You will need to let people know where you live to be of any help. Does 2500 mean $2500?

Most nurseries are more sxpensive than Lowes/HD except one depending on loction. You would get better quality, advice and service from your local nursery.

Skhaire,
You want to plant a variety of evergreens, not all
one kind. That way, if there is a disease, you don't loose
all your privacy fence at once.
I have no idea where you are, but if you aren't at the shore, and you have sun, Green giant is good, Leyland cypress is good, wax myrtle is good, go to your local nursery and check out the various kinds of evergreens that grow in your area.(blue carolina cypress)
It's pricey to have people dig the holes and plant for you, but if you can't do it yourself, it's worth it. Make sure you mulch real good, and ask for a delivery of mulch which is about 30.00 a yard where I am.
I am in zone 8, and my green giant is growing just fine. I have late afternoon shade for it though.

$2500 would be a real ripoff!...shop around and you can probably get it done for a 1/3 the price, easy. Do it yourself and you could do it for 1/5 the price.

Thanks for all your suggestions. I live in Charlotte. Our lawn mower suggested some Murray cypress trees...and some Maple tress. He mentioned that Murray cypress are not affected by diseases as much as leyland. Butterfly4u ,what would be the other kind of privacy tree you would suggest? I wanted some fruit trees but he says they attract a lot of insects/bugs and are disease prone. But I want some color as well as fruits too in my backyard. Anyone has any experience with fruit trees here? Also looking for a lng time for some colcasia/elephant ear bulbs, but lowes lady said they do not come in fall. :(

sk, how about you describe your house situation first.
Two story? Brick or frame ?
Does the yard have an irrigation system or will you be hauling water to these privacy trees for the first couple years?
(my side yard with irrigation was duplicated by the neighbors side yard irrigation and rain run-off from their huge driveway pitched to drain to my lot.
So I chose tall,thin evergreens that tolerate a good amount of moisture (weeping yaupon holly). Not a solid visual block but sufficient so that they didn't block airflow and am sun to the foundation plants)
See, there's a lot to consider.
Does your area have deer? Plan for it so you're not fighting to keep expensive deer food as part of your landscape.

Is the privacy needed to the rear lot line or the side lot lines?
How wide are your side yards?

What is the sun orientation? It rises on what part of the yard, sets where?
Do you have afternoon shade provided by the house west of yours?

So many variables and you're coming up on the best time to plant trees (Oct/Nov).

If you come back and give me (us)a written 'walk through' of your location and yard we could give you much better advice.

Wow...dottie_in_charlotte..I never even thought of these things.Here are some details:
Two story - Brick.
Has irrigation.
I did some deers a while back but that was just once in the last 8 months.
Privacy is needed to the rear lot line as well as the side lot lines? The other side we have a house, so we will need some kind of shrubs, maybe blueberry ?
Side yards are around 100 ft wide and our land mower suggested 10 Murray cypress trees planted 8 ft apart.
Our yard is on the west side, so will get all the afternoon sun.

Dottie_in_charlotte, since you are here for long, can you also suggest some good landscaper for installing trees ?
Also, which low maintenance fruit and flower trees would you suggest?

Thanks a lot for such detailed thinking!!

Dottie_in_charlotte, not sure if you saw my reply :) I had also been to laney hil nursery but they just had the leyland cypress and holly trees. Plus there will be a transpotation ocst as it is a 40 min drive from ours. And we were looking for Murray cypress...so havent yet decided.

Dottie_in_charlotte, not sure if you saw my reply :) I had also been to laney hil nursery but they just had the leyland cypress and holly trees. Plus there will be a transpotation ocst as it is a 40 min drive from ours. And we were looking for Murray cypress...so havent yet decided.

Gotcha, I'm thinking.
Meantime, 100' side yard? Seriously?
100' from the sides of your house to the boundary of your neighbor's property line?

Why I ask is also going to figure into what kind of trees,their sun and water needs and how much density is allowable.
You read forums where folks have 12' side yards, plant leylands and in 10 years the leylands are brushing against the sides of both houses so details of dimensions are very
important.

If you want, you can bring your details over to the 'Conversations' section here and chat more freely.

If the rear of your house entirely faces due west, we need to begin with the summer setting sun area to plant first.

This is going to have the most beneficial impact on your lawns and with a blend of deciduous and understory evergreens you'll have a good plan for dappled shade above and 6-10' evergreen privacy.
Please tell more about your actual location in Charlotte.
If you give me your street address (over in Conversations) I can googleearth it and zoom down to see what privacy issues you're having (neighbors) what trees they have,how close they are to the lines to see what kinds of trees/shrubs are compatible.

Simply going to a nursery and planting a row of mid-sized leylands is not a wise solution.
Two/three years ago this area had a terrible outbreak of cypress canker that killed off so many leyland privacy hedgewalls.
It's never good to overdo one variety.

Cypress is cypress and they're all subject to the same canker disease.Leylands are beautiful but people plant them
way too close together. Trees need air circulation, need room for roots to spread and anchor them from harsh winds.
I'll check in 'Conversations' in a day or so and see if you've provided a specific location I can research.