Landscape Ideas for Privacy Between House

I’m trying to come up with some landscaping ideas and think this might should be a priority as things take time.
I’m on a corner lot so my back yard borders the neighbors side yard. Neither is very wide. My back deck is right outside a sliding door leading to family/dining room. The neighbors house has a side screened in porch so needless to say there seems to be no privacy, especially since they love being on their porch in the summer.

They have several what I think to be arbori? (evergreen similar too leyland cypress) right outside their porch but they are only a few feet tall and don’t seem to be growing any at all. In fact one blew over in this last storm.

Any ideas on something that will look good and grow fairly quickly. This is the south side of house in zone 7 to 8? Our foundations are about 2 to 3 feet plus deck railing so I’m thinking something that can quickly reach 10 ft or so. I’d prefer not to have those arborite? or leland cypress. I have the cypress lining my driveway and I wouldn’t want those monsters to be right behind my house blocking the sun. Also how far should I plant any recomended border shrubs or trees from property line?

I’ve never had any issues with the neighbors but would like a little more privacy if possible. I’m sure it would help resale as well but not until it matures.

Thanks

Putting a fence up is a pain here so that would be out of the question.

I never gave any thought to any of the asst hollies, perhaps because further down along the property line I have a fully mature regular holly tree and have removed a couple random located small ones from my yard. I’ll do some research on these NS hollies as I would like a fast growing evergreen.

Other ideas I’ve had was forsythias and perhaps a dogwood but my yard is so full of deciduous trees I really would like some color in the winter. Besides, I’m looking for a privacy screen and those would only work for that about 8 month’s a year. Perhaps a couple of potted palms of some flavor for the deck as well, at least to get through the summer/fall. Also jasmine to grow around the deck railing perhaps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kinkytoes BTW I think this would be a good idea to discuss with your neighbors. I think if you put up something that shaded out their arborvitae, they might be pissed. I know…Who cares? But why antagonize people who live right next to you? Maybe you guys can agree on privacy plantings together.

Of the four arborvitae, 1 is about 6 ft, 1 is about 2 ft, 1 is perhaps 3 ft and another about 3 1/2 ft is laying on the ground uprooted. They are randomly spaced between 2 and 4 ft apart. I’m pointing that out though it doesn’t bother me, just to describe the situation as best as I can. I’m not picky.

Perhaps it might be smart for me to just plant a couple forsythias several feet from the property line just to have some quick fillers and wait and see how their arborvitae grow, though in the 2 years I’ve been here they’ve grown perhaps 1/2 a foot. If they grow in good I’ll remove what I plant, likewise if they complain to me, which I don’t foresee, I’ll remove my plants as well. Their trees are several feet inside their property line so I would put mine several feet (perhaps 5ft) inside of mine so they’d be well away from those other trees.

Perhaps doing that and combining with potted deck plants and a vine or 2 around the deck railing might hide their porch. I’m one to keep the peace and like getting along with everyone.

Originally Posted by haggardhouseelf