There are few things that motivate people to plant faster than a lack of privacy.
A new neighbour builds a second storey.
A fence comes down.
Someone clears a block.
Or one day you're sitting outside with a cup of coffee and suddenly realise half the street can see exactly what you're doing.
And just like that, privacy becomes a gardening priority.
The funny thing is that most people immediately start asking the wrong question.
They ask:
"What is the fastest growing hedge?"
When the better question is:
"What hedge will actually give me privacy in five years?"
Because fast growth and good screening are not always the same thing.
We've seen plenty of fast-growing plants become tall, leggy and sparse.
And we've seen slower growing plants create better privacy because they naturally stay dense.
The trick is understanding the difference.
🌿 What makes a good screening plant?
The best privacy plants usually have three things:
👉 Density
👉 Reliability
👉 The ability to recover from pruning
Because even the fastest growing hedge becomes frustrating if you can still see through it.
🌿 1. The narrow space champion
Straight and Narrow Lilly Pilly
One of the biggest problems in modern Australian gardens is space.
Blocks are smaller.
Homes are closer together.
And many people simply don't have room for a massive hedge.
That's where Straight and Narrow shines.
As the name suggests, it naturally grows upright rather than spreading widely.
Which means you get:
🌿 height
🌿 screening
🌿 privacy
without sacrificing half your garden.
It's particularly useful along:
-
side boundaries
-
driveways
-
narrow fence lines
-
pool areas
One thing we love about it is that it creates vertical privacy.
Sometimes you don't need a wider hedge.
You just need to block a window.
🌿 2. The classic privacy hedge
Sweet Viburnum - Viburnum Odoratissimum
If Australian hedges had a hall of fame, Sweet Viburnum would be in it.
For decades it's been one of the most widely planted screening plants in the country.
And there's a reason.
It grows quickly.
It clips beautifully.
And when managed properly, it creates an incredibly dense hedge.
But here's the part most people don't know.
The secret to a dense viburnum hedge isn't letting it grow.
It's trimming it early.
Regular light pruning encourages branching lower down, which is what creates that thick green wall everyone wants.
Leave it untouched for years and it often becomes sparse underneath.
🌿 3. The fragrant favourite
Murraya Paniculata
There are plants that provide privacy.
And there are plants that provide privacy while smelling incredible.
Murraya belongs in the second category.
The glossy foliage creates a soft, elegant hedge, while the white flowers produce one of the most recognisable fragrances in Australian gardens.
It works beautifully for:
🌿 front boundaries
🌿 entertaining areas
🌿 pool gardens
🌿 formal gardens
And because the foliage is naturally dense, it creates excellent screening without feeling heavy.
🌿 4. The compact hedge solution
Murraya Min-a-Min
Sometimes people don't need a two metre hedge.
They just need structure.
A neat border.
A low screen.
Something that defines a space.
That's where Min-a-Min comes in.
It gives you all the benefits of traditional murraya in a much smaller package.
Perfect for:
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pathways
-
front gardens
-
low formal hedging
-
small courtyards
🌿 5. The colourful privacy option
Photinia Red Robin
Most privacy hedges are green.
Photinia decided to be different.
The brilliant red flush of new growth makes it one of the most visually striking screening plants available.
And because new growth continues throughout the year, you often get multiple bursts of colour.
It's particularly effective when:
-
used as a feature hedge
-
mixed with darker foliage plants
-
planted where the colour can be appreciated
Privacy doesn't always have to be boring.
🌿 What most people get wrong
The biggest mistake?
Spacing plants too far apart.
We understand why.
Everyone wants to save money.
But wider spacing often means waiting years longer for privacy.
A slightly denser planting usually delivers a better result much sooner.
The second mistake?
Choosing a hedge purely because it's fast growing.
Fast growth means nothing if the plant doesn't suit your conditions.
🌿 The best screening plants are the ones that suit your site
Coastal conditions?
Different plants.
Narrow side access?
Different plants.
Small courtyard?
Different plants.
This is exactly why we built our Plant Finder.
Instead of guessing, it helps match plants to:
🌿 sunlight
🌿 climate
🌿 soil type
🌿 available space
👉 Find The Right Plant - First Time! – The Plant Hub
🌿 Explore our Privacy & Screening Plants Collection