need a location ... before we begin ... ken

sorry! DC area

definitely understand that. We're looking for a general plan so we can do it right now and as the trees/other plants grow, we eventually get the look and privacy we're looking for.

Pines do not give privacy they tend to grow up and not low down where you need the privacy. IMO the first thing is to build a deck quite large with some planters with trellises and fast growing vines , add an umbrella some furniture and see if that is enough for privacy then concentrate on landscaping along the fence with shrubs and trees to fill in.

Thanks. We actually have quite a bit of patio furniture an and umbrella. We will definitely look into getting some planters with trellises as well. Great idea. Thank you.

I had the same problem and did not want to wait. So I did a kind of fence out of living wicker. The best time to do is Jan/Feb, so maybe its a bit late. But it is green the first year and you can do it as hihg as you like, depending on the lenghs of the wicker. You have to cut it down once or twice a year to keep it in shape, thats all, plus it is realy cheep and looks lovely. Though it is not green all year round you have a fence never the less. I ad a pic to give you an impression.

Magnolia virginiana australis (evergreen sweetbay) or St Marys Magnolia are possibilities:

Of course you will want other plants & hardscape elements after you install your privacy screening. If you don't want total privacy, then lessen the screening & introduce more trees through the yard.

Do whatever Dig Doug says.

Seriously.

Those trees look great! Thanks for the Rec. should I layer in some more plants in front of them? Or take a whole corner of the yard and do all plantings there to mix it up so it’s not just all lawn with a line of those plantings along the fence line?

You have a big, wide open space with nothing in it. And you are asking for other features beyond just privacy screening. This is a situation that just cries out for the attentions of a professional landscape designer!! They can help you to develop your backyard into a lush, magical and private space that best suits your family, your lifestyle and your location.

And I'd always be cautious of advice that directs you to follow one specific path and one only :-) There are multiple ways to skin a cat (or design a landcape) and a few pretty online suggestions or photoshopped sketches do not a landscape make!!

ETA: "not just all lawn with a line of those plantings along the fence line?"

This is what you want to avoid. You may eventually achieve the privacy you desire but it still leaves a pretty featureless yard :-) And this is where the input from a local, onsite professional can help.

Magnolia grandifloras and English/Cherry Laurels are my "hedges".

We planted a couple of small trees around the edge of our deck . They give you an instant feeling of privacy while you're on the deck, even when they're small, and now after 30 years or so they are my favorite thing in my back yard. You can sit under them and it feels so peaceful and private.

You just need to be sure that you get the right ones for height and size. You don't want them to interfere with the roof of your house when they're fully grown.

Also add a "roof" to your deck. Ours is an inexpensive 10' X 10' metal gazebo with a fabric roof. It's just bolted to the deck. You get a feeling of enclosure when you are in it, that is very pleasant. Some of them also have optional fabric walls.

It would be good to have some photos of your deck and the back of your house. Maybe your deck has room for some big pots (half barrels) with tall grasses planted in them.

You want a mixed planting of one or two large trees, small trees, a conifer or two in just the right spot, and large shrubs, some of which would be evergreen. You'd also want to plan for spring bloom and fall color/berries. No monoculture! A good landscape designer should be able to come up with a great plan.

When you say DC area . . . are you close to one of the Meadows Farms locations? They have landscape designers who will come out and draw up a plan for just $49. That's just crazy cheap (and sometimes they run an even crazier special where it's $29). You get the fee back if you hire them to come out and plant anything too.

That is a great tip. I see meadows everywhere so I’m sure there’s one by our new house. We haven’t moved there yet but I’ll look into it. Thank you!

Just an aside but it may be appropriate to bring up the old adage.......you get what you pay for :-) Hiring a designer and having a landscape plan developed for you is generally not an overly expensive propostion. But you will never find an experienced and talented designer who could prepare one for $49!!. Most (all?) design professionals charge more than that as a hourly rate and depending on the size and scope of the project, most design plans will take a number of hours to prepare. My last project was almost 30 hours from start to finish!! Significantly larger than your situation, but a well thought out design does not happen at the drop of a hat.

To be frankly honest, a lot of - not all - design services that are offered by plant nurseries are undertaken by those with minimal training and experience in that area. They are used primarily as a marketing tool to sell plants, often very common or less desirable plants, and what you receive design-wise may be very substandard.

$49 for a landscape design is an absurdly low charge!! And $29 doesn't even deserve consideration. If you opt for one of these types of cut-rate services, make sure you ask to see completed examples of the designer's work (preferrably those that have been in place for several years) and of projects that address the same issues you have and assure yourself that they meet all your requirements. Even better, ask to speak to the customers who requested these services......if they are happy and satisfied, I am sure the nursery would be willing to share this information or any testimonials. If not......run away fast!!

What is a normal range that one would pay for a professional design? (For someone that works with more than just super high end clients). We are a family of moderate means, but we’re willing to spend something for a good plan that we can implement over some time.

Charges will vary according to region and area and with the experience, skill and reputation of the designer. And how complicated or detailed a plan you want. Here, that could range from a couple hundred bucks for a simple plan for a small area to several thousand for a large project or a more intricate plant- or hardscape-heavy design plan.

"They [low priced nursery/garden center landscape designers] are used primarily as a marketing tool to sell plants, often very common or less desirable plants, and what you receive design-wise may be very substandard." My sentiments exactly. One would likely get the typical "builder's plan" ... the kind of problem prone landscape that everyone can't wait to redo as soon as possible.

The forum is good for giving ideas about general direction to take, or spot problem solving ... but it does not produce PLANS, which are essential for a quality landscape product. One has the option of drawing their own plans if they are DIY oriented and feel competent about it. (They can get advice from the forum on the mechanics of doing it. ) If not, as in every other project, they must hire a professional. But landscaping without plan at all will probably result in something less desirable than a 'builder's plan.'

The approach one takes for a back yard depends largely on one's goals and objectives. Some people want total privacy, as in a private paradise ... they don't want to see any part of neighbor's houses. Other people want a more open solution and prefer not to block much view between neighbors' yards. Still others want to block sight lines between theirs and neighbors' outdoor living spaces while keeping a feel of openness at other places. One needs to decide on their goals in order for a plan to shape up that would meet them.

In nearly every discussion of creating a privacy border of some type comes the advice to avoid a uniform hedge. I would take this with a grain of salt because often, especially when space is at a premium, it may be the uniform hedge that best fills the bill. Many people here are plant loving "gardeners" and can't conceive of a planting that is not crammed with as much variety as possible. A potential downside to that is more labor in upkeep, more space consumption, and a busier look. If that fills the bill, no problem. But there are advantages to uniformity in potential space conservation, a cleaner look and simpler maintenance. Landscaping is not 'one size fit all.' Develop your goals and set about to see how they can be realized.

Privacy is more than just being hidden behind something. I read a gardening design book once that talked about a feeling of enclosure, which is really what you're after. Especially in a situation like yours where it will be impossible to be hidden.

For example, one of the reasons that your lot seems so un-private from your neighbors, is that there isn't anything to look at except your neighbors. The eye skips quickly over the plain grass and uniform fence ("nothing to see here, folks") and goes to the neighbors' properties. So you feel that you're basically living in their yards. Not good. Any plantings in your own yard would stop the eye, even if those plantings don't physically block the view.

The same would apply to the deck. If you have tall non-solid plants in pots on your deck, your eye stops at them and doesn't go further. It gives you a feeling of enclosure without a solid object. Same thing with a canopy. You feel sheltered under it, very pleasantly. We haven't seen your deck but maybe consider adding a frame around it at 7 ft height, even if you don't put a roof over. Hanging baskets would make you feel sheltered in it. Or even a tall vine growing up from the ground.

For example, one of the reasons that your lot seems so un-private from your neighbors, is that there isn't anything to look at except your neighbors. The eye skips quickly over the plain grass and uniform fence ("nothing to see here, folks") and goes to the neighbors' properties. So you feel that you're basically living in their yards. Not good. Any plantings in your own yard would stop the eye, even if those plantings don't physically block the view.

Yes.

With such a large property, this could get pricey. One of the ways to get make your budget stretch, is to get shrubs that get large, and don't plant them too close together. The mature size is always on the tag, or you can look it up online if you're in the planning stage. Don't do what my landscape designer did, and plant 3 Limelight Hydrangeas in a triangle, 2 feet from each other. They want to grow to 6'-8' tall and the same width, so I have to hack them back every year. My lucky neighbor has one that has room to grow, and it's so beautiful. Imagine a few of these beauties along your fence! There are other large Panicle Hydrangeas that would look great too.

Another favorite of mine is The Fairy rose. It blooms heavily and non-stop, and it spreads to a width of about 4 feet. It's not tall. You could have some big patches of that. Mine sends out long shoots, and re-roots where they touch the ground. I've dug those pieces out and transplanted them, to make new plants.

If you have gardening friends, they may have perennials that need dividing, and they can give you pieces of it. My mother transformed her large vegetable garden into flowers a few years back, and filled it mainly with friends' donations. The rest is annuals, which self-seed. White alyssum, cleome and larkspur come back every year.

The advice given so far is great! You have a great blank slate to work with. My first advice is to figure out your garden style & how much maintenance you want to do regularly? And how much you want or can spend? And go from there. If it were me I would figure out these things first & plant the main trees and larger shrubs first. Trees take years to fill out, so the sooner you do that the better. You can always worry about beds & perennials when some basic structure is in. And in my experience, if you can splurge on the larger tree(s) vs the smaller one I would do that. It gives you immediate satisfaction right away.