I have a row of Hemlocks bordering my property outside the fence. One is dead and will be taken down this year. I have a few rhodos and a Mountain Laurel planted inside the fence, which are at the far end of the row, after the cedar. The sad tree in the front is a Lilac (advice on it will be welcome) and the healthy looking tree to the right is a Magnolia. Basically, I am looking for shrubs to plant in front of the visible white bits of the fence. I prefer natives, but want a range of bloom times. The idea is I plant them small now and if I lose the hemlocks over the next 5-10 years, I have some privacy from the new shrubs. Needless to say, they have to put up with a fair amount of shade now, but if the Hemlocks die, the situation will change. The third hemlock in the row is dead and will come down, which won't make a big difference, since it currently has no needles.

I'm in Southern Maine (Portland area) zone 5 and would love some advice.