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The lilly pilly plant has been a common choice for privacy in Australian gardens for decades. The Syzygium smithii (formerly Acmena smithii) tree grows up to five metres tall relatively quickly. It also produces small pink berries that can be used in jams. It prefers cooler climates over harsh or tropical conditions.
Read more: How to grow and care for a lilly pilly
Also known as ‘Kohuhu’, this small tree is a bit tougher than a lilly pilly, and with a little maintenance they can thrive in the majority of Australian gardens. Pittosporum tenuifolium tree varieties such as Silver Sheen, Tasman Ruffles, Green Pillar or James Stirling feature small leaves, different colours and are a perfect screening plant due to their density. Their height ranges from three to five metres.
Read more: Planting, growing and pruning pittosporums
If you're looking for a hardy plant that will grow anywhere, the large leaf Photinia Robusta is a great choice of hedging plant. It's able to provide you with the privacy you're looking for and it grows up to five metres tall. Its attractive red growth can also make it a good focal point for your garden.
Viburnums have been popular in Australia for decades as a fast-growing hedge. A good choice is the Viburnum tinus, a small leaf evergreen that grows to about 3.5 metres. The larger leaf Sweet Viburnum has large shiny emerald leaves and produces white fragrant flowers and small red berries. It enjoys milder conditions but not heavy frost and also reaches a height of around three to four metres.
Bamboo is a hardy choice if you want to fill in a small area and increase privacy. It's very important to choose a clumping bamboo variety, which is easier to keep under control than the running varieties, which spread quickly. A moderate grower, it will take one to two years to start maturing but once established it will grow up to four metres.
With its glossy green leaves and pretty white flowers, the Little Gem magnolia is a popular screening option that grows well in most parts of Australia. Little Gem can grow up to four metres high and 2.5 metres wide, provided it is planted in well-draining soil in either full sun or part shade.
Read more: Growing, pruning and caring for magnolia trees
Known for their hardiness, bottlebrushes are a popular Australian native tree that can work well as a screening plant. Depending on the variety, bottlebrushes can grow up to 10 metres high and thrive in most areas.
With a longer flowering season than most types of roses, climbing roses can provide your garden with a pretty screening option. However they will become sparse during the winter months when their foliage drops. Growing two to four metres tall, floribunda and hybrid tea varieties have large or clustered flowers and prosper in medium to hardy conditions.
Climbers grow vertically in your garden so dense varieties can be trained to become an effective hedge with some support, attention and care. Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) flowers in early spring and then throughout the summer months with very fragrant white star-shaped flowers.
Suitable for growth all over Australia, the Hardenbergia is a purple, pink or white flowering native creeper that likes sunny or semi-shaded positions. Being an evergreen climber, it can grow up to six metres, making it a perfect screening plant. It also features an abundance of pea-like flowers.
Take a look at our great range of plants to help you get started.
Training climbers to screen a fence
Roy camouflaged a Colorbond fence with a living screen of fast-growing Chinese Star Jasmine.
Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.
When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.
