To create a natural privacy screen in your yard, plant a combination of fast-growing evergreens, dense shrubs, and climbing vines. These provide year-round coverage, block noise, and define property lines better than traditional fencing.
Plants are also a great choice. Landscape architect Bruce Clodfelter often uses holly, evergreen and Ligustrum for a more natural partition, while garden designer Stephanie Bartron frequently goes with a bamboo or hedge barrier.
October is the perfect time to plant trees, shrubs, conifers, and hardy perennials—or spring bulbs like tulips and daffodils—and if you're looking to sow cover crops or install lawns, now is the time for that as well.
For the quickest living privacy screen, the best choices are fast-growing, dense evergreens. Leading options include the Thuja Green Giant (grows 3–5 ft per year), Emerald Green Arborvitae (classic narrow shape), or Skip Laurel (glossy leaves with spring blooms).
To quickly block a neighbor's view, install a physical screen or plant a tall barrier as close to the problem area as possible. The fastest, most effective methods for reclaiming your backyard privacy include:
The Legality Of The Seven Year Fence Law
It cannot be tucked away and out of sight, or somehow concealed, as with a fence line overgrown by dense undergrowth.” If the occupant has seven consecutive years staying on the property and they did not hide their presence, then they have a claim for adverse possession.
Stay Hidden Behind Hedges
This landscaping privacy idea acts like a wall to separate yards without a fence or to create unique rooms in your outdoor living space. Plant your hedges near the fence line and choose a height that best blocks your neighbor's view.
Acmena smithii 'Goodbye Neighbours' is commonly known as the Lilly Pilly and has dense green and bronze foliage that will produce small white flowers throughout the year. These flowers will also entice a few birds to the garden. This native is best used for hedging or screening as it can be pruned to the desired look.
The fastest-growing privacy plants are generally the Thuja Green Giant and Leyland Cypress, both of which can grow 3–5 feet per year, establishing a dense evergreen screen in just a few seasons. These trees are ideal for creating quick, thick, and tall barriers (20–40+ feet) that offer year-round privacy.
Several popular houseplants, vines, and fast-sprouting vegetables can show significant growth or sprout within just a single week.
Bill Gates argued against relying on planting trees as a primary solution to climate change, calling the idea "complete nonsense". He believes tree planting is insufficient, unproven at scale, and distraction from necessary technological solutions like direct air capture, arguing that emissions reduction requires fundamental industrial changes rather than relying on reforestation.
In gardening, the "3-year rule" is a common guideline describing the three-stage establishment cycle of new perennial plants, shrubs, and trees. It states: "The first year they sleep, the second year they creep, and the third year they leap."
It is not inherently illegal for you or a farmer to replant seeds, but it is illegal to replant patented seeds or those protected by commercial contracts. Seed companies use these legal mechanisms to protect their investments in agricultural research and development.
Fast-growing screening plants create instant, natural privacy. The best options depend on your climate. Top choices like the Thuja Green Giant (3–5 feet/year) and Emerald Green Arborvitae (up to 3 feet/year) are staples for dense, year-round evergreen coverage.
Plant your “Goodbye Neighbours” one metre apart in Tim's Cow Manure improved soil. The more often you water it, and prune it, the faster it grows. “Goodbye Neighbours” can be pruned at any width or height. It can grow up to 4-6 metres high.
So, let's dive in and explore.
Certain crops, leafy greens, and flowers germinate and mature in just 21 days. These fast-growers are perfect for impatient gardeners or adding quick color to your space.
Lombardy Poplar Tree
It can grow 8 to 10 feet per year and measures up to 30 to 40 feet tall after only three years. Vibrant yellow fall foliage and elegance adds to the Lombardy Poplar's appeal for homeowners, as well as its drought tolerance and low maintenance requirements.
Kalanchoe pinnata, commonly known as cathedral bells, air plant, life plant, miracle leaf, and love bush, is a succulent plant native to Madagascar. It is a popular houseplant and has become naturalized in tropical and subtropical areas.
The butterfly bush (Buddleja spp.) is notorious for its fast-growing blooms, but it comes with significant ecological and maintenance drawbacks. It is highly invasive, crowds out native ecosystems, provides no food for butterfly larvae, and requires aggressive maintenance to prevent uncontrolled spreading.
The best plants to block out neighbors depend on your space and climate, but top choices include 'Green Giant' Arborvitae for tall, fast-growing evergreen walls, clumping bamboo (like Fargesia) for instant tropical screens, and 'Nellie Stevens' Holly for dense, thorny security.
Kathy Taslitz is a designer and artist at Kathy Taslitz Studio.
Install a Trellis
Installing a trellis is a quick, easy way to add extra privacy to your yard. These work particularly well in smaller backyards and rentals, as these are easy to move around because they don't weigh much. You can adorn your trellis with vines, vegetables and other plants for even more coverage.
An average height for privacy hedges will range from six to eight feet. This size will need to be maintained through correct pruning practices. The green giant arborvitae tree (a popular landscape hedge) can grow upwards of 40 – 60 feet.