Border plant

I want some suggestion on border plant which will provide bit privacy for my front garden and bit color.  I am aware of conifers but wanted something that might give bit color and will grow fast and medium bush.  If I were to use conifer which one will grow fast?  Any suggestion will be much appreciated.  

beach is a lovley hedge, as derke said red robin is butifull now with firey new shoots. Forsithia is a good one but can't be cut back too hard or you will lose the lovley yellow flowers in spring. just a small tip connifers will take any mosture from the soil and it can turn the soil acidic! native hegrows are great for wilflife and has berries for coulur, howthorn or acer Campester (feild Maple)

You need to decide whether you want evergreens, or whether you don't mind it being a bit bare in winter. Beech is a bit of an exception because although they're deciduous when trees, beech hedges tend to keep their dead leaves on through the winter. Pittisporum is evergreen and looks quite attractive - I think the green types are faster growing than the coloured/variegated ones, but you could mix them for a good show. And yes, photinia Red Robin can look great, but they need a bit of attention and can be prone to fungus infections. Weigelas are pretty and undemanding, especially if you get some with variegated foliage, but they're bare in winter and don't get very tall (up to about person-height). Buddleias will grow up quickly but again, they're bare in winter and can do with cutting back. Or how about holllies? You could plant a selection including some with variegated leaves. Birds will love them, and they grow quite fast. We have one with berries on it at the moment - I can't decide whether they're early or late.

1.5 years

Kru I' m a big hebe fan and there are so many different ones I'm sure you could find one to suit. My neighbour has a hedge of them in her front garden. They are evergreen, have  lovely flowers and a long flowering period. I have small leaved ones, red leaved ones , tall varieties and short ones too. Such a wide variety,so I'm sure you could find something to suit you if you searched a bit.

Escallonias are evergreen and have flowers.  They would knit together nicely to form a hedge

It might be an idea to take a wander through any public gardens there are in your area, not that I would suggest you want to plant like a park, but taking a look at their good or bad hedges might give you some ideas?  Also talk with your neighbours, gardeners love telling about their successes and failures ..........

Agree re escallonias, maybe try a mixed hedger to please you and the birds?  We have hawthorne, roses, lilac, yew, fuschia, pyracantha, holly and others, they have all knitted together and look great - plus the birds like them all year round. (the yew was in when we came, with a row of laurel, one of my personal pet hates, so it went, the yew stayed, the rest went in over the next few years.)

Holly, Laurels, Lonicera, privet, Photinina Red robin and Yew. Personnally I like Yew as you can shape it in any shape, keep it into a compact hedge and you only need a few per metre to make a great, expensive looking hedge. Mix with Red Robin and plant annuals or bulbs around the hedge and I think that will tick all your boxes.