Privacy is the most common reason Australian homeowners visit a plant nursery. Whether it is blocking the view from a neighbour's elevated deck, softening the hard lines of a boundary fence, creating a windbreak across an exposed rear yard, or establishing a living wall that replaces the need for a taller fence — screening plants solve a problem that fences, panels, and structures cannot: they grow, evolve, and become more effective over time, not less.
The question we hear most often from gardeners at this point is: which screening plant grows fastest and creates privacy soonest? It is a reasonable question, but our horticultural team's honest answer is that speed is only one of four factors that should guide the choice. The others are ultimate height (you want enough coverage, but not so much that you create a maintenance problem or lose light), maintenance requirements (some fast growers need constant cutting to stay in bounds), climate suitability (plants that grow fast in Brisbane may struggle in Melbourne's cool winters), and — often underestimated — aesthetic contribution (the best screening plants earn their place in the garden year-round, not just when you need privacy).
At Online Plants, we stock what we consider the definitive range of screening plants for Australian gardens — from the fastest-growing evergreen hedges (Syzygium Lilly Pilly varieties, Viburnum odoratissimum, Photinia) through to the most versatile and low-maintenance options (Westringia, Pittosporum, Raphiolepsis) and the most architecturally distinctive native screens (tall Callistemon, Casuarina, Lilly Pilly). Every plant in this collection has been chosen because it solves the privacy problem effectively, with genuine ornamental contribution beyond bare screening function.
Our team has prepared a comprehensive quick-reference guide below to help you match the right plant to your specific situation — whether you need fast coverage in a narrow side passage, a tall semi-formal hedge along a rear boundary, a fragrant living fence, or a low-maintenance native screen for a coastal garden. If you need further advice, our team provides free garden design consultations at 0428 110 584.
The 6 best screening plant categories for Australian gardens — our expert guide
Lilly Pilly (Syzygium & Acmena)
Syzygium Resilience, Big Red, Backyard Bliss, Acmena Speed Screen...
Height: 2–10m (variety dependent)
Speed: Fast — 12–18 months to coverage
Climate: All Australian temperate + subtropical
Spacing: 60–80cm apart for hedge
From: $18.95–$39.95
The most popular screening plant in Australian suburban gardens — and for good reason. Lilly Pilly is a dense, fast-growing, evergreen native shrub that produces glossy foliage, colourful (often copper-red) new growth flushes, white fluffy summer flowers, and ornamental pink or red berries that attract birds. It is genuinely multi-season in its ornamental contribution. Most varieties establish rapidly — creating meaningful coverage within 12–18 months — and respond well to regular clipping into a formal hedge shape. Lilly Pilly grows across most Australian climate zones from temperate Melbourne to subtropical Brisbane. Psyllid insect damage (causing pimple-like leaf distortion) is the main issue to watch for — Syzygium Resilience is specifically bred for psyllid resistance. → View full Lilly Pilly collection
One of the fastest-growing hedging plants for Australian gardens — Sweet Viburnum (Viburnum odoratissimum) can grow 1–1.5m per year under good conditions and creates a thick, dense, impenetrable screen to 4m+ within 2–3 years. The large, glossy, dark green leaves provide excellent privacy coverage, and the fragrant white flower clusters in spring add seasonal ornamental value. Dense Fence is a compact, controlled-growth cultivar that reaches 2–2.5m with less maintenance pruning required. Viburnum tinus is a smaller, more formal variety suited to lower hedges and exposed positions. All tolerate a wide range of soils and perform in cool to warm temperate conditions. → View full Viburnum collection
Photinia
Photinia Red Robin, Photinia Robusta, Photinia Glabra Rubens...
Height: 2–6m (variety dependent)
Speed: Fast — 50–80cm/year
Climate: Cool to warm temperate (all mainland Australia)
Spacing: 60–80cm apart for hedge
From: From $19.95
Photinia earns its place in this collection through sheer ornamental impact. The striking feature of all Photinia varieties is the brilliant red or copper new growth that flushes on the plant 2–4 times per year — each time a new stem grows, it emerges in vivid red-orange tones before hardening to glossy deep green. The contrast of old growth and new growth creates a two-tone living tapestry visible from across the garden. Photinia Robusta is the tallest and fastest-growing form, suitable for screens to 6m. Photinia Red Robin (Fraseri) is more compact and typically reaches 2–3m, making it the preferred choice for suburban boundary screening. Ensure good air circulation when planting — Photinia is prone to fungal issues in humid, poorly ventilated positions. → View full Photinia collection
Pittosporum
Pittosporum Screenmaster, tenuifolium, Silver Sheen, Miss Muffet...
Height: 2–5m (variety dependent)
Speed: Moderate — 30–50cm/year
Climate: Cool to warm temperate, tolerates shade
Spacing: 50–80cm apart
From: From $19.95
Pittosporum is our team's recommendation for situations where clean, predictable growth in a constrained space is the priority. Pittosporum Screenmaster (undulatum) in particular produces a dense, upright screen to 4m+ while maintaining a naturally narrow footprint — making it invaluable for side passages, tight boundary lines, and gardens where lateral width is limited. Silver Sheen offers silver-green foliage and a softer, more ornamental effect. Pittosporum tolerates shade better than most screening plants, making it the top choice for overshadowed boundary positions where other plants struggle. Fragrant white flowers in spring. → View full Pittosporum collection
Climate: All Australian zones — best native coastal option
Spacing: 50–80cm apart
From: From $19.95
The top native screening shrub for coastal, exposed, and drought-prone gardens — Westringia outperforms every other screening plant in salty, windy, and dry conditions that would stress or kill Lilly Pilly, Viburnum, and Photinia. Naringa is our team's top recommendation for native hedging to 1.5–2.2m, while Wynyabbie Gem and fruticosa suit lower hedges to 1–1.5m. Westringia is genuinely low-maintenance once established, does not require constant clipping to stay in bounds, and produces small white or mauve flowers almost year-round. Not the fastest-growing option but one of the toughest and most reliable. → View full Westringia collection
Raphiolepsis (Indian Hawthorn)
Raphiolepsis Apple Blossom, Oriental Pearl, Snow Maiden...
Height: 0.5–1.5m (variety dependent)
Speed: Slow to moderate
Climate: All Australian temperate + coastal
Spacing: 60–80cm apart
From: From $19.95
The best lower-height screening and hedging option for coastal and exposed gardens — Raphiolepsis (Indian Hawthorn) provides a dense, low-maintenance screen to 1.5m across the full range of Australian temperate conditions. Compact, flowering, coastal-tough, and genuinely beautiful in spring with masses of pink or white blooms, it is an outstanding choice for low boundary hedges, retaining wall plantings, and garden bed borders where taller screening plants would be disproportionate. Snow Maiden and Apple Blossom are the team's top picks for formal low hedging. → View full Raphiolepsis collection
How to establish a screening hedge quickly — expert tips
•Spacing is the most important decision: Too far apart and you wait years for coverage; too close and the plants compete, become leggy, and require more pruning. Use the spacing guidelines in each plant card above. When in doubt, our team recommends erring slightly closer — dense planting creates coverage faster and plants can be thinned later if needed.
•Tip-prune from day one: Do not wait until the plant reaches the desired height before you start shaping. Tip-prune from the first few months after planting — removing the growing tip of each stem encourages the plant to branch laterally from the base, building the dense base structure that creates an impenetrable screen. Allowing a screening plant to grow tall before pruning creates an open, leggy structure that never provides satisfactory coverage at the base.
•Water deeply during establishment: Water regularly for the first two growing seasons — particularly through the first summer after planting. Deep watering once or twice a week is better than frequent shallow watering. Screening plants establish their root systems most rapidly with consistent moisture, and a faster-establishing root system means faster above-ground growth and earlier privacy coverage.
•Staggered double row for maximum density: In exposed or windy positions, or where very rapid dense coverage is needed, plant in a staggered double row — two rows offset from each other, with each plant positioned in the gap between plants in the adjacent row. This creates immediate wind protection for the plants and significantly denser coverage at maturity.
•Mulch generously: A 7–10cm layer of coarse organic mulch around the base of screening plants retains soil moisture, keeps roots cool in summer, suppresses weed competition, and moderates soil temperature. Mulching significantly accelerates establishment and reduces the need for watering. Keep mulch away from the stem of each plant.
•Feed for growth: During the first 2–3 years when rapid establishment is the priority, apply a balanced controlled-release fertiliser for trees and shrubs in early spring and again in late summer. Once the screen is established and at the desired height, reduce or eliminate feeding — excess fertiliser on a mature hedge creates more pruning work, not better coverage.
Why buy screening plants from Online Plants?
•30-day guarantee to grow on every plant — peace of mind for a significant garden investment
•Australia's first and largest online nursery — 20+ years delivering screening and hedging plants
•The widest range of screening plants online in Australia — Lilly Pilly, Viburnum, Photinia, Pittosporum, Westringia, Raphiolepsis, and more
•Multiple pot sizes available — from starter plants for budget projects to advanced plants for immediate impact
•Delivery to VIC, NSW, QLD, SA and ACT — metropolitan and regional areas
•No minimum order — buy 3 plants for a balcony screen or 300 for a rural property
•Free garden design and plant selection consultation — call 0428 110 584 or email store@onlineplants.com.au
Frequently Asked Question - FAQs
What is the fastest-growing screening plant in Australia?
For most Australian temperate gardens, Syzygium Lilly Pilly varieties and Viburnum odoratissimum are the fastest-growing screening plants. Sweet Viburnum can grow 1–1.5m per year under good conditions and creates meaningful screening coverage within 2 years. Syzygium Lilly Pilly varieties including Resilience and Big Red grow slightly slower (50–80cm/year) but provide denser, more wildlife-friendly coverage and are better suited to subtropical conditions. For the single fastest result, Acmena Speed Screen Lilly Pilly in a 33cm advanced pot size provides immediate height and coverage from day one. Bamboo (clumping varieties) is arguably the fastest option of all but requires careful variety selection to avoid invasive runners.
How far apart should I space screening plants for a hedge?
Spacing depends on the plant variety and the coverage timeframe. As a general guide: Lilly Pilly — 60–80cm apart for a formal hedge; Viburnum — 80cm–1m apart (Dense Fence 60–80cm); Photinia — 60–80cm apart; Pittosporum Screenmaster — 50–80cm apart; Westringia — 50–80cm for a formal hedge; Raphiolepsis — 60–80cm. Closer spacing creates coverage faster but increases initial cost. For most situations, our team recommends the tighter end of these ranges — plants can always be thinned later, but you cannot undo years of slow coverage from planting too far apart. For a staggered double-row windbreak or exposed position, use the standard spacing for each row with the rows 60cm apart.
What is the best low-maintenance screening plant for an Australian garden?
For the lowest ongoing maintenance once established, Westringia (Coastal Rosemary) is our top recommendation — it is drought-tolerant, requires only an occasional light trim to maintain shape, does not grow uncontrollably, and is one of the toughest plants in Australian horticulture. Among the faster-growing options, Viburnum Dense Fence is a cultivar specifically bred for a more compact, controlled growth habit that requires less pruning than standard Sweet Viburnum. Raphiolepsis (Indian Hawthorn) is an excellent low-maintenance choice for low hedges to 1.5m — it grows slowly enough to require only 1–2 trims per year and is remarkably tolerant of coastal, dry, and exposed conditions.
Can screening plants be grown in pots for balcony or courtyard privacy?
Yes — several plants in this collection perform well in large containers for balcony and courtyard privacy. Lilly Pilly in a 50-litre pot with regular watering and feeding creates excellent medium-height screening on balconies and in courtyards. Compact Viburnum varieties and Pittosporum Miss Muffet (a small, dense form) work in large containers. Raphiolepsis and Westringia compact varieties are excellent container-grown screening shrubs for coastal balconies. The key requirements for container screening plants: use the largest pot possible (minimum 50 litres for trees, 35 litres for shrubs), ensure excellent drainage, use quality potting mix, and water consistently as containers dry out much faster than garden beds. Tip-prune regularly to encourage density.
What screening plant works best for a narrow side passage?
For narrow passages under 1m wide, Pittosporum Screenmaster is the gold standard — its naturally upright, columnar habit means it achieves significant height (3–4m) while maintaining a lateral spread of only 60–80cm at maturity. It tolerates shade, which is typical in side passages between houses. Bamboo (clumping varieties, not running varieties) is another excellent choice for very narrow spaces — some varieties reach 5–8m while staying within 60cm wide. For lower screening under 1.5m in a narrow passage, compact Raphiolepsis varieties or Westringia Grey Box are good options. Avoid Viburnum, Lilly Pilly, and Photinia in narrow passages — they spread too widely at maturity and create significant ongoing pruning work.
