Shrubs for Privacy

Choosing privacy shrubs by height

Work out the sightline you are blocking before you buy anything. To screen a neighbouring window above a standard 1.8m fence, you need foliage at 2.5m to 3m, and the shrub that does that with the least effort is one whose natural height sits just above the target. Lilly Pilly 'Resilience' reaches about 5m untrimmed and is easily held at 2m to 3m, Sweet Viburnum (Viburnum odoratissimum) grows to 6m and is commonly kept at the same band, and Mock Orange stops naturally around 3m with fragrant white flowers as a bonus. For lower dividers, Syzygium 'Baby Boomer' at 1.5m and Westringia 'Jervis Gem' at 90cm hedge neatly without wanting to be trees.

Screening a narrow bed

Width is the number people forget. A standard screening shrub pushes 2m to 3m into the garden, which a side passage cannot spare. Columnar selections solve it: Straight and Narrow lilly pilly holds close to 1m wide while reaching 5m, and Pittosporum 'Screen Between' runs about 1.8m wide at 4m tall from 700mm spacings. Both give full height privacy from a bed less than a metre deep, with almost no side pruning.

Climate check before you order

Frost is the divider in this category. Lilly pillies and murraya take light frost only, so in Canberra, Ballarat or the tablelands choose the frost hardy screeners instead: Sweet Viburnum, Photinia 'Red Robin', 'Screen Between' and Indian hawthorn all cope. In the humid subtropics the advantage flips to lilly pillies and murraya, with 'Resilience' resisting the psyllid that disfigures older varieties. On exposed coast, westringia and viburnum shrug off salt wind that scorches softer foliage. The wider hedging and screening range includes trees and bamboo if shrubs alone cannot reach your height.

Spacing, quantities and the first two years

Space 'Resilience', Sweet Viburnum, murraya and 'Red Robin' at 1m; Straight and Narrow at 60cm to 80cm; 'Screen Between' at 700mm; 'Baby Boomer' at 60cm. Divide your fence length by the spacing and add one plant for the end of the run. Tighter planting causes root competition and thin bases, not a faster screen. Water deeply twice a week through the first summer, feed in early spring and late summer, and tip prune lightly from day one so the base stays as dense as the top.

Common questions

What is the fastest shrub here for privacy?

Sweet Viburnum and murraya are the quick growers, with 'Screen Between' close behind. Expect meaningful cover in 18 months to two years from 200mm pots, and budget for two to three trims a year once they hit height.

How many plants do I need for a 10m fence?

At 1m spacing, 10 to 11 plants. At 700mm, 15. Set the row 60cm off the fence so you can reach the back face to prune.

Can I grow a privacy screen in pots?

Straight and Narrow and 'Baby Boomer' both handle container life in large pots, which suits rented homes and paved courtyards. Expect a lower final height than in ground.

Which screening shrubs are pet friendly?

'Resilience', Straight and Narrow, Cascade and 'Baby Boomer' all carry our Pet Friendly flag. Photinia and viburnum do not, so check the flag on each product page if your dog chews plants.

When will I actually have privacy?

Planted right, most of these screens close within two to three seasons. Our step by step guide to planting a privacy screen covers preparation, watering and early pruning, and the lilly pilly collection compares every variety we grow. Everything is delivered Australia wide with a 30 day healthy plant guarantee.