What kind of sunlight does the area you would plant in get? How tall do you need the hedge to get for you to have the privacy you need? My first though, and many might not like the idea, would be to use lilacs. We had them bordering one side of our yard at our first house and it was the most beautiful thing...and smelled great every May.

Common lilacs seem to grow pretty fast but there are other varieties that keep a better shape.
Kristy :)