Need a little more separation from the neighbours? Looking to soften the fence line a bit? Or maybe you’re just trying to block your backyard from street views. Whatever the reason, the right privacy plants can make all the difference. From tall hedges and fast-growing screens to compact shrubs and hardy native climbers, there’s a plant to suit every style and level of gardening experience.
The trick is knowing which ones will work best for your garden’s layout and growing conditions. And we’re here to help. We've rounded up the best privacy plants for creating your own little secret garden with that cosy, tucked-away feel.
At All Green, our hedging and screening plants are all carefully selected and bred to thrive in Melbourne’s unique climate conditions. Visit us in store to browse the range and get expert advice tailored to your space.
Our top ten privacy plant picks
Here’s our list of the most popular privacy and screening plants with tips on height, growth speed, ideal conditions, and how to get the best out of them in your garden.
1. Syzygium (Backyard Bliss)
Botanical name: Syzygium paniculata
Also known as 'Neighbours-Be-Gone', this compact Lilly Pilly variety is perfect for smaller spaces where you need reliable screening without the massive height.
What it's best for: Medium hedging, pool areas, small yards, container growing.
Growth details:
- Height: 3-4 metres
- Spread: 2-3 metres
- Growth rate: Fast-growing
- Position: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Well-drained soil, tolerates various soil types
- Pot suitability: Excellent for large pots and containers (ideal for balconies and courtyards)
Maintenance: Water regularly during the first year, then it's quite drought-tolerant. Needs light trimming twice a year to keep it dense and shaped.
Why we love it: Low-maintenance, relatively frost-tolerant, and perfect for homes needing a tidy, structured screen that doesn’t take over the garden.
2. Ficus Flash
Botanical name: Ficus hillii 'Flash'
This fast-growing Australian native fig is perfect for creating quick privacy screens. With its dense, glossy green foliage and naturally compact growth habit, Ficus Flash delivers reliable screening without taking over your garden.
What it's best for: Fast screening, dense hedging, urban gardens, container growing.
Growth details:
- Height: 3-4 metres
- Spread: 2-3 metres
- Growth rate: Very fast-growing
- Position: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Adaptable to most soil types, drought-tolerant once established
- Pot suitability: Excellent for large containers
Maintenance: Low-maintenance once established. Water regularly for the first year, then very drought-tolerant. Responds well to pruning if you want to keep it compact.
Why we love it: One of the fastest privacy solutions available. Creates dense screening quickly and handles Melbourne's variable conditions beautifully.
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3. Pittosporum (Silver Sheen)
Botanical name: Pittosporum tenuifolium
Perfect for narrow garden beds and fence lines, this tall Australian native features pale green leaves with distinctive black twigs and bark, creating a striking contrast. The small brown flowers in spring have a lovely honey scent.
What it's best for: Narrow spaces, formal hedging, fence line screening
Growth details:
- Height: 3-4 metres
- Spread: 1-1.5 metres
- Growth rate: Moderate to fast
- Position: Full sun
- Soil: Well-drained soil is essential
Maintenance: One of the more low-maintenance options, it’s very drought-tolerant once established, so minimal watering is needed. Takes pruning well if you want to shape it, but also looks good left natural.
Why we love it: Perfect for narrow spaces where you need height without width. Tougher than many alternatives and has that distinctive Australian character.
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4. Lilly Pilly (Goodbye Neighbour)
Botanical name: Acmena smithii 'minor'
This Australian native has earned its cheeky nickname for good reason. It's brilliant at blocking out neighbours' views. The Lilly Pilly 'Goodbye Neighbour' produces glossy green leaves with striking crimson new growth, white flowers, and edible maroon berries that birds and insects love.
What it's best for: Tall hedging, fence line screening, formal or informal gardens.
Growth details:
- Height: 4-6 metres (can be pruned to maintain desired height)
- Spread: 2-3 metres
- Growth rate: Fast-growing
- Position: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Prefers fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Maintenance: Needs regular watering for the first year, then occasional deep watering during dry spells, and optional annual pruning to control size.
Why we love it: This hardy native is low-maintenance once established, attracts wildlife, and provides excellent year-round screening. Perfect for two-storey homes needing tall privacy screening.
5. Laurustinus
Botanical name: Viburnum tinus
This evergreen European favourite produces clusters of pink buds that open to white flowers, followed by dark blue berries. It's been a garden staple for decades.
What it's best for: Formal hedging, screening, mixed borders.
Growth details:
- Height: 2-3 metres
- Spread: 1.5-2 metres
- Growth rate: Moderate
- Position: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Adaptable to most soil types, prefers moist conditions
Maintenance: A bit more hands-on than native options but still quite manageable. Needs consistent watering, especially in summer. Annual spring pruning keeps it looking tidy.
Why we love it: Incredibly reliable and not fussy about soil conditions. The flowers provide year-round interest, and it handles Melbourne's variable weather beautifully.
6. Sacred Bamboo
Botanical name: Nandina domestica
Despite its name, Sacred Bamboo isn't actually bamboo at all. This attractive shrub offers green foliage that transforms to brilliant red and orange in autumn and winter.
What it's best for: Colourful low hedging, feature screening
Growth details:
- Height: 1-1.5 metres
- Spread: 1 metre
- Growth rate: Moderate
- Position: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Adaptable to most soils
- Pot suitability: Perfect for large containers
Maintenance: Low. Very drought-tolerant and rarely needs watering once established. Optional annual pruning of old canes keeps the colours bright and fresh, but it looks fine without it too.
Why we love it: Provides year-round interest with stunning seasonal colour changes. Tough as nails and perfect for challenging spots.
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7. Clumping Bamboo (Alphonse Karr)
Botanical name: Bambusa multiplex
This stunning clumping bamboo features bright yellow canes with green stripes, creating an instant tropical feel while providing excellent screening.
What it's best for: Tall screening, modern gardens, quick privacy solutions.
Growth details:
- Height: 3-4 metres in Melbourne
- Spread: Forms tight clumps, 2-3 metres
- Growth rate: Fast-growing
- Position: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Moist, well-drained soil
Maintenance: Moderate. Needs regular watering, especially in summer. It won't take over your garden like running bamboo, but it does need consistent moisture to look its best.
Why we love it: Provides almost instant screening and adds architectural interest. The golden canes are particularly striking in winter when other plants are dormant.
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8. Hardenbergia (Climber)
Botanical name: Hardenbergia violacea
This beautiful Australian native climber produces masses of purple, pink, or white pea-like flowers in winter and spring, creating a stunning living screen.
What it's best for: Fence screening, pergola coverage, vertical spaces.
Growth details:
- Height: Up to 6 metres
- Spread: Climbing
- Growth rate: Fast-growing
- Position: Full sun to semi-shade
- Soil: Well-drained, tolerates poor soils
- Pot suitability: Excellent for large pots with support structures
Maintenance: It needs an initial support structure setup, then it's very low-maintenance. Optional light pruning after flowering keeps it tidy. Drought-tolerant once established, so minimal watering is needed.
Why we love it: Perfect for covering unsightly fences quickly. The winter flowers provide colour when most other plants are dormant, and it's extremely low-maintenance.
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Photinia (Red Robin)
Botanical name: Photinia × fraseri
This popular hedging plant produces glossy green leaves with brilliant red new growth, creating a striking two-toned effect that's perfect for modern gardens.
What it's best for: Formal hedging, feature screening, colourful barriers.
Growth details:
- Height: 3-4 metres (easily maintained at desired height)
- Spread: 2-3 metres
- Growth rate: Fast-growing
- Position: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Well-drained, fertile soil
Maintenance: Regular watering is needed for best colour, plus 2-3 prunings per year to keep the bright red growth coming. Higher maintenance than natives, but worth it for the stunning colour display.
Why we love it: The red new growth provides constant colour interest. Responds beautifully to formal pruning and shaping, making it perfect for structured gardens.
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10. Callistemon (Bottlebrush)
Botanical name: Callistemon
For native screening plants that support biodiversity, you can’t go past the hardy and colourful Bottlebrush. This Australian classic is both tough and beautiful with its distinctive bottle-brush flowers in red, pink, or yellow.
What it's best for: Informal screening, wildlife gardens, coastal areas.
Growth details:
- Height: 2-4 metres (depending on variety)
- Spread: 1.5-3 metres
- Growth rate: Moderate to fast
- Position: Full sun
- Soil: Well-drained, tolerates poor soils
Maintenance: Low maintenance and extremely drought-tolerant once established. Light annual pruning after flowering keeps it in shape, but it's optional.
Why we love it: Attracts native birds and insects, handles tough conditions, and provides screening with spectacular seasonal colour. Perfect for sustainable gardens.
Special mentions
While they didn’t make our top ten, these screening plants are still worth considering. Especially if you’re after a more formal aesthetic, or you're an experienced gardener up for a little extra upkeep.
Favourites like English Box, Japanese Box, Korean Box, and compact cultivars like Tom Thumb are great for shaping tidy, structured hedges. They’re often used for their compact growth, classic shape, and structural appeal. Perfect for creating low to medium-height hedges in front gardens or decorative borders.
How to choose the right privacy plants for your garden
Selecting the perfect screening plants depends on several key factors. Here's what our horticulturalists recommend considering:
Space and height requirements: Measure your space carefully and consider mature plant sizes. For narrow areas, choose upright growers like Pittosporum 'Silver Sheen'. For broad screening, Lilly Pillies are ideal.
Growing conditions: Assess your soil type, drainage, and sun exposure. Most privacy plants prefer well-drained soil, but some, like Viburnum, are more adaptable to heavier soils.
Maintenance preferences: If you want low-maintenance options, native plants like Bottlebrush are excellent choices. For formal hedging that requires regular trimming, consider Photinia or Viburnum.
Speed of establishment: Need quick results? Fast-growing options like Syzygium and bamboo provide screening within 12-18 months. Slower growers like Viburnum take 2-3 years but often live longer.
Climate considerations: Melbourne's variable weather means choosing plants that handle both frost and heat.
Wildlife value: Native options like Lilly Pillies and Bottlebrush support local birds and insects.
If you don’t have time to wait for a plant screen to grow in your garden, consider instant options like bamboo panel screens, decorative feature panels, or weathering steel panels. These can offer stylish screening solutions while your plants establish.
