Hi all!

We are looking to make our backyard a tad more private. Unfortunately for privacy, the land slopes away from our home so our 4 foot fence looks like a 2 foot fence in the privacy sense. We are looking for shrubs or trees taller than 4 feet and shorter than 15-20.

Because of the slope, wet spring and summers results in a bit of standing water near the back fenceline which has killed some of our neighbors landscaping. It also may have played a factor into 2 of the 3 bushes dying by the electrical boxes. In dry summers like last, there's not water back there. We are having a hard time finding landscaping that does okay in both conditions. We are in the Chicago suburbs so hardiness 5B I believe.

Any recommendations on what to plant on our back fenceline? Any recommendations on what smaller bushes to plant by the electrical boxes to hide them?

We would prefer faster growing shrubs/trees but are willing to be patient as well.

Thank you!!