21 Lightning-Fast Privacy Shrubs: Create Your Secret Garden Oasis
Looking for quick solutions to block nosy neighbors or unsightly views? Fast-growing privacy shrubs offer the perfect natural screen for your outdoor sanctuary.
Unlike fences or walls, living barriers bring beauty, habitat for wildlife, and improved air quality to your property.
They create a dynamic boundary that changes with the seasons.
With growth rates of 1-3 feet per year, these green giants will transform your exposed yard into a private retreat faster than you might expect.
Let’s explore the best speedy shrubs for creating your personal oasis.
1: Leyland Cypress
This evergreen superstar grows an impressive 3-4 feet per year, quickly creating a dense privacy wall.
Leyland cypress reaches 40-60 feet tall with a 15-20 foot spread.
You’ll appreciate its feathery, blue-green foliage that maintains color year-round. Plant these 6-10 feet apart for an impenetrable screen within 3-4 years.
Leyland cypress thrives in USDA zones 6-10 and adapts to various soil types, though it prefers well-drained conditions.
2: Green Giant Arborvitae
This aptly named evergreen grows 3-5 feet annually, forming a majestic natural wall up to 60 feet tall. Its dense, pyramidal shape requires minimal pruning.
You’ll find it resistant to most pests and diseases that plague other arborvitae varieties. The rich green foliage stays vibrant even during harsh winters.
Green Giant performs best in zones 5-8 and handles various soil conditions, though it prefers consistent moisture.
3: Nellie Stevens Holly
This versatile evergreen grows 2-3 feet yearly, reaching 15-25 feet tall with a 10-15 foot spread. The glossy, dark green leaves create a polished appearance.
You’ll enjoy the bright red berries that appear in fall and persist through winter, adding seasonal interest and attracting birds.
Plant 5-6 feet apart for a solid screen.
This hardy holly thrives in zones 6-9 and tolerates partial shade, making it perfect for challenging areas with limited sun.
4: North Privet
This semi-evergreen grows an astonishing 2-3 feet per year, reaching 10-15 feet tall with proper care. Its small leaves create a fine-textured, dense hedge.
You can shape privet into formal hedges or let it grow naturally for a more casual screen. White flower clusters appear in summer, followed by black berries.
This adaptable shrub thrives in zones 4-8 and tolerates urban pollution, making it ideal for city gardens near busy streets.
5: Bamboo (Clumping Varieties)
These non-invasive bamboo types grow 3-5 feet annually, creating exotic-looking privacy screens up to 20 feet tall.
The arching canes and rustling leaves add movement to your landscape.
You’ll appreciate how clumping varieties stay contained, unlike running bamboos that spread aggressively.
Varieties like Freesia and Bamboos create natural boundaries without taking over.
Bamboo thrives in zones 5-9 (depending on variety) and prefers consistently moist but well-drained soil.
6: Red Twig Dogwood
This deciduous shrub grows 2-3 feet per year, reaching 8-10 feet tall with dramatic red stems that provide winter interest. The green leaves turn purplish-red in fall.
You’ll create multi-season appeal with white spring flowers, summer berries, fall color, and those stunning red branches in winter.
Plant in groups for a denser screen.
Red twig dogwood thrives in zones 3-8 and adapts to wet conditions where other shrubs might fail.
7: Forsythia
This spring superstar grows 1-2 feet annually, reaching 8-10 feet tall and wide. The explosion of bright yellow flowers announces spring before the leaves emerge.
You’ll create a less formal boundary with its naturally arching branches. For privacy, allow forsythia to grow naturally rather than shearing it into formal shapes.
This easy-growing shrub thrives in zones 5-8 and tolerates poor soil conditions once established.
8: Wax Myrtle
This versatile evergreen grows 1-2 feet yearly, reaching 10-15 feet tall with aromatic, olive-green foliage. The textured leaves emit a pleasant fragrance when crushed.
You’ll benefit from its natural mosquito-repelling properties while enjoying summer privacy. The blue-gray berries attract birds in fall and winter.
Wax myrtle thrives in zones 7-10 and handles poor soils, salt spray, and wet conditions with ease.
9: Viburnum
This diverse family offers multiple fast-growing privacy options that add 1-2 feet annually.
Varieties like Leatherleaf or Prague reach 10-15 feet tall with 6-8 foot spreads.
You’ll enjoy fragrant spring flowers followed by colorful berries that attract birds. Many varieties offer spectacular fall color in shades of burgundy and purple.
Most viburnums thrive in zones 4-8 and adapt to various light conditions from full sun to partial shade.
10: Photini
This eye-catching evergreen grows 1-2 feet per year, reaching 10-15 feet tall.
The new growth emerges bright red before maturing to glossy green, creating dramatic contrast.
You’ll create instant curb appeal with its colorful display, especially in spring when new growth appears.
White flower clusters emerge in spring, adding more seasonal interest.
Photinia thrives in zones 7-9 and prefers full sun for the best red color development.
11: Mock Orange
This deciduous beauty grows 1-2 feet yearly, reaching 10-12 feet tall with a similar spread. The intoxicating orange-blossom fragrance fills your garden in late spring.
You’ll create habitat for pollinators with its abundant white flowers that resemble orange blossoms. The arching branches form a natural, graceful screen.
Mock orange thrives in zones 4-8 and performs well in average garden soil with good drainage.
12: Cotoneaster
This versatile shrub grows 1-2 feet annually, with larger varieties reaching 8-10 feet tall. The arching branches covered with small leaves create an elegant texture.
You’ll add winter interest with abundant red berries that persist after leaves drop. Birds flock to these nutritious berries during cold months.
Cotoneaster thrives in zones 5-7 and tolerates poor soil and drought once established.
13: Elderberry
This edible privacy option grows 2-3 feet per year, reaching 10-12 feet tall and wide. The compound leaves create a lush, tropical appearance.
You’ll harvest clusters of antioxidant-rich berries in late summer for homemade syrups, jams, and wines. The fragrant white flower clusters attract beneficial insects.
Elderberry thrives in zones 3-9 and adapts to most soil conditions, even tolerating wet areas.
14: Ninebark
This native beauty grows 1-2 feet annually, reaching 8-10 feet tall with exfoliating bark that adds winter interest. Newer varieties offer purple or golden foliage.
You’ll create habitat for native pollinators with its clusters of white or pink flowers in late spring. The peeling bark reveals multiple colors on mature stems.
Ninebark thrives in zones 3-7 and handles tough conditions, including drought, once established.
15: California Lilac (Ceanothus)
This western native grows 1-2 feet yearly, reaching 8-10 feet tall depending on variety. The stunning blue flower clusters cover the plant in spring.
You’ll create a pollinator paradise with its nectar-rich blooms that attract butterflies and bees. The evergreen foliage keeps your privacy intact year-round.
California lilac thrives in zones 8-10 and requires excellent drainage and minimal summer water once established.
16: Euonymus
This adaptable evergreen grows 1-2 feet annually, with larger varieties reaching 10-15 feet tall. Many cultivars offer variegated foliage for added visual interest.
You’ll appreciate its pollution tolerance in urban settings. The dense growth habit creates an effective screen even in challenging locations.
Euonymus thrives in zones 5-9 and adapts to various light conditions, from full sun to partial shade.
17: Japanese Spirea
This compact option grows 1-2 feet per year, reaching 5-6 feet tall and wide.
The new foliage emerges burgundy before turning green, with many cultivars offering gold or variegated options.
You’ll enjoy summer-long color from the pink or white flower clusters that attract butterflies. For privacy, choose larger varieties and plant in staggered rows.
Spirea thrives in zones 4-8 and performs best in full sun with average, well-drained soil.
18: Pittosporum
This versatile evergreen grows 1-2 feet annually, reaching 8-12 feet tall depending on variety. The glossy, sometimes variegated leaves create an elegant screen.
You’ll enjoy the sweet fragrance of tiny white flowers in spring. The dense growth habit creates an effective visual barrier even with limited space.
Pittosporum thrives in zones 8-11 and performs well in coastal areas, tolerating salt spray and wind.
19: Dwarf Burning Bush
This deciduous showstopper grows 1-2 feet yearly, reaching 8-10 feet tall and wide. The fiery red fall color creates spectacular autumn displays.
You’ll appreciate its dense, twiggy growth that provides good screening even after leaves drop. Corky ridges on the stems add interesting winter texture.
Burning bush thrives in zones 4-8 and adapts to most soil conditions, including clay and urban pollution.
20: Rose of Sharon
This summer bloomer grows 1-2 feet annually, reaching 8-12 feet tall with tropical-looking flowers in white, pink, purple, or blue.
The hibiscus-like blooms appear when few other shrubs flower.
You’ll create a pollinator haven with its nectar-rich blooms that attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
For privacy, allow it to grow naturally rather than pruning into tree form.
Rose of Sharon thrives in zones 5-9 and tolerates heat, humidity, and urban conditions with ease.
21: Lilac
This fragrant classic grows 1-2 feet per year, with larger varieties reaching 10-15 feet tall.
The intoxicating spring fragrance creates sensory privacy beyond just visual screening.
You’ll create sentimental connections with this nostalgic flowering shrub. Modern varieties offer reblooming capabilities and improved disease resistance.
Lilac thrives in zones 3-7 and requires good air circulation to prevent powdery mildew issues.
Conclusion
Start planting these fast-growing privacy shrubs today, and by this time next year, you’ll enjoy a significantly more secluded outdoor space.
Choose varieties that match your climate zone for best results and minimal maintenance.
