Cheap but classy privacy hedge to replace fencing

[DarlingCoffee]

Hello, hoping all you wise gardeners can help me as I know there have been some other threads around hedges. We have decided to replace our rather wind-battered wooden fences with hedging in our back garden.

We are looking for some ideas for suitable instant privacy hedging ideally already 2m high that is erring on the cheaper side but also something that will still look nice in our garden and ideally add some colour. Preferably no berries or thorns as we have small children but yes to flowers! Thank you for your help and recommendations on where to source instant hedging and what we might want to look for. We are in the UK and have clay soil.

i have seen some Copper Beech trough potted hedging which I am considering in case that helps!

getting your hedge at 2m high is going to be expensive - most comes much smaller and you have to let it grow

these people might have it, if you are near London
www.paramountplants.co.uk/plant/cplo/common-privet-lodense.html

Cherry laurel and Photinia red robin seem to be the quickest growing traditional hedges I have seen on clay soil, along with Oleaster. You wouldn't have instant hedging though.
Could you buy pots of bamboo to use as screening in the interim whilst the hedges grow?
Alternatively, buddleia is very fast growing and flowers prolifically - if you like a more relaxed looking hedge and not evergreen, and it's readily available in spring.

Thank you both.