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Fast-growing shrubs for privacy are plants often considered by our clients if they are planning to plant a hedge, particularly if it is for screenage purposes.  Hedges can also be planted to provide a definitive boundary to a property or define a certain area of a garden or act as a windbreak too. With their many benefits to your home and garden, they are worth the consideration. There are many varieties of trees and shrubs that can be considered for screenage purposes, including evergreen and deciduous. We are here to help you decide on the perfect one for you. Evergreen trees and shrubs will keep their leaves all year round – so if you are planting for privacy then this is probably the right choice for you. Deciduous plants will look good from spring-autumn but will be bare during the winter months. There are several other points to consider when purchasing your plants, which we can certainly help you with, and you will need to think about: Consider where the plants will be planted in your garden. Will there be enough room for them to spread to their optimum size? Labels on plants will often give an indication of the eventual height and spread – do not be put off by this – it is an indication and often over a 20-year period! Also, consider if you are planting for privacy\screenage you are likely to be planting near a boundary wall, fence or possibly a driveway. Root systems will grow down laterally and the bigger the plant, the bigger the root system will become. You need to ensure that the root system will not become invasive and for that reason, we would not recommend planting Bamboo, as they have a vigorous, invasive root system. Do your plants need to cope with coastal conditions for example? If so, plants to consider for these conditions include Quercus ilex and Griselinia littoralis Which way does your garden face? Will your chosen plants, for example, be able to cope with a scorching mid-day sun? What is your soil type? One way to see if your chosen plant will cope in your garden is to have a look around your local area and see what other people are growing. This is always a good indication of what grows well in your area. Visiting a specialist nursery such as Arundel Arboretum, you can be confident that you will be getting the right advice for the right plants for you. We have an excellent selection of suitable plants in stock, and five that you may like to consider include:- Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Snow White’ This is one of our favourites and we have mentioned it many times before! It has so much to offer – easy to look after, fast-growing, a dense, but delicate growth habit and beautiful white flowers in June and July. The dark green leaves are deeply serrated to give added interest. Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Snow White’ is also classed as a reasonably hardy tree and it should be able to withstand temperatures of between -5 to -10. It will grow happily in full sun, in good well-drained soil. We would advise that if your Hoheria is planted in an exposed position or is subjected to adverse weather it could get damaged. We would also recommend providing shelter in cold areas. Further information about Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Snow White’ can be found here. Prunus laurocerasus ‘Rotundifolia’ (Cherry Laurel) Prunus laurocerasus ‘Rotundifolia’ is a fast-growing evergreen shrub and an excellent choice if you do not wish to plant Leylandii. It is also an ideal plant for a shady area and is hardy. It will grow in most soils, but it does not like shallow, chalky or very wet ground. Fragrant, white flowers appear in spring and these are followed by cherry-like red fruits, which will eventually turn black. Prunus laurocerasus ‘Rotundifolia’ has an eventual height of 4-8m and a spread of 2-4m. Prunus lusitanica (Portuguese Laurel) Prunus lusitanica is an evergreen laurel, but has a smaller, neater leaf and creates more of a formal appearance than Prunus laurocerasus ‘Rotundifolia’. It has dark green leaves and produces fragrant white flowers in spring, which are followed by small, dark fruits. Prunus lusitanica will grow happily on chalky soil, but cannot withstand wet ground. It is a medium-fast growing laurel. It will grow in full sun or partial shade in a sheltered or exposed position. It has an eventual height of 12m and a spread of 8m. Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’ This is another of our favourite fast-growing shrubs for privacy, again because there is so much interest to this plant! In the spring, it will produce a massive flush of bright red new foliage, which is followed by an abundance of delicate white flowers – although less so if you have regularly cut your plants back to encourage vibrant red leaf growth rather than the flowers. Laurus nobilis (Bay Laurel) Laurus nobilis is another evergreen shrub worthy of consideration. It has a dense habit and medium growth. Its aromatic leaves are useful in cooking.  Small, pale yellow flowers appear in the spring, followed by glossy black fruits in autumn. Laurus nobilis can be planted in full sun or partial shade, in a sheltered or exposed position. It has an eventual height of between 8-12m and a spread of 8m+. We have an excellent selection of fast-growing shrubs for privacy and others that you may wish to consider in stock. Why not pop in and have a look? Our knowledgeable staff will be happy to assist and advise you further on the right plants for you.

Customers are often concerned about screenage and privacy issues. They visit us for advice on fast-growing shrubs for privacy, to plant. They often want to screen off a new build project, an extension to a neighbouring property or advice on replacing existing trees or shrubs that may have died. Evergreen shrubs are an excellent choice as once established they can provide dense and all year round screenage.  The shrub has great additional qualities such as; being a natural windbreak, being ideal for wildlife and much more aesthetically pleasing than a brick wall! Most evergreen shrubs require little maintenance to keep them looking good – a trim once or twice a year should suffice. From our vast knowledge and experience, we are aware that our customers require fast-growing evergreen shrubs for privacy, and we always have a good selection in stock for them to choose from. When visiting Arundel Arboretum, we will run through some basic fact-finding questions which will include: Where do you live – for example, do you live near the sea? In which case you need to choose a shrub that can cope with salt conditions. You could consider Quercus ilex, Griselinia littoralis, Euonymous japonica or Tamarisk The chosen location in your garden – if you are selecting a shrub for privacy, it is likely to be planted near a wall or driveway. Is there enough room for the plant to spread? Also, you will need to remember that root systems grow down as well as along and this needs to be considered too. We would not recommend, for example, planting Bamboo in this situation as they have a vigorous, invasive root system. Size – make sure you discuss with your plant specialist the eventual height and spread of the plants so that you can be sure your proposed site can accommodate the plant’s requirements. Our knowledgeable staff will be able to help you with this. Ground conditions – always choose plants that will thrive in your conditions – again, this is something we can help you with. Also, consider which way your new plants will face in your garden – north\south\east\west and ensure it can cope with the weather conditions too. Looking around your local area to see what other people have in their gardens is always a good indication to see what grows well. We do have an excellent selection of evergreen shrubs to consider for privacy, but one worthy of consideration is Prunus laurocerasus ‘Rotundifolia’.  This variety of Cherry Laurel is a fast growing evergreen shrub. It produces a very dense hedge, with large, glossy green leaves. During the spring, upright spikes of white flowers will emerge, which are followed by cherry-red berries going into the autumn. These will eventually ripen black. Do be aware that these berries are harmful if ingested. This shrub can grow happily in full sun or partial shade, in an exposed or sheltered position. It is also suitable for damp, shady areas; or dry, shady areas. It cannot, however, tolerate coastal or chalk conditions. Prunus laurocerasus ‘Rotundifolia’ has an eventual height of approximately 5m. Here at Arundel Arboretum, we have an excellent selection of Cherry Laurels in stock, a great fast-growing shrub for privacy. Feel free to drop by for a visit and we will happily assist you with your purchase.

Today, customers are often concerned about screenage and come to us for fast growing shrubs for privacy, whether it is for a new build project, to replace existing trees and shrubs that have been removed or an extension to a neighbouring property. An evergreen shrub will provide dense screenage all year round, and they will also act as a windbreak. Most evergreen shrubs require little maintenance to keep them looking good. From experience, we are aware that our customers require shrubs that grow quickly because they want to create a screen and privacy instantly. We have many varieties in stock that fulfill these requirements. Selecting your shrubs Selecting your fast growing shrubs for privacy does require a little thought so that you purchase the right one for your environment. You should always consider where the plants will be positioned so that they can cope with their surroundings e.g. if you live near the sea you need a plant that can cope with the salt conditions. Plants that are suitable for these conditions include Quercus ilex, Griselinia littoralis, Euonymous japonica and Tamarisk. Location The location of your fast growing shrubs is very important if you are creating a screen for privacy purposes, as the plants are likely to be planted near a wall or driveway. You will need to remember that root systems grow down and laterally, and the bigger the plant, the bigger the root system will become. We would not recommend planting Bamboo for example near to walls and pathways, as they have a vigorous, invasive root system. Size When choosing your plants for screening purposes, be sure you are aware of the eventual height and spread to make sure it will be suitable for your needs and will have the space to grow. Ground Conditions Always choose plants that will do well in your ground conditions. Also, take into account the way your garden faces (north, south, east or west) and therefore the way the plants will face and how they will cope with the weather conditions. We suggest you look around your local area to see what grows well. This is always a good indication of what plants are best to invest in. Some plants that can effectively be used for screenage include: Prunus laurocerasus ‘Rotundifolia’ Prunus laurocerasus ‘Rotundifolia’ is a fast growing evergreen shrub. It produces a very dense hedge with large, glossy green leaves. It has upright spikes of white flowers in the spring, which are followed by cherry-red berries, but these are harmful if ingested. This shrub is suitable for damp, shady areas; dry, shady areas and wet areas. It will not tolerate coastal or chalk conditions. The shrub has an eventual height of approximately 5m. Prunus laurocerasus ‘Caucasica’ Prunus laurocerasus ‘Caucasica’ is another fast growing, upright and bushy evergreen shrub. It has attractive spikes of white clusters of flowers in April-May. These are followed by black fruits. This shrub is able to tolerate deep shade and dry conditions, although the shrub needs to be kept moist for the first year. The dark green leaves are 15-18cm long and can be trimmed to shape. The shrub has an eventual height and spread of 4-6m. Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’ Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’ is a highly ornamental evergreen shrub with dark green leaves, which are brilliant red when they are young. Small white flowers appear in April-May, and these are sometimes followed by bright red fruit later in the summer. The shrub can be trimmed to shape and size and has an eventual height and spread of 5m. Elaeagnus x ebbingei Elaeagnus x ebbingei is a very hardy evergreen shrub, and very easy to grow. The foliage is dark green with a silvery underside. It produces fragrant, creamy flowers in September-October and these are followed by orange speckled silver fruit later into the winter. The shrub will tolerate partial shade and dry conditions, although it is best to avoid chalk. The shrub can be kept clipped to shape and size and has an eventual height and spread of 4m. Griselinia littoralis Griselina littoralis is a dense, upright shrub. It has glossy, light apple-green leathery leaves, and is very good in coastal positions. The shrub produces yellow flowers in April-May. It has an eventual height of 4m and a spread of 2m. Our knowledgeable staff here at Arundel Arboretum are able to advise and help you select the most suitable plants for creating privacy in your garden. We look forward to welcoming you to our nursery and helping you make the right choices your garden.