Fast-growing hedges: which plants to choose
When you move into a new house, build a residential development or need to screen an industrial site, privacy matters quickly. Some hedge plants grow three to four times faster than others. Here are the fastest ones and the trade-offs of each.
1. Leyland cypress – 60–100 cm per year
Leyland cypress is the fastest conifer for tall hedges. In just a few years it can form a green wall 3–4 m high. Plant 1.5–2 plants per linear metre. The trade-off: it must be trimmed 2–3 times a year from the very first year, and if it is left to grow unchecked and then cut back hard, it will not regrow from old wood.
2. Cherry laurel – 30–50 cm per year
Cherry laurel combines fast growth with shade tolerance and dense evergreen foliage. It is the right choice when you need a dense visual and noise screen of 1.5–3 m in gardens, car parks or residential developments.
3. Photinia Red Robin – 30–40 cm per year
Photinia Red Robin grows quickly and offers a bonus: the new shoots are bright red. Every trim triggers a new 'red flush'. It prefers sunny sites and well-drained soils.
4. Bamboo – an exotic, very fast screen
Bamboo quickly creates dense screens, especially in planters on terraces and roofs. Pay attention to the type: running species spread and must be planted with a rhizome barrier, while clumping species do not spread.
5. Lilac – an informal flowering hedge
If you do not need a clipped hedge but a natural, flowering screen, lilac grows quickly, is extremely frost-hardy and fills the garden with fragrance in April–May. However, it loses its leaves in winter, so it does not give year-round privacy.
Quick comparison
| Plant | Growth per year | Green in winter | Plants / m |
|---|
| Leyland cypress | 60–100 cm | Yes | 1.5–2 |
| Cherry laurel | 30–50 cm | Yes | 2–3 |
| Photinia Red Robin | 30–40 cm | Yes | 2–3 |
| Bamboo | fast, depends on species | Yes | 1–2 |
| Lilac | fast | No | 0.7–1 |
How to speed things up: larger plants from the start
The surest way to get instant privacy is not just the species but the height of the plants at planting. A hedge planted with 1.8–2 m plants gives privacy from day one, even with a moderately growing species such as Thuja Smaragd. For large projects, combining larger plants at planting with a fast-growing species gives the best results.
What to avoid
- Planting very densely 'so it closes up faster' – the plants compete with each other and become bare at the base.
- Skipping trimming in the first years – fast-growing hedges must be shaped from the start, otherwise they become sparse at the base.
- Neglecting watering – fast growth also means high water consumption.
All the plants above are available wholesale in several heights. See the wholesale hedge plants category or request a quote with the hedge length and desired height.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest evergreen hedge?
Leyland cypress, which grows 60–100 cm per year, followed by cherry laurel and Photinia Red Robin.
How long does it take for a hedge to close up?
It depends on the species and plant size at planting: with Leyland or cherry laurel usually 2–3 years; with large plants at planting the effect can be almost immediate.
Plants from this guide, available wholesale