When you’ve got a “clean slate” landscape with few trees and shrubs, the lush, lived-in landscape of your dreams can feel years (or even decades!) away. More than merely plants in the ground, a mature landscape is characterized by impressive scale, dense foliage, and plenty of character. For most people, a mature landscape evokes a mental image of towering trees and privacy shrubs, and layers upon layers of bushes and flowers curated over the years.
But here’s a secret from our experts: you can take a shortcut to a mature, lived-in looking landscape! The secret? Fast-growing shrubs!
Fast-growing shrubs are the perfect solution if you’re looking to add instant impact and a burst of greenery to your garden without waiting years for results. Unlike trees, which can take years to reach maturity, these fast-growing plants quickly fill empty spaces, provide privacy, and add visual interest to your outdoor space. They come in various shapes, sizes, and colors, adding texture, depth, and variety to your garden, making it more visually appealing.
To hit “fast-forward” on your landscape, try one of these fast growing plants:
Bigfoot™ Cleyera is known for its impressive growth rate and shiny leaves that emerges with a bronzy hue and matures to a dark, glossy green. This evergreen privacy hedge maintains a naturally uniform appearance with minimal pruning.
‘Sunshine’ Ligustrum stands out with radiant golden yellow foliage that adds a sunny touch to the landscape all year long. It is ideal as a hedge for privacy, or an accent or container plant, and it is adaptable to different soil types and growing conditions.
Purple Diamond® Loropetalum is a true gem with rich, purple foliage contrasted with vibrant pink fringe blooms. Reaching four to six feet when mature, this purple privacy bush adds drama, texture, and visual interest to the landscape.
‘Orange Rocket’ Barberry is a deer resistant shrub that adds visual depth to the landscape with an upright growth habit and tricolored foliage that emerges a vibrant coral and transforms to green before maturing to fiery orange.
Fast-growing shrubs offer more than just visual appeal. These functional plants can play a key role in making your landscape more livable, serving as:
- Privacy Screens – Create a natural barrier with Bigfoot™ Cleyera
- Foundation Plantings – Frame your home and soften harsh edges with the sunny hues of ‘Sunshine’ Ligustrum
- Hedges – Define property lines or create garden boundaries with Red Diamond™ Midsize Loropetalum or LeAnn™ Cleyera
- Focal points or accent plantings – Add a pop of color to your garden with ‘Orange Rocket’ Barberry or Bronze Beauty™ Cleyera
- Erosion Control – Help prevent soil erosion on slopes with a mass planting of Purple Diamond® Loropetalum
Fast-growing shrubs are a simple and strategic way to transform your garden into a more established outdoor space quickly. Enjoy the beauty and benefits of a mature landscape in a fraction of the time with these hardy, low-maintenance, and speedy-growing shrubs!