Looking for some advice from the pros. I live in zone 7, looking to complete a 40' L shaped in corner of my yard (partial shade). I have planted 3 oak leaf hydrangea and a coral bark maple to the corner, now my dilemma. The remaining 20 feet I need a instant evergreen wall to block my neighbors, 5-6 foot that I will be able to prune to about 10 feet but I don't want just a wall of arborvitae something more pleasing to the eye and might compliment the maple. Thanks......
Wow. Tall order - the most commonly available is Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) which you don't want. New York gets a bit too chilly for the far more interesting Araucaraceae.... Maybe the taller Junipers? Or you can check out Casuarina and see if they're hardy for your zone.
You might try these for your evergreen fence as (welcome) alternatives to arbovitae: Camelia spp Prunus lusitanica Portuguese laurel Taxus baccata English yew (slow growing but worth it!) Viburnum tinus Evergreen viburnum All are hardy in our zone 7 but that might be slightly warmer in winter than you, so check with local experts.
Easiest would be to hit some local garden centers and see what they have besides arborvitaes. Would probably also be best not to have a formal-looking wall of one kind because if one or two don't grow as fast or die then you have an uneven result. Continuing the mixed planting into the background would be more likely to work out, putting groupings of few to several each of various evergreens behind your existing trees and shrubs.
I agree with Ron. I have what was refered to somewhere as a tapestry hedge. It has climbers along the wire fence and just in front there are all sorts of things such as a couple of camelias some old fashioned small flowers, fuschia. There is some climbing geranium, salvia ordinary geranium that clambers up into the vines. It is colourful bird friendly and just needs a bit of snipping to maintain. Using the vines I get a lot of cover but it does not use up all my soil area such as a formal row of something would. You can choose anything that works in your environment. Liz
