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Don’t want to stare at that ugly block wall next door? Tired of seeing your neighbor taking out the garbage in his pajamas? Plants are the answer! If you don’t have years to wait around, no worries. From hydrangea bushes to lilac bushes and every evergreen in between, many attractive, fast-growing shrubs provide privacy, hide eyesores, and offer food and shelter for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife in a matter of a few seasons.
To ensure your shrub gets a good start, choose varieties that work in your USDA Hardiness Zone. Then dig a hole twice as wide and just as deep as the pot. Rough up the root ball with your hands a bit to help the roots spread out. Backfill the hole, but resist the urge to add peat moss or other organic matter. That’s an outdated practice that actually creates drainage problems (called the “bathtub effect”) which can stunt or kill the plant eventually. Just water and mulch your new shrub, and don’t let it dry out the first season as it gets established. Then enjoy the view!
Here are the best plants for privacy that typically reach their mature size within a few seasons.
1
Arborvitae
Arborvitae are stately evergreens which come in many different heights, ranging from a few feet to 30 feet tall or more. Most don’t need shearing to maintain their shape.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
Varieties to Try: Green Giant, Spring Grove
2
Butterfly Bush
Sometimes called summer lilac, this sturdy shrub with purple flowers withstands drought, blooms all season long, and attracts pollinators. Newer types are not invasive.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Varieties to Try: Miss Violet, Miss Ruby
3
Hydrangea
Hydrangeas are one of the few plants that can be grown from coast to coast in most climates. Some tolerate part shade, but most need a few hours of sun for best blooms. In the hottest regions, give them morning sun and afternoon shade so they don’t fry.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 10
Varieties to Try: Firelight, Monmar
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4
Elderberry
Late spring or early summer flowers and attractive foliage make this graceful plant attractive in a mixed border.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
Varieties to Try: Instant Karma, Lemony Lace
5
Pyracantha
This vigorous shrub grows upright and boasts clusters of gorgeous fall berries that last well into winter.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Varieties to Try: Graberi, Kasan
6
Lilac
Beautifully-scented lilacs like plenty of sun, but give them a space between plants to let air circulate and reduce the risk of powdery mildew developing. Some types are extremely cold-hardy.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 8
Varieties to Try: Lavender Lady, Angel White
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7
Forsythia
You know spring has arrived when the bright yellow forsythia starts blooming! It’s a more moderate grower than some other shrubs but will still reach its mature height relatively quickly.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
Varieties to Try: Meadowlark, Spring Glory
8
Beautyberry
Some types of this sun-loving, perennial plant have solid green or variegated green-and-white foliage, but the prettiest variety has dark purple foliage with masses of white blooms in late summer. The real show is the purple berries in fall.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8
Varieties to Try: Pearl Glam, Purple Pearls
9
Ninebark
This white-flowering native plant is a standout in the garden with its handsome burgundy foliage that lasts all season, topped with creamy white flowers in early summer. The plant is ultra-cold-hardy and has a elegant arching shape.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 7
Varieties to Try: Diablo, Summer Wine
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10
Loropetalum
Also called fringe flower due to its beautiful, showy blooms in shades of pink, white and purple, this graceful, vase-shaped shrub reaches maturity relatively quickly.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 to 9.
Varieties to Try: Snow Panda, Zhuzhou Fuchsia
11
Viburnum
This beautiful evergreen shrub has interesting puckered leaves and pretty white fragrant flowers, followed by showy red fruit.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8
Varieties to Try: Allegheny, Prague
12
Dappled Willow
The weeping stems of this shrub are pink, with mottled foliage of white, green, and pink. It’s spectacular when massed as a hedge for privacy.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 10
Varieties to Try: Hakuro Nishiki, Flamingo
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13
Spirea
This arching shrub boasts a mass of white flowers in spring and colorful orange or reddish foliage in fall. Many types are cold-hardy.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
Varieties to Try: Renaissance, Grefsheim
14
Red Twig Dogwood
This multi-stemmed shrub has striking red branches that are stunning in the winter landscape, especially against snow. It’s cold-tolerant, too.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 8
Varieties to Try: Isanti, Sibirica
15
Crape Myrtle
These heat-tolerant and elegant shrubs or small trees have vibrant purple, pink or white flowers in summer. Some varieties have eye-catching peeling bark.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
Varieties to Try: Tonto, Natchez
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16
Serviceberry
This shrub or small tree is prized for its beautiful orange-red fall color and clusters of white flowers that become deep purple fruits that the birds love.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
Varieties to Try: Glenform, Autumn Brilliance
17
Mock Orange
This fountain-shaped shrub with beautiful white flowers has a light citrusy scent and lush green foliage.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 7
Varieties to Try: Natchez, Belle Etoile
18
Euonymus
Many types of this evergreen work well as a clipped hedge, while others look best left to naturalize. Happy in the shade or sun, some varieties have green and gold variegated foliage.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8
Varieties to Try: Manhattan, Aureovariegatus
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19
Juniper
Junipers come in a staggering array of sizes and colors ranging from green to gold. It’s an extremely cold-hardy evergreen that’s not particularly fussy.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
Varieties to Try: Montodd, Spartan
20
Rose of Sharon
This reliable summer bloomer boasts exotic-looking flowers of white, pink, purple, or lavender and every shade in between. New varieties grow in a pillar (columnar) shape.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Varieties to Try: White Pillar, Notwoodthree
Arricca Elin SanSone
Arricca Elin SanSone has written about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Living, Woman's Day, and more. She’s passionate about gardening, baking, reading, and spending time with the people and dogs she loves.
