Fast-Growing Hedging Plants for UK Gardens

The fastest-growing hedging plants for UK gardens transform a bare boundary into mature screening within three to five years. Speed matters when you need privacy from a new neighbour, want to block road noise, or are starting a garden from scratch. But raw growth rate is only part of the picture. A 90cm-per-year Leylandii left untrimmed becomes a 6m maintenance disaster within a decade.

This guide ranks the 10 best fast-growing hedging plants for UK gardens by real annual growth rates measured at our Staffordshire trial site since 2019, with mature heights, spacing per metre, RHS hardiness ratings, and bare-root and container prices. We cover evergreen, deciduous, and bamboo options across a £4 to £75 per metre price range. For the full planting method, see our hedge planting guide.

How We Measured Growth Rates

All growth rates in this article come from our Staffordshire trial garden on Hanslope series heavy clay at 120m elevation. We planted 80m of mixed boundary hedging across 12 species in March 2019, recording the central leader height of three randomly-selected plants per species each February.

Soil conditions: pH 7.4, clay-rich, slow draining, mulched annually with 5cm of bark mulch. Water regime: mains irrigation only in the first 18 months, then rainfall only. Trimming: one cut per year in late August for evergreens, except Leylandii which received two cuts (June and August) from year three.

Growth rates published by nurseries are usually best-case figures from light soil with full irrigation. Our numbers are what real UK gardens achieve once watering stops.

Photinia ‘Red Robin’ put on 38cm/year averaged across our six trial plants. The bright red flush appears after each summer trim.

The Top 10 Fast-Growing Hedging Plants Ranked

The table below ranks species by sustained growth rate, with a hardiness and cost comparison for direct planning. Bare-root prices assume 30-60cm whips bought in lots of 25 from a specialist hedging nursery.

All evergreen species except Photinia ‘Red Robin’ and Escallonia tolerated our -12C winter in January 2021 without die-back.

Leylandii: Fastest Growth, Highest Maintenance

Leylandii (x Cuprocyparis leylandii) tops every growth-rate league at 75-90cm per year, with our six trial plants averaging 92cm in year three. It hit 4m in five years. RHS hardiness H6 (-15C). It tolerates almost any soil, including waterlogged clay.

The problem is upkeep. Without two trims per year (June and late August), Leylandii becomes leggy at the base and a target for neighbour complaints once it passes 4m. The Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 lets councils issue remedial notices on hedges over 2m that block light, with fines up to £1,000 if ignored.

Buy 30-60cm bare-root plants at £3-£5 each from November onwards. Space at 60-90cm (3 per 2 metres for a thinner screen, 3 per metre for fast cover). Cut the leader once the hedge reaches your target height plus 30cm.

Thuja Plicata ‘Atrovirens’: The Gold Standard Leylandii Alternative

Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata ‘Atrovirens’) is the species we recommend over Leylandii in 9 out of 10 UK situations. Growth rate of 60-80cm per year, sustained at 78cm in our trial. Hardier than Leylandii at RHS H7 (-20C). The foliage is darker, denser, and sweetly aromatic when crushed.

The single biggest advantage is recovery from hard pruning. Leylandii will not regenerate from old brown wood. Thuja plicata ‘Atrovirens’ sprouts new growth from bare stems when cut back hard into year-old wood. If your hedge gets away from you, Thuja can be rescued. Leylandii usually cannot.

Why we recommend Thuja plicata ‘Atrovirens’: After testing six conifer species across six years on heavy clay, this was the only fast grower that gave us 60cm+ annual growth without bolting past our 2.4m target height. We source 60-80cm bare-root plants from Hedges Direct or Buckingham Nurseries at £4-£6 per plant.

Thuja plicata ‘Atrovirens’ on the left holds a denser, more uniform base than Leylandii on the right at the same age. Our trial plants in year five.

Cherry Laurel: The Glossy Evergreen Workhorse

Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is the most widely planted evergreen hedge in the UK and for good reason. Growth rate 45-60cm per year, large glossy leaves 8-12cm long, and pollarder-tolerant. RHS H5 hardy to -15C. White flower spikes in May feed bees.

Cherry laurel needs more space than most hedges. Plant at 50-60cm spacing (2 per metre). Use loppers or secateurs rather than electric trimmers, which shred the large leaves and leave brown edges. We trim ours once a year in early September.

Best cultivar for hedging is Prunus laurocerasus ‘Rotundifolia’ for denser growth and slightly smaller leaves than the type. Avoid ‘Otto Luyken’ for tall hedges as it stays under 1.2m.

Privet: The Cheapest Fast Hedge

Privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium) is the budget choice at £1-£2 per bare-root plant. Plant 4 per metre at 25cm spacing. Growth rate 40-60cm per year. Semi-evergreen in the south, deciduous in colder northern counties. RHS H5.

Privet needs the most trimming of any hedge in this list. Three cuts per year (June, July, September) keep it tight. Without trimming, it bolts to 4m and develops sparse leggy growth. Tolerates shade better than most fast growers, making it the standard front-garden hedge in Victorian terraces.

For yellow variation, Ligustrum ovalifolium ‘Aureum’ grows slightly slower at 30-45cm/year but lifts a dark shaded corner.

Photinia ‘Red Robin’: The Showpiece Hedge

Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’ produces the brightest red new growth of any hedging shrub. Each summer trim triggers a fresh red flush that holds for 4-6 weeks before turning glossy green. Growth rate 30-45cm/year, mature height 3m, RHS H4 hardy to -10C.

The hardiness rating is the catch. Photinia took heavy damage in our January 2021 -12C cold snap, with 40% leaf loss across the row. Two plants in the most exposed corner died and were replaced. In sheltered south-facing gardens it is bulletproof. In exposed northern or east-coast sites, choose Thuja or beech instead.

Plant container-grown specimens at £25-£40 each, 3 per metre. Bare-root Photinia is rarely sold. Buy from Crocus, Burncoose, or Coolings garden centres.

Pyracantha: The Wildlife Defence Hedge

Pyracantha (‘Saphyr Red’ is the most disease-resistant cultivar) gives you three things at once: 35-50cm of growth per year, white spring flowers for bees, and orange-red berries from October to February for blackbirds, song thrushes, and waxwings. The vicious 3cm thorns deter intruders. RHS H6 hardy to -15C.

Plant 3 per metre at 33cm spacing. Wear thick leather gloves when planting and trimming. We use a long-handled hedge trimmer with the bar set 30cm from the body to keep arms clear of thorns.

Pyracantha tolerates the harsh dry soil at the base of a south-facing wall, which beech, hornbeam, and Photinia all hate. For boundary security and wildlife value, it has no rival in this list.

Escallonia and Portugal Laurel: The Coastal Pair

Escallonia ‘Apple Blossom’ is the best fast-growing hedge for coastal and seaside gardens. Salt-tolerant, pink-and-white flowers from June to October, growth rate 30-45cm/year. RHS H4, so use it from Cornwall to North Yorkshire but avoid exposed Scottish coasts.

Portugal laurel (Prunus lusitanica) is the sophisticated cousin of cherry laurel. Smaller darker leaves, red leaf stalks, growth rate 30-45cm/year, mature height 4m. RHS H5 hardy to -15C. Cleaner-looking than cherry laurel in formal gardens. Plant 2 per metre at 50cm spacing.

Cherry laurel reached 1.8m in four years from 60cm bare-root whips in our trial. The big glossy leaves block sightlines completely.

Beech and Hornbeam: The Native Heritage Choices

Beech (Fagus sylvatica) and hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) are the two best native fast-growing hedging plants for UK gardens. Growth rate 30-40cm/year, mature height 4m+, RHS H7 hardy to -20C. Both hold dead leaves through winter, giving year-round screening despite being deciduous.

Bare-root plants cost £1-£2 each at 3 per metre. A 10m beech hedge costs £30-£60 to plant. We planted our beech section in March 2019 and it reached a usable 1.5m screen by autumn 2023.

The choice between them: beech prefers free-draining soil; hornbeam tolerates wet clay. Both hold copper-brown winter leaves until new growth pushes them off in April. For mixed native hedging, see our native hedgerow species guide.

Gardener’s tip: Plant beech only where you can dig down 40cm without hitting standing water. On our wettest test plot, hornbeam grew at the same 36cm/year as on dry ground while beech rotted off at the roots within 18 months.

Beech holds its copper-bronze dead leaves until April, giving semi-evergreen screening on a deciduous plant.

Fargesia Rufa: The Safe Bamboo Screen

For a contemporary look that pairs well with steel, slate, and Japanese-influenced gardens, Fargesia rufa is the only running-bamboo-free choice we recommend. Growth rate 30-40cm/year, mature height 2.5m, spread 1-1.5m. RHS H5 hardy to -15C. The base stays in a tight clump that expands by 5-15cm per year.

Avoid all Phyllostachys species. The RHS lists Phyllostachys aurea, Phyllostachys nigra, and Phyllostachys bissetii as potentially invasive plants in the UK. They send out 6-10m rhizomes that lift paving and undermine fences. The Royal Horticultural Society has published detailed guidance on invasive bamboo and the legal responsibility of gardeners under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Plant 3L container bamboo at £25-£40 per plant, one per metre. Mulch heavily for the first two summers. For tree-based screening options, see our best trees for privacy in UK gardens guide.

Fargesia rufa stays in a tidy clump. No running rhizomes, no neighbour disputes, and a contemporary look that hard landscaping loves.

Bare-Root vs Container: The Cost Reality

Bare-root hedging plants are lifted from open ground in winter and sold without soil while dormant. Container plants are grown year-round in pots. The cost difference is dramatic on a per-metre basis.

Bare-root prices assume 60-90cm whips, the size we recommend for fastest establishment. Container prices assume 2-3L pots at typical garden centre rates.

Bare-root plants also establish faster despite their smaller size. In a side-by-side trial in 2019, our bare-root beech overtook container beech in year two and was 20cm taller by year four.

Spacing and Plants Per Metre

Get spacing wrong and you either waste plants or wait years for gaps to close. Use the values in the table below. For a denser, faster screen, plant a double staggered row at 40cm spacing in rows offset by 30cm.

Common Mistakes When Choosing a Fast Hedge

1. Picking pure speed over manageable maturity. Leylandii at 90cm/year sounds ideal until you realise it needs two trims a year forever. Thuja or laurel at 60cm/year is the smarter long-term choice for most gardens. Calculate trim hours over 20 years, not just years one to three.

2. Buying container plants when bare-root is available. Bare-root saves 70-85% and grows faster after year two. The only reason to buy container hedging is if you must plant outside the November-March window.

3. Planting too close to a fence or boundary. Plant at least 60cm from a fence line. Hedges need air circulation on both sides to stay dense at the base. A hedge planted tight against a fence becomes sparse on the boundary side within five years.

Privet needs two to three trims per year to stay dense. June, July, and September is the standard pattern.

4. Ignoring soil drainage. Beech, Photinia, and Leylandii all hate wet feet. On heavy clay, choose hornbeam, cherry laurel, or Thuja. We lost five beech plants in our wettest test bed before switching that section to hornbeam.

5. Trimming at the wrong time of year. Hedge trimming is illegal between 1 March and 31 August where nesting birds may be present, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Trim June (after the first peak nesting period ends in many species) and again in late August or September.

Month-by-Month Hedge Care Calendar

Buying Bare-Root vs Container Plants

UK bare-root hedging is dispatched November to March. Order by mid-October for November delivery. Specialist nurseries we use:

• Hedges Direct (Lancashire) for the broadest range and good quality bare-root
• Buckingham Nurseries (Buckinghamshire) for the best native species selection
• Coolings (Kent) for strong Photinia and Escallonia stock
• Burncoose Nurseries (Cornwall) for unusual evergreens

Inspect plants on arrival. Roots should be moist and pale, never dry or black. Plant within 48 hours of delivery, or heel them into a temporary trench if you cannot plant immediately. Reject any plants with dry, dehydrated roots as they will not recover.

For a wider look at evergreens that work in shade and exposed sites, see our guide to the best evergreen trees for UK gardens. For low formal alternatives to box, see our box hedge alternatives.

Now You’ve Picked Your Hedge

Now you have picked the right species, the next step is getting them in the ground properly. Read our hedge planting guide for the UK for the full step-by-step method covering soil prep, planting depth, the all-important first-year water schedule, and the post-planting cut that forces dense growth from the base.