I hear you! I've got wonderful neighbors, but need my privacy, plus a blocked view of tons of junk. So I've worked over the last few years on various projects to give me a nice blockade.

Here's what I've done, what works and what doesn't...

Lattice: I put up some panels of lattice in one area (six feet tall, about 15 feet long).

The things that grow quickest: morning glory vine, sweet peas and scarlet runner beans. You could put the peas out now (make sure you get the kind that are vining, not some bush hybrid).

Another thing that works great: hummingbird vine; this will crawl all over your trellis and can get really thick. Plus it's pretty and the birds/butterflies love it. There are two kinds it seems, and I use this kind:

http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/3304/

In fact, my seeds came from Park Seed. (I originally had seeds from my mom, who grew it for years, but I moved and forgot to take any with me)

Come fall, if people want some seeds, I'll have plenty. Just email me then.

Here's a picture (not mine)...imagine this all over a trellis...it's stunning.

http://www.floridata.com/ref/I/images/Ipom_qu1.jpg

Here's a pic of mine on the trellis:

http://www.julilawrence.com/wp-content/gallery/garden07/hbird-julilawrence.jpg

The other thing I have found to be WONDERFUL (but ONLY if you have the time and will to manage it): running bamboo.

Some are going to scream noooooooo, but I love this stuff.

Here's a documentation of what started as a dead-looking stick and is now a forest:

http://www.julilawrence.com/bamboo/

If you know anyone with bamboo, you can easily get a start; otherwise, you can buy one at a nursery and get started. You won't get immediate results, though. But second and third years, you'll have great privacy.

I'm completely gaga over bamboo because of how quickly it grows, its lush beauty and the absolute privacy it affords.

The bad side: you MUST make a commitment to manage it, or it will spread out of control. If you were to try bamboo, I would suggest going to a bamboo forum and learning about running bamboos (and mine is Bisetti, one of the faster ones)

I'm willing to discuss it more if you're interested. It's a fabulous solution for me, but definitely not for everyone.

A lot of people think the hummingbird vine is an invasive pest. It reseeds itself and the seedlings kill other plants in the yard.

florrie

Here is a link that might be useful: Dave's Garden

I'm going to be trying clematis, because they seem to grow well here. The one we have seems to have eaten half our deck, and it also provides the deck's scalding surface some shade. Going on default I'll be planting it for a privacy screen. I don't remember how long it takes to grow or establish though. I may plant either some scarlet runner bean or maybe vining nasturtium? I've never seen/planted either though, so I'm just winging it.