Seven fast growing plants for privacy

Add some privacy to your garden with these fast-growing plants that are perfect for a natural screen.

Pittosporum Tenuifolims

A bit tougher than lilly pillys, with a little maintenance they can thrive in the majority of New Zealand gardens. Pittosporum tenuifolim varieties such as Silver Sheen, Tasman Ruffles, or James Stirling feature small leaves, different colours and are a perfect screening plant due to their density. They grow from three to five metres.

Photinia Robusta

If you’re looking for a hardy plant that will grow anywhere, the large leaf Photinia Robusta is a great choice. Able to provide you with the privacy you’re looking for, it grows up to five metres tall. Its attractive red growth can also make it a good focal point for your garden.

Viburnums

Viburnums have been popular in New Zealand for decades as a screening plant. A good choice is the Viburnum tinus, a small leaf evergreen that grows to about 3.5 metres. The larger leaf Sweet Viburnum has large shiny emerald leaves and produces white fragrant flowers and small red berries. It enjoys milder conditions but not heavy frost and also reaches a height of around three to four metres.

Clumping Bamboo

Bamboo is a hardy choice if you want to fill in a small area and increase privacy. It’s very important to choose a clumping bamboo variety, which is easier to keep under control than the running varieties, which spread quickly. A moderate grower, it will take one to two years to start maturing but once established it will grow up to four metres.

Little Gem Magnolia

With its glossy green leaves and pretty white flowers, the Little Gem Magnolia is a popular screening option that grows well in most parts of New Zealand. Little Gem can grow up to four metres high and 2.5 metres wide, provided it is planted in well-draining soil in either full sun or part shade.

Climbing Roses

With a longer flowering season than most types of roses, climbing roses can provide your garden with a pretty screening option. However they will become sparse during the winter months when their foliage drops. Growing two to four metres tall, floribunda and hybrid tea varieties have large or clustered flowers and prosper in medium to hardy conditions.

Climber – Jasminoides

Climbers grow vertically in your garden so dense varieties can be trained to become an effective screen with some support, attention and care. Types of Jasminoides such as Trachelospermum flower early spring and then throughout the summer months with very fragrantwhites star shaped flowers.

Our Tip

Find out how easy it is to plant your own garden screen.

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