7 Quick-Growing Shrubs to Beautify Your Backyard

If you’re looking to transform your backyard into a lush, inviting outdoor retreat, fast-growing shrubs are one of the easiest and most effective solutions. These hardy plants can quickly add greenery, color, structure, and even privacy to your landscape without the long wait. Whether you prefer bold blooms, evergreen foliage, or fragrant flowers, there’s a fast-growing shrub for every garden style. Here are 7 quick-growing shrubs that will help you create a beautiful backyard in no time.

1. Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii)

The Butterfly Bush is a gardener’s favorite for its rapid growth and stunning, fragrant flower clusters that attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. Growing up to 6–8 feet in a single season, it adds vibrant splashes of purple, pink, white, or blue to any garden. Butterfly Bush thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it a low-maintenance choice for busy gardeners. Its long, arching stems and continuous summer blooms offer a dynamic, colorful backdrop to any backyard space.

2. Forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia)

One of the earliest signs of spring, Forsythia bursts into a sea of bright yellow flowers before its leaves appear. This hardy shrub can grow up to 10 feet tall and spreads quickly, making it ideal for filling bare spots or creating vibrant borders. Forsythia thrives in full sun and well-drained soil and requires minimal care once established. Its fast growth, cheerful blooms, and arching branches make it a lively, eye-catching addition to any backyard landscape.

3. Weigela (Weigela florida)

Known for its trumpet-shaped flowers and arching stems, Weigela is a fast-growing deciduous shrub that adds rich color and charm to backyard gardens. Available in hues of pink, red, and white, Weigela can grow up to 5–7 feet tall and wide in just a couple of seasons. It blooms profusely in late spring and often produces a second flush of flowers in summer. Easy to care for and tolerant of a variety of soil conditions, it’s perfect for borders and privacy screens.

4. Privet (Ligustrum)

Privet shrubs are prized for their rapid growth, dense foliage, and versatility. Often used for hedging, they can grow up to 3 feet per year, quickly forming a lush, green wall for privacy or wind protection. Privet is adaptable to various soil types and lighting conditions, though it performs best in full sun to partial shade. Its small, creamy-white flowers add seasonal interest, and it responds well to pruning, allowing you to maintain clean lines or a natural shape.

5. Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

Famous for its showy flower clusters, Hydrangea is a fast-growing shrub that can add elegance and color to your backyard in no time. Depending on the variety, it can reach 6–8 feet tall and wide and produces stunning blooms in shades of pink, blue, purple, or white. Hydrangeas prefer partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. Their rapid growth and large, colorful flowers make them excellent focal points in garden beds or borders, and they pair beautifully with other flowering shrubs.

6. Mock Orange (Philadelphus coronarius)

Renowned for its sweet, citrus-scented white blooms, Mock Orange is a quick-growing deciduous shrub that brings both fragrance and beauty to backyard landscapes. It can grow up to 10 feet tall and wide, with an abundance of delicate flowers appearing in late spring and early summer. Mock Orange thrives in full sun to partial shade and adapts well to various soil conditions. It’s perfect for creating natural screens, hedges, or fragrant garden corners where its blooms can be enjoyed up close.

7. Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)

Rose of Sharon is a vigorous, fast-growing shrub known for its large, tropical-looking flowers that bloom from midsummer to fall. This hardy hibiscus can grow 8–12 feet tall and 6–10 feet wide, making it ideal for adding height and color to backyard spaces. It’s highly adaptable, tolerating a range of soil types and weather conditions, and thrives in full sun to light shade. The wide range of flower colors, including white, pink, purple, and blue, ensures there’s a variety to suit every garden style.

Conclusion

Fast-growing shrubs are a wonderful way to quickly enhance your backyard with color, fragrance, texture, and structure. Whether you’re looking to create privacy, attract pollinators, or simply fill empty spaces with vibrant foliage, these 7 quick-growing shrubs are reliable, easy-care options that deliver rapid results. Plant a mix of flowering, evergreen, and fragrant varieties to build a dynamic, multi-season landscape you’ll love spending time in.