A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion New Members Hi, I'm new please help me! :)

Hi everyone, this is my first posting on here, but I can't find the answer to my question anywhere, so please help! :)
My wife and I are about to close on the purchase of an end of group townhouse. It has a decent size yard, but the problem is privacy and the neighbors next door have turned their yard into a parking pad/yard so I want to hide that from our view.

I am trying to decide what is the best way to ensure privacy. I want to have a beautiful formal looking hedge along each side of the yard, the back of the yard is already screened with trees.

I am not sure of the dimensions of the yard, but I have been looking at Nellie R. Stevens Holly, Green Giants, Leyland Cypress and Boxwood (my favorite looking hedge) and the more I research the more confused I become.

I basically want something that will be inexpensive, fast growing, ever green and can be pruned to keep it at about 6-8 foot high. We move in to the house at the end of this month (May), the house is in Towson, MD. I want it to be thick and an excellent screen, but I don't want it to encroach on to my lawn too far.

Am I in the right ball park with the plants I mentioned? I am open to all suggestions and advice as to how best to achieve my goals for my yard without much expenditure. I want fast growing and my goal is to have some improved privacy by Summer 2013.

Thanks again and I look forward to your advice,

Matt

Welcome, Matt.
Yes, those sound like they may do it. I would also ask at my local nursery. They will have the best ideas what will grow best in your area.
Sometimes fast growing means a lot of trimming to keep it in shape. And maybe short lived. Consider screening with an annual vine for the first year? Like morning glories behind your young hedge. growing up wires or something like.

I agree with Tina, to use annual vines for the first year and just relax a while, doing your research. :)

There're many vines that spread out, Morning Glories, Moonflowers have pretty big leaves... I live in an apartment and got the okay from the supervisors here to enclose my second story balcony with vines, I chose Cardinal Climbers and they seems to be growing very well along the trellis I set up for it.

Edit:
Actually the Moonflowers I'm growing are technically of the Morning Glory family.
Ipomoea.