Your home is your sanctuary, where you go to retreat from the rest of the world, so how do you create the privacy in your yard that you crave, and how do you do it quickly?

Even if we like our neighbors, a lot of us still relish in a secluded and private yard, free from the outside world. I am going to share some of the fastest-growing privacy plants ranging from vines to evergreens perfect for zones 5-9.

Table of Contents

VINES FOR PRIVACY

Clematis for Privacy

best privacy plants — Clematis provides privacy and beauty

Clematis, specifically, Jackmanii Clematis, known for its abundant and fragrant blooms, is a vigorous grower that blooms from mid-summer well into autumn. The Jackmanii Clematis has spectacular blooms and naturally dense foliage, which makes it an ideal plant for creating a privacy screen. Clematis, once established, are easy-to-grow and hardy perennials that require very little maintenance.

Clematis vines do like their roots to be somewhat shaded and this can be achieved by mulching the root system or placing rocks around the plant.

The clematis plant prefers full sun but will tolerate partial shade. You will know by the number of blooms if this plant needs a bit more sun.

If you have a young plant, it is best to trim it every so often as it is growing to increase its fullness to offer as much privacy as possible. Clematis are easily trained to climb any surface it is placed near.

Honeysuckle for Privacy

plants for privacy — Honeysuckle gracing us with her sweet fragrance

Honeysuckle is one of my favorites because I am a sucker for fragrant plants and I am not alone. Two varieties worth noting for our zones 4-9 are the “Peaches and Cream” and the “Scentsational” honeysuckle vines which will turn your garden into a haven for wildlife!

Both varieties are exceptionally appealing to pollinators and once those blooms turn into berries come late summer, the birds will have a feast.

You will want to savor every passing breeze due to the intense fragrance of each of these varieties. Both are perfect for creating privacy whether you offer them a trellis, fence, pergola, arbor or just free-flowing through the garden, they really are beautiful plants to grow.

Both varieties are low maintenance and easy to care for. Just as long as you give them enough sunlight and water when they are young, they will flourish for years to come.

Wisteria Vine for Privacy

If you have the space and some strong support and a need for some beautiful privacy, consider the Blue Moon Wisteria Vine. This vine not only blooms in the spring when all of the other wisteria plants are blooming, but this show stopper also performs 2 more times in the summer offering blooms upon blooms.

Blue Moon Wisteria will adorn your trellis, fence, arbor or any other firm surface with stunning and fragrant blue flowers that will not only please your senses but the senses of some pretty stunning pollinators too.

Blue Moon Wisteria is extremely easy to grow, hardy to temps well below zero and will adapt to most soil conditions.

Wisteria prefers to be in an area with at least 6 hours of sunlight to perform best.

Cascading Hops

Cascading hops not only provide fast-growing privacy, but you can also use the hops for many different herbal remedies. Hops make wonderful herbal sleep aids for those who suffer from occasional bouts of insomnia. If you’re interested in learning how to make that herbal remedy, I have a previous post that may be helpful.

Cascading Hops will need a male and a female plant in order to for them to blossom, so just keep that in mind. If that isn’t important to you then one male or female plant will suffice for privacy concerns.

Once established, these vines can grow up to a foot per day and can be trained to climb up any surface of your choice.

Hops prefer at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight and will need support once planted. Once these plants are established, they become easy to maintain and vigorous growers.

Evergreens for Privacy

Leyland Cypress

I researched Leyland Cypress when I was trying to create my own privacy wall and these were the plants I ended up choosing. Within 3 years they have almost tripled in size with very little care other than sun and water.

These babies sure do provide a beautiful privacy fence year-round. Leyland Cypress is one of the best trees to plant for year-round privacy and they are extremely cold hardy, wind tolerant and have growth speeds of 3-5 feet per year.

Give them adequate sunlight, substantial water until established and a bit of compost then watch these beauties soar! Hello seclusion, goodbye outside world! 🙂

Green Rocket Leyland Cypress

Green Rocket Leyland Cypress trees are similar to the above Cypress trees but offer a fuller midsection and do not have the feathery look of the Leyland Cypress.

These trees require similar conditions and also provide a nice privacy screen when planted together. Green Rocket Leyland Cypress trees get tall though, up to 35 feet, so keep that in mind when planting.

They keep a uniform growth pattern so they require very little maintenance once established. Just water, sufficient sun and room to grow!

Emerald Green Arborvitae

If you are looking for a lush, green privacy screen, look no further than an Emerald Green Arborvitae! Arobrivitaes are super easy to grow, require minimal care and provide privacy and color all year long.

Emerald Green Arborvitae will grow to around 12 feet with a fullness of about 3-4 feet. These plants do make exceptional privacy screens when planted tightly together. Once these plants are established, very little care is needed. They will do just fine with rainwater alone, except in cases of droughts.

Baby Giant Arborvitae

These hedges make lovely privacy for homeowners. They are less susceptible to browning foliage, easy to grow and quite cold-tolerant. Baby Giant Arborvitaes grow well in most conditions but they will do best with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight.

The average height is 10-14 ft and 4-6 feet wide. Planted together, these make wonderful privacy screens.

Flowering Trees for Privacy

American Elderberry

Amer ican Elderberry are one of the fastest-growing and toughest trees I think I have ever had the privilege to grow. I have ordered cuttings of this tree without roots and was able to root all 6 cuttings. I did half in water and half in soil and it didn’t make a difference, they all rooted and rooted quickly.

These trees put on significant growth year after year, reaching full size in about 4 years! I have transplanted mine multiple times to the point of pretty severe shock and they have all managed to come through and thrive again.

These trees can be trimmed throughout the growing season or cut back relatively far at the end of the season to increase fullness and density to help with creating the privacy you would like.

Not only are these trees super hardy, easy to grow and offer a decent amount of privacy, but they have amazing medicinal properties once they begin to fruit. If you do decide to grow these and would like to harvest the elderberries, you may want to consider netting them otherwise you will be competing with the wildlife for that harvest. If you are interested in the many uses of elderberries, head over to one of my latest posts to read all about their amazing health benefits.

Rose of Sharon

Rose of Sharon is a beautiful privacy shrub that grows like a weed. This plant is so hardy that even with some pretty serious neglect, it still manages to thrive.

Rose of Sharon grows to be about 10-12 feet in height while filling out to about 6-8 feet. They prefer full sun but will do fine in part shade too, you may just sacrifice some blooms if it is not getting enough rays.

Rose of Sharon makes a beautiful border for privacy or just simply to dress up your yard. Rose of Sharon does tend to sprout all around the area where it is planted so you will have little baby trees growing all around the area so feel free to leave them be or dig them up, pot them and give them away as gifts.

There are plenty of other trees and shrubs that will not only provide privacy but will be aesthetically pleasing too. This list is comprised of just the faster-growing privacy plants. A couple more to consider: