Are you already planning to plant a fast-growing hedge? Maybe you’re looking for ways to either hide an ugly view, gain more privacy from the neighbors, or maybe even reduce the noise of a busy street. For all these reasons, planting a hedge is a smart solution. It creates a much softer and more importantly lively privacy screen than traditional fences and is also more beneficial to wildlife.
The downside is that hedges can take some time to fully grow unless you naturally choose a fast-growing hedge plant. Some species can grow almost a meter tall in a year. That means you won’t have to wait too long for your green growing fence to take shape.
Read on to find out our top 5 favorite fast growing hedges.
1. Fast-growing hedge with laurel
Growth rate: 30-60 cm per year
The laurel family includes shrubs, hedge plants and woody plants. One of the best plants for the fast-growing hedge is the cherry laurel. It has rounded glossy leaves with delicate white flowers in summer and red berries in winter. The plant creates a dense privacy screen that is also good for noise reduction. A hedge also offers effective wind protection.
Portuguese laurel
Another good choice is the Portuguese laurel, which has dark green leaves. These grow on attractive maroon stems, with flowers in summer and berries in fall and winter. This is a low maintenance, hardy hedge that will survive in most conditions. To keep hedge shape under control, you should trim them back once a year in late summer, after the birds’ nesting season is over.
2. Fast-growing hedge with hornbeam
Growth rate: 20-40 cm per year
Although this is a deciduous plant, the hornbeam keeps its leaves even in autumn and winter. First they turn yellow and later they become darker and arid. However, this gives you privacy all year round. Hornbeam offers you a beautiful, neatly shaped, classic hedge that is easy to trim and can be kept to a manageable height. The best cutting time is in late spring. This hedge plant likes heavy soil and tolerates normal, clay or chalky soil. It is best planted in autumn. Due to its density, the hornbeam creates a very effective barrier against wind and noise.
3. Fast-growing hedge with bamboo
Growth rate: 75 cm per year
This plant does particularly well in a contemporary style garden, where the gently rustling, upright foliage creates a stylish hedge with a modern aesthetic. The downside is that some bamboo species are invasive and difficult to control, even getting into neighboring gardens. But if you choose wisely, this shouldn’t really be a problem.
Opt for clumping bamboos like umbrella bamboo (Fargesia murielae) or fountain bamboo (Fargesia nitida). They are best planted in rich soil in spring or summer and will tolerate full sun or partial shade. Bamboos need to be watered during dry periods. They also appreciate spring and summer fertilization. Prune them annually and don’t be afraid of a radical pruning, as bamboos can quickly rebound and easily reach 5 meters in height.
4. Fast growing hedge with shrubby honeysuckle
Growth rate: 40-60 cm per year
The beauty of this fast-growing periwinkle, also known as Lonicera nitida, is that the more you prune it, the denser it gets. The shrub has tiny leaves on lithe, whippy stalks and produces small creamy flowers in spring and bluish-black berries in fall. The shrubby honeysuckle is a good choice for a medium sized hedge as it doesn’t grow taller than 3 metres. It will tolerate a shady spot but is best kept away from very windy locations.
This is a fairly low-maintenance plant that really only needs to be mulched in the spring. If the hedge looks untidy, you can trim it at any time of the year except on extremely cold winter days, although early summer and fall are optimal times. Here, too, it is essential to adhere to the guidelines of the nationwide cutting ban.
5. Fast-growing hedge with privet
Growth rate: 30 cm per year
Tough and hardy, privet is evergreen or semi-evergreen. This means that only a very severe winter will cause it to lose its pretty oval shaped leaves. There are two species, garden privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium) and wild privet (Ligustrum vulgare), both of which are relatively fast growing and offer more privacy through privacy. Although they are hardy plants that grow in a sunny or shady spot, the privet needs to be well watered for the first two years after planting. This hedge will not overwhelm the garden as the final height is around 4 metres. Trim privet hedges once or twice a year.
Even after flowering, the privet gives you a wonderful, shiny green
And this is how you can plant a fast-growing hedge!
Prepare the ground
It is important to prepare the soil thoroughly before planting. Thoroughly pull weeds six weeks before you are ready, then again just before planting your new hedge. Put some well-rotted compost in the planting hole.
Buy the right plants
Hedge plants are usually sold as either bare root, root ball or pot plants. Bare-rooted plants are the most cost-effective choice. It’s easy to buy them by mail order too. Such plants should be planted between October and March. Plants grown in tubs and pots give you a head start when privacy is in dire need, but they will cost more.
The thuja is also one of the most popular fast-growing hedge plants
Note the correct distance
The spacing will vary depending on what you have chosen. With the laurel, a distance of at least 60 cm should be maintained between the plants. Spacing for bamboo will depend on the type of plant so check the directions carefully but is usually around 1m to 1.5m. Privets can be spaced closer together – around four plants per meter is ideal and hornbeam spacing should be around three plants per meter.
Talk to your neighbors
Before planting a hedge, let your neighbors know what you are doing and reassure them that you will trim and trim it properly. The last thing you want is for your peaceful privacy screen to start a fight with the neighbors. Once your hedge has taken shape, you should trim it regularly to encourage new growth and keep it looking its best. Choosing a quality hedge trimmer is a good place to start.
Your fast-growing hedge will always look perfect!
You can plant small shrubs as a second level…
or the hedge plants vary in cut form
In spring, many hedges have beautiful flowers and emit a heavenly scent
