Fast Growing Screening Shrubs – Evergreen Picks!

Fast growing shrubs for privacy

Do you have a hideous brick wall next to your front gate? Do you want to protect your house from unwanted visitors or nosey neighbors?

It doesn’t matter why you want to enhance your privacy, using fast growing evergreen shrubs for privacy is the best option. In order to make a good start, you need to identify the varities of fast growing screening shrubs that will work best for your space.

From arborvitae to leylandii there is a large variety of attractive and quick growing shrubs for privacy. They are a great option to protect your home from unwanted visitors and add beauty to your space.

When you plant a shrub just make sure to avoid adding too much organic matter or peat moss. This traditional practice can lead to drainage issues which can inhibit the plant growth and gradually kill it. Just add mulch and water to prevent your shrub from drying out and give a pleasing view to your house.

What are Shrubs?

Shrubs are a type of dense, evergreen and woody plants with short stems. In general, shrubs are highly branched, thick and short, below 3m (100ft) in height. Otherwise known as bushes, shrubs are very popular for decorating gardens.

Today privacy has become an integral aspect of everyone’s life. If you are looking to add an element to your house that can create privacy and enhance aesthetics, just go for low maintenance fast growing privacy shrubs.

It will help you feel secluded from neighbours and enjoy your own sanctuary. That way you can create an indoor sanctuary away from the busy regular life. By using shrubs you can create a privacy that even a wall and a fence can’t provide.

The best type of shrubs are the fast growing evergreen shrubs for privacy. In order to enhance the look, you can also add some deciduous shrubs. To top it all, you can add a combination of shrubs with different flowers, color or maybe fruits.

Here is a list of some fastest growing shrubs for privacy.

Fast Growing Screening Shrubs To Choose From

1. Arborvitae

These are evergreen and coniferous shrubs or trees used in enclosing homes. Arborvitae can be found with blue-green, gold and green foliage. The most suitable varities of Arborvitae for privacy headging is North Pole or Polar Gold.

These are grown thick and slender pyramidal in shape. Arborvitae can be planted for screening different parts of yards as a low maintenance fast growing privacy shrubs. Plus, they can be used as a decorative fence along the property. These can spread to a height of 2-25 ft wide and 2-70 ft tall.

2. Lilac

The beautifully fragrant lilacs are traditional treasure that you might have seen in your grandparents’ garden. The grow beautifully in plenty of sunshine but require some good air circulation. These prevent the growth of powdery mildew.

There most commonly varieties as fast growing screening shrubs include the Angel White and Lavender Lady. This hardy deciduous shrub is revered for the intensely fragrant flower clusters that appear in spring. You can commonly find this cold and hardy deciduous shrub during the spring season.

3. Privet

Privet is another fast growing shrubs for privacy. Being thick and bushy, privet is used for their beautifully textured foliage. Also, these authentic shrubs can be found in varieties like semi-evergreen, deciduous and evergreen.

They grow healthy in partial shade to full sun. While, they spread 15 ft wide and grow to a height of 4 ft.

4. Forsythia

The beautiful forsythia looms best in the full sun. It’s bright yellow flowers starts to bloom during the onset of spring season. These are one of the fastest growing shrubs with a growth rate of 1 -2 ft every year.

It reaches at a height of 1 – 20 ft and spread around 3 -10 ft wide. Being a reliable shrub it can grow in varied conditions and need well-drained and moist soils.

5. Thuja green

These are best suitable when you need fast growing trees and shrubs for privacy hedging. With a thick growth and slender pyramidal shape they can be used as quick growing privacy shrubs.

Thuja coniferous shrub or tree provide dense foliage in blue-green, gold or green. It grow well in partial shade to full sunlight exposed yards and areas.

6. Beautyberry

As their name depicts these beautiful shrubs wth purple berries a perennial plant. This sun-loving shrub is found with variegated white and green foliage as well as solid green foliage. You can find their best variety in the end summer season. These fast growing shrubs for privacy works well as an attractive display.

7. Butterfly bush

These solid and low maintenance fast growing privacy shrubs is also known as summer lilac. Being sturdy it can resist drought and compel pollinators. Its beautiful purple flowers blooms throughout the seasons. They can grow well in moist and well-drained soil. While, blooms well in full sun as well as partial shade.

8. Mock orange

With beautiful white flowers, fountain shaped and evergreen foliage, mock orange is a widely used shrub. It is named after the nice citrusy fragrance that it’s lovely white flowers give. Being a sturdy deciduous shrub you can use it to conceal an outdoor area of seating and let the passers-by enjoy its sweet orange frangrance.

9. Shrubby honeysuckle

Honeysuckle is another fast growing evergreen shrubs for screening that grows well up to 60 cm tall and spread about 2 m wide. You can best use it for ground cover and hedging. Its lush green and glossy leaves provide a pleasing sight. Also, one can plant them along the house edge to flaunt it’s yellow flowers with sweet violet berries.

10. Juniper

From blue-green, green, to gold evergreen foliage, Junipers can be found in a wide variety. It can spread about 1 – 25 ft wide and grow about 1 – 130 ft tall.

It’s not specifically a fussy plant rather it is a quite cold-hardy shrub. It can grow several inches to 2 ft in a year. When it comes to picking the best type of Juniper for hedging, just choose a large pyramidal, columnar, or upright shrub.

11. Leyland Cypress

These fast growing screening shrubs can grow about 3 feet in a year. Also popular as leyland cypress, it’s a combination of montery cypress and Alaskan cedar. It requires full sun for quick growth. Make sure to follow the semi-annual and annual pruning of Leylandii to utilize it as an excellent hedging for privacy.

12. English Laurel

This fast growing shrubs for privacy needs rich and well-drained soil. It is sturdy only in areas 6-8. While it serves as a good privacy hedge for homes in warm climates. It can quickly grow about three feet in a year, when in suitable conditions. With lush green glossy leaves it retains beautiful look even during the fall.

13. Yew

Most commonly known as taxus, yews are fast growing evergreen shrubs for screening. Being tolerant to shade it can grow well even in north-facing regions. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t grow them in full sun.

Just take care to keep your children away from its compelling berries. Due to toxic seeds these are categorized as poisonous.

14. Western Red Cedar

Also known as Thuja Plicata, it is an attractive shrub for interior and exterior decoration. With an excellent aesthetic look, dimensional solidity and durability, red cedar is an excellent option for exterior decoration.

It can be a great add on along the edge of your home. Being resistant to rotting, decaying and termite, this shrub serves as the best evergreen coniferous tree. Check out these cedar tree varieties too.

15. American Elderberry

Sometimes referred as the common elderberry, it is a deciduous, small and woody shrub or tree. With beautiful white flowers and fruits dark berries, these are fast growing trees and shrubs for privacy. With a growth rate of 9-12 ft height and 6-10 ft spread, elderberry will give a lovely look to your house exterior.

16. Canadian hemlock

Unlinke it’s name, this tree or shrub is not at all poisonous. In fact, it is one of the finest and fast growing shrubs for privacy. Based on where you live, you can use hemlock as a shrub or tree. If you reside in North America, you can use it as a towering tree for hedging.

17. Blue Hydrangea

This lovely shrub blossoms in various shades like mauve, blue, pink, white or purple. With an average growth of 2 ft per year, hydrangea can be an attractive and evergreen hedge providing privacy.

During the winter season, this shrub grows beautiful flowers with dense foliage offering extra privacy. These low maintenance fast growing privacy shrubs spread about 3-12 ft wide and grow up to 3-15 ft tall.Also, check out these oakleaf hydrangeas varieties you could give a try.

18. Red Twig Dogwood

This appealing shrub has several stems with stunning red branches that highlights especially in winters. It can thrive well in colder regions too even with bare branches. In spring, it grows fine looking flowers with white fruits.

Some of its finest varieties also produce excellent foliage during fall season making it fast growing evergreen shrubs for screening.

19. Leylandii

Being commonly known as Leyland cypress, this shrub is a combination of Alaskan cedar and Monterey cypress. It grows vigorously up to a height of 3 ft in a year. Leyland Cypress works best for screening, if you perform semi-annual or annual pruning. Otherwise it can be difficult to handle this shrub.

Benefits Of Planting Quick Growing Privacy Shrubs

1. Privacy

With small houses being built closer to each other and declining house lands. It has become really important to have your own private sanctuary. Having quick growing shrubs for privacy at your house is a great choice. It will also help you get rid of any unsightly view or enhance your home garden.

2. Get improved acoustics

Beside offering privacy, shrubs help in enhancing the acoustics in your house. Whether you are shifting to a new office or a new home, consider adding shrubs to your space. With an excellent selection of plants you can create an attractive space for both living and work.

3. Beneficial for the environment

Whether you plant shrubs for privacy or to improve the aesthetics of your house. It will offer great environmental benefits. For example, it will filter the dust particles and pollutants from the surrounding air. Further, it will prevent soil erosion and reducing toxic contents in waterways.

4. Easy to grow

When planted in ideal conditions like perfect soil and right climate, shrubs are easy to grow. Most of the shrubs are reliable and evergreen to keep garden attractive for a long time. The best part is that these shrubs are low maintenance fast growing privacy shrubs.

Tips To Care For Fast Growing Screening Shrubs

Firstly, make sure to select quick growing privacy shrubs that can easily grow in your surrounding climate and conditions.
In order to keep your shrubs thriving perfectly well it’s important to offer light pruning on routine basis. This will be really helpful in maintaining your shrub’s ideal size and shape for many years. In order to offer excellent pruning focus on picking the right tool among hedge shears, hand shears and loppers.
Water your shrubs regularly

This is one of the best tips for fast growing shrubs for privacy. It is really helpful when you plant a new shrub. Remember to water them properly on daily basis and at least once a week when it doesn’t rain.

Add mulch or compost to your soil

It is very importan to feed your shrub with nutrient rich soil. Use soil rich in micronutrients and avoid adding fertilizers. Otherwise it can make the soil weak and hamper the growth of your shrubs.

Properly mulching your soil will help in retaining the moisture required for fast growing evergreen shrubs for screening.

How Do You Cover A Fence Quickly? Some Ways and Methods!

The most popular way of covering your fence quickly is to use privacy hedges or plant bushes. It is undoubtedly a great way to make your fence appealing with different varieties of lush green foliage and attractive flowers.

Plus, shrubs will act as a shield and protect your house or garden against noise and wind. Furthermore, by adding fast growing trees and shrubs for privacy you can make your property look less unsightly.

When it comes to fast growing shrubs you can consider newer varities of rose bushes. They are easy to plant and don’t even require regular upkeep like manual removal of dead blooms.

However, if you are looking for a traditional options of covering your fence, you can go for beautiful hedges. Just go through this blog and you will find innumerable options like forsythia, lilacs, hydrangea and many more. Listed above you can find out several quick growing shrubs for privacy.

You can also install vertical gardens, use metal fence walls, wood boards, or outdoor curtains too.

Related: Protecting shrubs in winter

FAQs About Fastest Growing Shrubs For Privacy

1. Irrespective of growth rate what is the best bush to plant for privacy?

Ans. Arborvitae is one of the choicest plants for privacy. You can find different varieties of arborvitaes in the market. They grow up to build a beautiful pyramidal/columnar hedge for privacy.

2. What is the best plant to cover a fence?

Ans. Climbers are the best option to cover your fence as they require very less upkeep. You don’t need to manually cut off the dead blooms. You can choose from curtain creeper, Crimson Glory Vine, English Ivy etc.

3. What to plant to block neighbors for privacy?

Ans. Using fast growing shrubs for screening, including Arborvitae or Cypress is one of the best ways to block out your neighbors. These are quick growing shrubs for privacy. Apart from these, you can also use bamboo plants, put on some outdoor curtains, metal fencing, or vertical gardens for privacy.

4. What is the best hedge for privacy?

Ans. Leylandii, Thuja green, Hawthorns, and Elderberry are all great options for hedging privacy with good growth rate.

5. Which privacy shrub gets the tallest?

Ans. Arborvitae is one of the tallest privacy shrubs that can reach to a height of 50 feet.