I like a fence in combination with some plantings.
It will take some time for what ever you want to plant to grow to a size that will provide enough of a screen. And then the conditions are not the best for growing.
I think that yews will do ok, however, a row will eventually require some amount of prunnnig and dry shade would require regular watering. And what is causing the dry shade? if it is the roots from various large trees then it may be tough to plant. If you could provide a picture and dimensions of the area to be planted that may help. I assume that your friend is in zone 5?
Mike

the term SHADE is not very specific ....

8 hours of sun is considered full sun [yes, i am generalizing] .... a spot can be considered shaded if it gets only 6 hours of sun .. etc ...

and then there is deep shade ... as in you couldn't read a book in there .... and the opposite being dappled sunlight ...

calculate the number of hours of actual sun .. if any .. and then define how bright it really is out there ... keeping in mind.. that it is the middle of winter.. and the sun will get much higher in the sky by summer ...

after we have better approximations .... we might be able to give better ideas ...

just about anything will grow in the shade ... i have picea pungens in full middle range shade ... the issue is vigor... the p.pungs growing only an inch or two.. compared to the 6 they are supposed to grow ... and after 6 years.. they are looking sparse.. though i kinda like the look ...

the problem will be .. you will want a vigorous plant that will create the privacy you want... but that requisite vigor is going to be hampered by the shade ...

good luck

ken

"she wants to use trees and shrubs; site is shaded by neighbouring trees; I think it is too dry for hemlock"

considering these three tips, I'd be inclined to incorporate a mixture of the following:

Chamaecyparis nootkatensis 'Green Arrow' (Cupressus nootkatensis) (1) OR
Thuja occidentalis 'Hetz Wintergreen'

(3) Taxus 'Hicksii'
(1) Taxus cuspidata 'Aurescens'

Rhododendron 'PJM' (1)
Rhododendron 'Nova Zembla' (2)

(3) Thuja occidentalis 'De Groot's'

(1) Pagoda Dogwood

(5) Deutzia 'Nikko'

The dogwood and deutzia's should bloom at about the same time and maybe the red 'Nova Zembla' Rhodies.

The rest is conifer texture and form plus color. The Taxus cuspidata 'Aurescens' should give the space that hint of yellow (not too much) it needs year-round.

Some room for a shrub (or not) between the dogwood and 'Green Arrow' Alaskan Cypress.

Looks good to me. A pink dogwood would be nice (?)

{{gwi:641321}}

Dax

Wow! You guys are amazing! I realize that I should be a bit more specific before posting, as in exactly how many hours of shade the yard gets, but considering my sketchy details, I'm thrilled with the responses.
Dax, I love it! I always thought that Chamaecyparis nootkatensis required full sun but I have lurked around this forum enough to believe what you say. I am a fan of DeGroot's spire so that is right up my alley. And there will be a nice contrast between the foliage of the yews and the Thujas.
We have alkaline soil around here, so rhodos don't do well, so I shall look for a substitute.
Thanks to all, Coralbelle

I thought it was a pretty good plan too. I knew the rhodies after I hit the submit button wouldn't like the dry conditions but I thought maybe your friend might get away with watering them.

The entire line of 'PJM' could actually do just fine in drought. There are so many of them around now. Here's a line. You could still get away with using them, plus the fall color, just great plants!

Cool. Thanks,

Dax

Although not new, here's my newest list of 'PJM' brothers and sisters:

'P.J.M'. hybrid rhododendrons. The 'P.J.M.' group of rhododendrons are smaller, growing to a height of 3 to 5 feet tall. Form is rounded and the foliage is leathery and dark green until fall when it turns almost purplish. One of the reasons the 'P.J.M.' group is such a heavy flowerer is that the plant does not set seed. They are very hardy, among the hardiest and most shade tolerant rhododendrons. They include the following:
'Black Satin' has a semi-erect habit and bears an abundance of showy, vivid, dark rose-pink flowers in mid-April. Fall and winter foliage is glossy and very dark purplish-black.
'Counterpoint' is a deciduous shrub with a spreading, upright habit, and bears an abundance of showy, semi-double, vivid, bright pink flowers in mid-April.
'Desmit' has a dense, mounding habit and bears an abundance of vivid, showy, pink flowers in early April. This cultivar has shown to be moderately resistant to sun scalding.
'Elite' is a vigorous, tall grower and bears an abundance of vivid, showy, rich pink flowers in mid-April.
'Henry's Red' has a broad, upright habit and bears an abundance of showy, vivid, deep red flowers beginning in mid-April.
'Laurie' is a slow grower with a compact habit, bearing an abundance of showy, single to semi-double, very light pink flowers beginning in mid to late April.
'Low Red Frilled' has a spreading, short, compact habit and bears an abundance of showy, frilled, vivid red flowers beginning in mid-April.
'Marathon' is a deciduous cultivar with a semi-erect habit, and bears an abundance of showy, vivid, magenta flowers beginning in mid-April.
'Molly Fordham' has a compact habit and bears an abundance of showy, vivid, white flowers beginning in early May.
'Northern Rose' has a semi-upright habit and bears an abundance of showy, vivid, bright pink flowers beginning in mid-April. This rhododendron is the result of a cross between R. 'Waltham' and R. mucronulatum 'Cornell Pink.' It was first developed by Dr. Robert Ticknor.
'Olga Mezzitt' is a vigorous grower with a spreading, upright habit and bears an abundance of showy, vivid, peach-pink flowers beginning in late April.
'Regal' is a vigorous grower with a broad, spreading habit which bears an abundance of showy, vivid, light purplish-pink flowers beginning in mid-April.
'Victor' is a slow grower with a compact habit and bears an abundance of showy, vivid, light purplish-pink flowers in early April.
'Waltham' has a dense, mounding habit, to 3 feet tall and wide, and bears an abundance of showy, vivid, pink flowers beginning in mid-April. Leaf spotting occurs when exposed to full sun.
'Weston's Pink Diamond' is a semi-evergreen shrub with a spreading, upright habit and bears an abundance of frilled, double, vivid, pink flowers in early April.
'White Angel' is a semi-evergreen shrub with an upright habit and bears an abundance of showy, white flowers, which open from lavender buds, beginning in mid-April