5 Fast-growing screening plants

If you have a fence that's not too easy on the eye or your property is exposed to the road and neighbours, you're probably looking for the perfect privacy screen to do the trick. Hedges are a great option because they add colour to your yard and are a cost-efficient privacy screen.

Choosing the right tree for the job can be the hard part so we've been down to Southern Woods Nursery to check out what they have and put together a list of our 5 favourite screening plants for your home.

PHOTINIA 'RED ROBIN'

Bright-red growth tips on a compact, lush green shrub. Small white flowers in spring. New Zealand bred cultivar. Tolerant of a wide range of well-drained sites. Evergreen and hardy - the hands-off gardeners choice!

PITTOSPORUM TENUIFOLIUM

A large shrub or small tree with attractive dense foliage and scented flowers. Hedges well for lower-tier farm shelter or suburban privacy screening. Excellent revegetation species. Tolerates wind, drought, frost and coastal conditions. Attractive to bees. Evergreen. Very frost hardy. If you're after a good all rounder - this one is for you.

DODONAEA VISCOSA - Green Ake Ake

Attractive, fast-growing small tree with green foliage. Ornamental papery flower clusters in summer. Tolerates salt winds and dry conditions. Makes a great trimmed hedge or tall coastal shelter. Attractive papery bark. Prefers well-drained soils away from heavy frosts when young. Ake Akes are also evergreen and have interesting colours throughout the year with different shades of purple and green depending on your variant.

GRISELINIA LITTORALIS 'BROADWAY MINT'

One of the most popular hedging shrubs with large, glossy leathery green leaves. Has the benefit of sprouting away from bare wood. Becomes a small, round-headed tree if left untrimmed. Excellent shelter. Withstands drought and coastal conditions although performs best with regular irrigation. Trim in summer. Berries attract birds. Evergreen and hardy, if you're after some brightness in the yard Griselinias are the perfect choice.

ESCALLONIA RUBRA VAR. MACRANTHA

Masses of rose-crimson, bell-shaped flowers through summer. Popular for hedging. Likes a well-drained site in full sun. Larger flowers and leaves than other Escallonia cultivars. Evergreen and hardy, the escallonia is the most ornamental of the screening plants with its glossy leaves and bell-shaped flowers.

If you're looking for a garden center with variety and expertise we always recommend heading to Southern Woods Nursery and talking to them. All of our plants have been purchased from them and have been a success from day 1!