My house sits on top of a hill in zone 5. The there is no cover from the extreme winter wind which burns many of the evergreen plants. I have a neighbor down the hill which has been planting trees for privacy. However I want the plants to max out between 20 and 30'. So they have to be dense and tall enough to appease the neighbor, but not so tall that they block my view of the distance. There are deer, and they are extremely hungry in the winter. The area which I will be planting is fill put in to block rainwater from traveling from our development into neighbors developments. The soil has many large rocks, and is not ideal for planting. It remains damp, but not saturated. The area grows some deciduous trees which grow tall quickly, then die after a few years. Otherwise it is a thick brush of honeysuckle. The area is between 15 and 20' deep and about 120 feet wide. When I plant I will remove some of the honeysuckle and the hedge will have full sun. So what are my choices for a hedge which is deer and wind resistant, grows to about 25' or is easily kept at that height, grows in below average soil, and will not take a lifetime to reach a height to achieve some privacy? Thanks for any input
Nothing is deer resistant! Anything that grows quickly to the desired height, isn't going to stop there suddenly - if you want fast growth, you've got to be prepared for them to get much larger in the longer term. Personally, I'd try something like Serbian Spruce, and just accept that they'll eventually grow tall.
