living privacy screen will offer shade, tranquility, and natural elegance for years to come.

Ready to create your secluded oasis? Select the perfect hedge variety for your needs, plant wisely, and enjoy your newfound outdoor sanctuary--a space that's beautifully shielded from the world outside!

For more gardening tips and top hedge ideas, explore related articles or contact your local nursery for varieties best suited to your region.