I am trying to screen two portions of an ugly retaining wall - one stretch with a planting bed to next to it and one stretch that is next to a concrete patio, and have been hunting around on line for something that might work. The wall is only four feet tall but I'd love something that could grow quite a bit taller to provide some privacy from a new build next door. I wound up buying several big eunonymus Manhattan shrubs last weekend, and I'm trying to decide whether they might work as container shrubs (26" barrel-type planters with casters) or whether to use them where I can actually plant them in the ground.

Here they are below, sitting in the spot they would stay if I used them in the planters; as you may be able to see, the entire wall was covered with ivy until my new neighbor removed it. He also removed a tree on his side which used to screen the view of his house/construction stuff. The patio gets a lot of sun with some screening from a very large water oak tree overhanging the area.