Enclose Your Space with 9 Rapid Hedges for Privacy

Posted on 06/06/2025

Enclose Your Space with 9 Rapid Hedges for Privacy

Looking to enclose your space with a beautiful, living boundary that grows quickly? Rapid privacy hedges offer homeowners and gardeners a natural option to safeguard their privacy, buffer noise, and decorate landscapes. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore nine fast-growing hedge plants that provide effective privacy screens in record time. If you're keen on maximizing your outdoor privacy quickly and efficiently, read on to find the perfect hedging plant for your environment and personal style.

Why Choose Fast-Growing Hedges for Privacy?

When it comes to creating a private, secluded oasis in your yard, few options are as effective and aesthetically pleasing as a lush, green hedge. Unlike fencing, hedges blend seamlessly with nature, support local biodiversity, and often require less maintenance in the long run.

• Speedy Coverage: Fast-growing hedges deliver coverage in just a few seasons, shielding you from prying eyes and reducing noise pollution.
• Natural Beauty: Living hedges add year-round foliage, color, and even blooms to your landscape.
• Eco-Friendly: Hedges provide shelter and food for birds, bees, and beneficial insects, supporting a healthy ecosystem.
• Value Boost: A well-designed privacy hedge can significantly enhance curb appeal and property value.

How to Select the Best Rapid Hedge for Your Needs

Not all privacy hedges are the same. To enclose your space efficiently, consider the following factors before planting:

• Growth Rate: Look for species that gain at least 1-2 feet per year for rapid coverage.
• Evergreen vs. Deciduous: Evergreens keep their foliage year-round, ensuring consistent privacy. Deciduous hedges may lose their leaves in winter.
• Mature Height and Width: Select plants that fit your desired height and won't crowd your property or block views unless you want a solid wall.
• Climate and Soil: Match hedge species to your local climate zone and available soil type for healthier, faster growth.
• Maintenance Needs: Some hedges need regular trimming, while others require minimal care.

Let's Explore The 9 Best Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges

Here are our top nine picked rapid hedges for privacy. Each is well-suited to quickly enclose your space and transform your garden into a private retreat.

1. Leyland Cypress (Cupressus x leylandii)

The Leyland Cypress is one of the most popular and fastest-growing hedges for privacy. Its tall, graceful habit and dense, evergreen foliage make it a top choice for quickly enclosing your space.

• Growth Rate: 3-5 feet per year! One of the fastest privacy screens available.
• Best For: Large yards, windbreaks, tall hedges (up to 50 feet if left untrimmed).
• Care: Requires full sun to partial shade and moderate water; prune annually for a formal look.
• Downside: May be vulnerable to certain diseases if planted too densely.

If you need instant privacy, Leyland Cypress is hard to beat for speed and coverage.

2. Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja standishii x plicata)

The Green Giant Arborvitae is another favorite among privacy hedge enthusiasts. This evergreen produces dense, feathery foliage, is insect and disease resistant, and thrives in various soils.

• Growth Rate: 3-4 feet per year.
• Best For: Tall, uniform hedges (up to 40 feet high).
• Care: Low maintenance; tolerates drought and clay soil, but prefers well-drained earth and full sun.
• Downside: Grows tall, so regular pruning is required to keep at desired height.

For a hardy, fast-growing privacy hedge, the Green Giant truly lives up to its name!

3. Clumping Bamboo (Bambusa spp.)

If you want to enclose your space and add a unique, tropical flair, bamboo is an excellent option. Clumping bamboo varieties (vs. running bamboo) are non-invasive and form dense, towering screens in just a few years.

• Growth Rate: Up to 2-3 feet per year once established.
• Best For: Rapid vertical screening, noise reduction, and contemporary landscapes.
• Care: Provide full to part sun; water regularly. Use a barrier for running species to prevent spreading.
• Downside: Some species are cold sensitive--select according to your climate.

For ultra-fast coverage and artistic style, bamboo is unbeatable among rapid privacy hedges.

4. Privet (Ligustrum spp.)

Privet hedges are classic, versatile, fast-growing and adaptable. Their small, glossy leaves create a consistently neat appearance, easily shaped to formal or informal styles.

• Growth Rate: 2-3 feet per year.
• Best For: Tidy, uniform hedges, topiary designs, and urban gardens.
• Care: Tolerates pruning, urban pollution, varying soils, and drought once established.
• Downside: Flowers and berries can be messy; some species can be invasive--choose well-behaved cultivars.

Privet is a top choice when you want quick, formal privacy hedging for your property.

5. Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

The Cherry Laurel produces lush, dark green, glossy leaves and dainty spring flowers, creating excellent protection and beauty for your private space.

• Growth Rate: 2-3 feet per year.
• Best For: Evergreen privacy, wildlife-friendly gardens, partial shade spots.
• Care: Adapts to sun or shade; withstands drought and city conditions once established.
• Downside: Can grow large--select dwarf cultivars for small spaces or keep pruned.

Cherry laurel is one of the most reliable and attractive rapid hedges for privacy in mild climates.

6. Red Tip Photinia (Photinia x fraseri)

A favorite for its striking red new foliage, Photinia hedges grow quickly and add year-round color to your privacy screen. They're robust and shape well.

• Growth Rate: 2-3 feet per year.
• Best For: Colorful, evergreen privacy screens, flowering hedges in mild climates.
• Care: Best in full sun with well-drained soil; remove dead leaves to prevent fungal issues.
• Downside: Not ideal for cold zones--check your USDA climate before planting.

For a vibrant, fast-growing privacy hedge, try Red Tip Photinia.

7. Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera)

The Wax Myrtle is beloved for its aromatic, evergreen leaves and tough adaptability. This hedge grows quickly and can survive poor, sandy soils and salt spray, making it ideal for coastal climates.

• Growth Rate: 2-4 feet per year.
• Best For: Coastal and sandy soils, informal privacy screens, wildlife gardens.
• Care: Tolerant of drought, poor soils, salt, and wind. Prune to promote dense branching.
• Downside: Not as formal-looking as some other hedge types.

Wax Myrtle is perfect if you want a rapidly growing privacy hedge for tough environments.

8. Forsythia (Forsythia spp.)

Known for their blazing yellow blooms in early spring, Forsythia hedges grow fast and provide a spectacular seasonal privacy wall.

• Growth Rate: 2-3 feet per year.
• Best For: Flowering privacy hedges, informal screens, early spring interest.
• Care: Prefers sun and well-drained soil; prune after flowering for vigor.
• Downside: Deciduous--loses its leaves in winter, reducing privacy then.

Add sunshine to your privacy hedge with flowering Forsythia and enjoy seasonal beauty.

9. American Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)

Also known as Eastern White Cedar, the American Arborvitae is a classic choice to enclose your space naturally and rapidly. It's a favorite for formal hedging and windbreaks.

• Growth Rate: Up to 2 feet per year.
• Best For: Formal evergreen hedges, cold climates, year-round privacy.
• Care: Tolerant of various soils and climates; prune center for density.
• Downside: Can be susceptible to deer damage in rural areas--consider fencing young plants.

For timeless green privacy and snow tolerance, choose American Arborvitae for your living screen.

Tips for Planting Your Rapid Privacy Hedge

To ensure your fast-growing hedge delivers the privacy you crave, keep these tips in mind:

• Prepare the soil -- Loosen soil, add compost, and check drainage before planting for strong root establishment.
• Space plants appropriately -- Follow recommended spacing for each hedge type to promote air flow and lush growth.
• Water deeply -- Young hedges need regular, deep watering to develop quickly, especially in the first two years.
• Prune for density -- Trim hedge tips during the growing season to encourage bushiness and uniform shape.
• Fertilize annually -- Use a balanced slow-release fertilizer to fuel rapid foliage expansion.

By following these steps, you'll soon enjoy a thick, green privacy wall to enclose your outdoor space.

Answers to Common Privacy Hedge Questions

How soon can I expect privacy from a rapid hedge?

Depending on the species and your planting size, most fast-growing privacy hedges will reach a screening height of 6-8 feet within 2-4 years.

Can I mix hedge varieties for privacy?

Absolutely! Mixing species adds visual interest and extends your hedge's seasonal value. For example, combine evergreens like Arborvitae with flowering Forsythia or Photinia for year-round color and privacy.

What's the lowest maintenance rapid hedge?

Green Giant Arborvitae and Wax Myrtle are among the lowest maintenance for rapid privacy. Both resist pests and diseases, and thrive with minimal pruning.

What's the cost difference vs installing a fence?

While initial costs for hedge planting can be similar or less than fencing, living hedges offer greater long-term value, enhanced beauty, and environmental benefits. Fences require periodic replacement and repairs, whereas hedges become stronger and more stunning over time.

Conclusion: Quickly Enclose Your Space with Fast-Growing Hedges

Installing a rapid-growing hedge is the perfect way to enclose your space for privacy, create boundaries, reduce noise, and enhance curb appeal. By using one or more of the nine privacy hedge varieties discussed above--from towering Leyland Cypress and Green Giant Arborvitae to decorative Bamboo and colorful Photinia--you can transform your landscape into a lush, living sanctuary in just a few seasons.

Remember to match your hedge choice to your climate, intended height, and desired maintenance schedule. With proper planting and care, you'll enjoy a beautiful, green privacy screen that benefits you, your family, and local wildlife for decades to come.

Ready to enclose your space with rapid privacy hedges? Visit your local nursery today and start your journey to a more secluded and beautiful home environment!