Fast-Growing Hedges for Privacy: Instant Impact for Your Garden
Fast-Growing Hedges for Privacy:
Instant Impact for Your Garden
If you’re looking to create a secluded, peaceful garden space without the long wait, fast-growing hedges offer the ideal solution. Whether you’ve recently moved into a new-build property, need to block out road noise, or want to replace tired fencing, planting a quick-growing hedge can provide privacy, structure, and greenery in no time.
In this guide, we highlight the best fast-growing hedges for UK gardens, along with tips to get the most out of your planting.
Why Choose Fast-Growing Hedges?
Fast-growing hedges are perfect for:
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Creating privacy from neighbours or roads
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Establishing natural boundaries
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Reducing wind and noise in exposed locations
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Adding greenery quickly to blank or overlooked areas
With the right species, proper planting, and a little care, you can enjoy a full, lush hedge in just a few seasons.
Top Fast-Growing Hedges in the UK
Here are some of the most reliable and popular fast-growing hedging plants available for UK gardens:
1. Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)
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Growth rate: Up to 60cm per year
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A dense, evergreen hedge with large, glossy leaves
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Excellent for year-round privacy and noise reduction
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Tolerates most soil types and partial shade
Best for: Quick-growing evergreen screens with a classic, tidy look.
2. Leylandii (Cupressocyparis leylandii)
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Growth rate: Up to 90cm per year – one of the fastest available
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Tall, dense evergreen with soft, feathery foliage
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Excellent for tall screening and windbreaks
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Requires regular trimming to maintain size
Best for: Large gardens or exposed sites needing instant, tall coverage.
3. Photinia ‘Red Robin’
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Growth rate: Around 30–40cm per year
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Evergreen with vibrant red new growth
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Adds colour and interest to hedges and screens
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Responds well to shaping and pruning
Best for: Formal or decorative privacy hedges with added visual appeal.
4. Griselinia littoralis
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Growth rate: Up to 45cm per year
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Glossy, apple-green evergreen leaves
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Particularly suited to mild, coastal locations
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Low-maintenance and salt-tolerant
Best for: Coastal or milder gardens where year-round privacy is needed.
5. Privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium)
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Growth rate: Around 40–60cm per year
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A hardy, semi-evergreen hedge (retains most leaves in winter)
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Ideal for traditional or formal gardens
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Easy to trim and maintain
Best for: Shaped, low to medium-height privacy hedges.
Planting Tips for Fast Growth
To help your hedge establish quickly and grow evenly, follow these simple steps:
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Prepare the soil by digging in organic matter and ensuring good drainage
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Plant at the right spacing – too close causes competition, too far delays coverage
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Water regularly, especially in the first year
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Feed in spring with a slow-release fertiliser
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Trim lightly during the growing season to encourage bushy growth
When to Plant
The best times to plant most hedges are autumn and early spring. This allows the roots to settle while the weather is still mild. Container-grown hedges can also be planted throughout the year, as long as the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged.
Read our full guide to hedge planting here
Fast-growing hedges offer an excellent way to create privacy, define boundaries, and improve the look of your garden in just a few short seasons. Whether you choose a classic evergreen like Laurel, a colourful option like Photinia, or a tall screen like Leylandii, you’ll enjoy both beauty and function.
Need help choosing the right fast-growing hedge?
Contact our team for personalised advice or browse our full range of privacy hedging plants online.