If you’re aiming for a garden that looks good all year without too much waiting around, evergreen shrubs are a good place to start. Especially the fast-growing ones. They keep their foliage through every season, they add structure, and they’re ideal for privacy or simply filling in gaps.
But with loads of choices, it helps to narrow things down a bit. The UK climate suits plenty of these shrubs, from hardy native types to reliable imports. Below are ten fast-growing evergreen shrubs that are well-suited to UK gardens. Some give you a nice bit of colour, others bring in wildlife, and a few will act as living fences if that’s what you need.
1. Griselinia littoralis (New Zealand Broadleaf)
Griselinia’s been a garden favourite for a while now. It’s great for hedging because it grows quickly and holds its shape with a couple of trims a year. The glossy, apple-green leaves stand out, especially in the duller months.
It’s salt-tolerant too, which makes it ideal for coastal gardens. It copes with wind and mild frost, though harsh winters might need a bit of protection when the plant is young.
2. Photinia × fraseri ‘Red Robin’
This one earns its spot for its bold colour. The new growth bursts out in a deep red that gradually fades to green. You get this effect a few times a year if you keep it trimmed.
It grows at a decent pace about 30cm a year and does well in full sun or partial shade. People often use it for hedging, but it also works on its own as a statement shrub.
3. Elaeagnus × ebbingei
Here’s a tough shrub that doesn’t fuss about the soil. It grows fast, handles shade fairly well, and is excellent for screening.
The leaves are a silvery green with a slightly waxy texture, and in autumn, it produces tiny, creamy flowers with a surprisingly strong fragrance. Not everyone notices them, but once you do, it’s a nice bonus.
4. Pittosporum tenuifolium
If you’re after something a bit more decorative, Pittosporum offers neat, tidy foliage with interesting colours depending on the variety. Some types have purple or silver-green leaves, and all of them grow quickly under the right conditions.
It prefers a sheltered spot with full sun, but in milder parts of the UK, it can manage in part shade too. It’s not the best for exposed, windy areas though it can get a bit leggy if it’s stressed.
5. Prunus laurocerasus ‘Rotundifolia’ (Cherry Laurel)
Cherry laurel is a workhorse. It’s not exactly delicate or subtle, but if you need a solid hedge in a short time, it’s one of the best options. The ‘Rotundifolia’ variety grows a bit faster and has broader, more rounded leaves than others.
It can cope with heavy clay, full sun, deep shade you name it. It’ll even grow under trees where other plants struggle. You might have to keep it in check, though. It doesn’t hang about once it gets going.
6. Aucuba japonica (Spotted Laurel)
Aucuba’s a bit of a love-it-or-hate-it shrub, mainly because of its bright yellow-spotted leaves. Personally, I think it’s underrated. It thrives in deep shade and poor soil, and once established, it needs very little attention.
It’s slower than some others on this list, but with regular watering and a bit of feed in its first couple of years, it can bulk out quicker than people expect.
7. Bamboo (Fargesia species)
Okay, technically not a shrub, but many gardeners treat clumping bamboo like one. Fargesia varieties are the clumping types less aggressive than the spreading ones.
They give fast vertical growth, great movement in the wind, and that nice rustling sound that adds something extra to a garden. They’ll need a bit of watering in the first year, but after that, they’re fairly low-maintenance.
8. Escallonia
Escallonia brings more than just green leaves. It flowers in summer with pink, white, or red blooms, and those flowers attract bees like crazy.
It’s quick to establish and makes a good informal hedge, especially in warmer parts of the UK. It does need a bit of shelter from cold winds, though, and might drop leaves during a harsh winter—but it’ll bounce back quickly in spring.
9. Viburnum tinus
This shrub ticks a lot of boxes. It flowers from late autumn to spring with creamy-white blooms, followed by blue-black berries. It’s not flashy, but it adds a lot of quiet interest over a long stretch of the year.
It’s reasonably fast-growing and will happily sit in full sun or light shade. It’s one of those shrubs you can plant and largely forget about, except for a bit of pruning now and then.
10. Berberis darwinii
Berberis often gets overlooked, but ‘darwinii’ deserves a spot. It’s evergreen, fast-growing, and puts on a brilliant show of orange flowers in spring. The leaves are small and spiky, so it’s also a good deterrent for unwanted visitors (human or animal).
It makes a good hedge or can be grown as a stand-alone shrub. It’s tough, too resistant to pests and diseases, and unfazed by poor soil.