Privacy Shrubs & Hedges
Privacy shrubs are one of the quickest ways to turn “open yard” into “private retreat.” A living hedge softens sightlines, adds a greener view for you and your neighbors, and can even help buffer outside noise when planted as a dense border along a property line. This collection is built around the kinds of shrubs that actually do the job: thick foliage, dependable structure, and habits that respond well to shaping—so you can create anything from a neat, formal screen to a more natural, layered hedge that looks like it’s always been there.
The key is picking the right plant for the height, speed, and light you have. Garden Goods Direct highlights proven privacy performers like Red-Tipped Photinia, cherry and skip laurels, hollies, euonymus, aucuba for shade, boxwoods for classic hedging, and ligustrum for fast coverage—each with its own look and growth style. Once installed, most privacy shrubs are straightforward: space them for mature size, keep them watered every few days until established, then maintain with seasonal fertilizing and pruning as needed. You’ll get fast shipping, real horticultural support, and the We Grow Together Promise
Create a living privacy wall that feels calm and intentional.
A privacy hedge does more than block views—it changes how your whole landscape functions. When you line a fence row or property edge with dense shrubs, you create a visual backdrop that makes the rest of the garden look more polished, and you get that “sheltered” feeling that makes patios, pools, and backyards feel like personal space again. Privacy shrubs can provide both a visible and audible buffer, defining boundaries without the hard, high-maintenance feel of a fence.
This collection is intentionally broad because privacy isn’t one look. Some shoppers want tall, fast coverage; others want a lower, clipped hedge; and plenty want a mixed screen with flowers, berries, and varied textures. That’s why you’ll see everything from glossy broadleaf evergreens (like laurels) to classic sheared forms (like boxwood) to colorful foliage options (like euonymus) and shade helpers (like aucuba).
If you’re planning for maximum coverage, think in “rows.” Double- or triple-row hedges can be used when space allows, and measuring mature width up front prevents future headaches near foundations, sidewalks, and driveways. The best privacy hedges are the ones that don’t outgrow the space—because you planned mature size first, not the size in the pot today.
Choose the hedge look, height, and speed that match your goal.
Red-Tipped Photinia is highlighted as a fast-growing evergreen hedge with red new growth and the ability to reach 10 feet or more in the right conditions, making it appealing when shoppers want quicker height. Cherry and skip laurels are positioned as low-maintenance evergreens that respond well to pruning, with Otto Luyken as a lower hedge option and skip laurel as a taller barrier.
For classic evergreen structure, hollies and boxwoods bring year-round density and a more traditional look. Garden Goods Direct specifically lists hollies (including inkberry types) for dark-green borders and winter interest, while boxwoods are described as a classic hedge shrub that can be trimmed into a clean, formed look with minimal pruning. These are strong choices when you want a “finished” foundation line or a formal edge that reads tidy all year.
For color and versatility, euonymus and aucuba can add brightness where plain green hedges feel flat. There are multiple euonymus options for easy maintenance and privacy value, and notes Gold Dust Aucuba as a strong shadier-location privacy plant that can mature into a substantial screen. For aucuba specifically, NC State notes it’s best in partial to deep shade and commonly grows to 6–10 ft, making it a legitimate screening choice where sun is limited.
Plant the right spacing for a thicker screen and healthier shrubs.
Spacing is where privacy hedges succeed or fail. We recommend evaluating mature width and measuring your space before planting, especially near hardscape and foundations. A practical way to think about it: if you want a hedge to “knit” together sooner, you’ll space closer (within reason); if you want long-term plant health and airflow, you’ll space at or near mature width so shrubs aren’t forced into overcrowding.
For a simple planning range across common hedge shrubs: smaller hedge plants are often spaced about 2–3 ft on center, medium privacy shrubs around 3–5 ft, and larger screening shrubs about 5–8+ ft, then refined based on the mature spread of the exact cultivar. If you’re unsure, a safe approach is to space at roughly ½ to ⅔ of mature width for hedging (to encourage knit-together coverage) while still keeping enough airflow to reduce disease issues over time.
Location matters as much as spacing. Use tall, dense shrubs where views need blocking (property lines, neighbor windows), use mid-height shrubs where you want definition without closing in the space (around patios), and use lower hedges where you want structure without height (front borders, along drives). You can create stronger results with multi-row plantings when space allows, which is a great option for wide property edges where you want maximum screening and a more natural look.
Keep privacy shrubs low-maintenance with smart pruning and care.
Most privacy shrubs share a simple care foundation: rich, well-drained soil that holds moisture, consistent watering every few days until established, and seasonal feeding and pruning, depending on the shrub you choose. Ongoing maintenance is often limited once plants are in, but that pruning and fertilizing frequency varies by species—so it’s worth matching the plant to how “formal” you want the hedge to stay.
Pruning timing protects both density and blooms. Pruning timing depends on flowering and growth habit, and it's recommended to avoid fall pruning (generally late summer into fall) because tender new growth may not harden off before winter; when in doubt, early spring is a safe window (even if it costs one season of flowers on some shrubs). For evergreen hedges like boxwood and holly, late winter to early spring pruning while plants are dormant is commonly recommended.