Best Fast-Growing Trees for Screening

Compare the Best Screening Trees

The following comparison highlights the principal differences between our six selections. Mature dimensions are indicative and vary with growing conditions, nursery form and long-term management.

Important: Pleached Hornbeam is a trained tree form rather than a separate species. Its screening dimensions depend on the supplied clear-stem height, panel width and panel height.

Best Evergreen Trees for Fast Screening

Evergreen trees are usually the strongest option where screening is required throughout the year.

Best Trees for Screening Overlooking Windows

Where a garden is overlooked from a first-floor bedroom, balcony or elevated property, a conventional hedge may need to grow excessively tall before providing privacy.

In these situations, Pleached Hornbeam can be particularly effective. Its foliage is trained into a raised panel above a clear stem, positioning the screen closer to the height where privacy is required.

Pleached trees can also create a formal architectural effect along boundaries and behind seating areas.

Hornbeam is deciduous, so screening is strongest during the growing season. Trained trees may retain some brown leaves during winter, but complete winter privacy should not be assumed.

For further guidance, read Trees for Screening Neighbours .

Fast-Growing Trees for Tall Screening

Where screening is needed at considerable height, the choice of tree becomes particularly important.

Leyland Cypress

Leyland Cypress is among the quickest-growing evergreen options. Its dense foliage can form an effective visual barrier, but the species can become extremely tall and broad if unmanaged.

Western Red Cedar

Western Red Cedar also develops into a substantial evergreen tree. Its dense foliage makes it suitable for large properties where long-term screening and landscape structure are priorities.

Lombardy Poplar

Lombardy Poplar has a distinctive upright, columnar outline and can provide rapid vertical impact.

It is deciduous, however, and its narrow silhouette does not create the same dense horizontal screen as a broad evergreen.

Its vigorous root system, potential for suckering and substantial mature height make it unsuitable for restricted planting near buildings and underground services.

Screening Without Making the Garden Too Dark

Dense evergreen trees can provide privacy, but they can also create substantial shade.

Where the aim is to soften a view rather than block it completely, a lighter deciduous specimen may be more appropriate.

Silver Birch for Filtered Screening

Silver Birch has an open, graceful crown that allows light to pass through its foliage.

Its white bark, fine branches and delicate leaves create a natural screen that can soften neighbouring buildings without forming a solid evergreen wall.

This makes Silver Birch a useful choice for larger gardens where filtered seasonal screening is desirable.

For year-round privacy, choose a denser evergreen species or consider layered planting.

How Quickly Will Screening Trees Grow?

Growth depends on species, plant size, soil conditions, weather, exposure and the quality of establishment.

A vigorous tree planted into compacted, poorly drained or drought-prone ground may grow much more slowly than expected.

Newly planted specimens also need time to establish their roots before producing strong extension growth.

For this reason, annual growth rates should be treated as indicative, not as a guarantee of screening height after a fixed number of years.

If privacy is needed immediately, compare larger nursery-grown specimens with smaller fast-growing trees.

Choosing Trees for Privacy in Large Gardens

Large gardens provide greater flexibility when selecting screening trees because they can accommodate wider crowns, larger root systems and greater mature heights.

Leyland Cypress, Western Red Cedar and Lombardy Poplar are primarily suited to substantial landscapes where their ultimate size can be accommodated.

Portuguese Laurel and Pleached Hornbeam can provide more controlled screening where an ornamental or formal appearance is preferred.

Silver Birch is especially effective where a softer, naturalistic screen is more appropriate than a dense green boundary.

For other substantial specimens, explore our Trees for Large Gardens guide.

Should You Plant Screening Trees or Hedging?

For ground-level boundary screening, visit our Best Trees for Privacy guide, which compares hedging options.

Planting Distances and Mature Tree Size

A tree's mature crown and root system are more important than its size at delivery.

Before planting, consider:

• Buildings: Allow for the mature crown, root development and potential shading.
• Boundaries: Consider neighbouring properties and future access for maintenance.
• Underground services: Identify drains, pipes and other infrastructure before planting.
• Overhead restrictions: Check for cables, rooflines and other obstructions.
• Soil conditions: Assess drainage, compaction and the available rooting area.
• Long-term management: Consider whether pruning will remain practical as the tree matures.

There is no single safe planting distance that applies to all screening trees. Seek professional advice where large specimens are proposed near buildings or sensitive structures.

Establishing Fast-Growing Screening Trees

1. Choose the correct species. Match mature size, foliage density and growth habit to the privacy requirement.
2. Check the planting position. Assess soil, light, drainage, exposure and available space.
3. Plan delivery access. Large rootballed trees may need specialist lifting equipment.
4. Plant at the correct depth. Keep the root flare at the appropriate finished soil level.
5. Provide suitable support. Use staking or anchoring appropriate to the tree size and site.
6. Water thoroughly. Reliable watering during establishment is essential, particularly for larger specimens.
7. Control weeds and grass. Maintain a clear, mulched area around the root zone.
8. Monitor growth. Check tree condition, supports, soil moisture and any developing maintenance requirements.

A fast-growing species cannot perform well without successful establishment.

Professional Screening Tree Planting in North West England

Landscaping Emporium supplies selected specimen trees for garden screening, privacy and landscape projects.

Through Kirman Design, professional specimen-tree planting may be available in selected areas of Lancashire, the Ribble Valley, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside and Cumbria.

Our usual specimen-tree installation postcode areas include:

BB, BL, CH1–CH5, CW8, CW9, FY, L, LA1–LA6, M, OL, PR, SK1–SK12, WA and WN.

If your property is outside these areas, please contact us before selecting professional planting at checkout.

Telephone: 01942 604976

Email: hello@landscapingemporium.co.uk

We can discuss available tree sizes, delivery access and the practical requirements of planting larger screening specimens.

Frequently Asked Questions