Today they are taking out the bamboo. This will leave the pine tree in the corner... too large to cut down without a city permit. If they try to do that on the weekend, I might have to interfere until the city office opens on Monday.

I could have a fence installed for privacy, but that might curtail any breezes coming through.

What should I consider planting just inside my fence for 1) birds 2) butterflies 3) privacy?

The area now gets full late afternoon sun = hot and dry.

Firebush (Hamelia patens)? The basic variety can get pretty large.

My Panama rose (Rondeletia leucophylla) is very tall too, but it's not very dense. That may be because I haven't ever trimmed it and just let it sprawl.

Yes to both - thanks!

However... the Panama rose directions say to put "in a location that receives morning sun and shade in the heat of the afternoon". What do you think? This area will get watered only when I drag the hose there once a week. If a wood fence gets erected that might solve the afternoon sun problem.

Mine is mostly shaded - high shade under tall oak and seagrape, late afternoon sun and only gets rainwater. I've had it a long time and it's well over 6' tall.

I think butterflies like firebush better, tho. Not sure if birds like the berries.

I also have a pretty tall and bushy holly under the same oak tree and mockingbirds seem to like the berries.

I have a lot of Psychotria nervosa...(a Florida native plant), wild coffee growing in my garden. The mockingbirds eat the berries and the plants are spread here and there. They are easy to spot and can be pulled up when little or cut back quite a bit if they grow too tall. The University of Florida gardening solutions site has great pictures and had this to say about the plant....

These shrubs reach 4 to 10 feet tall and spread 4 to 8 feet wide with a dense, rounded growth habit. When grown in heavy shade, the form may be more like a small tree with an open canopy. Cultivars of wild coffee, such as the dwarf shrub 'Little Psycho'™ can be found in the plant trade.

Birds and other wildlife are attracted to wild coffee fruits, while the flowers are one of the nectar sources for the rare Atala butterfly found primarily in southeast Florida.

I wish the Atala were here on the west coast, too. I think wild coffee would be great here. Thanks!

Thinking also, although not tall or thick: Beauty Berry and Tea Olive.

Love, love Beauty Berry- and so do many birds- some of mine are 10-12 ft. tall.

Also have dozens of Cape Honeysuckle- and they keep the hummers around most all year. Some are 8 ft. tall and they will spread if allowed.

Both of these will do OK w/ limited sun.

Wondering how well the tall blue porterweed does in shade? Bees & butterflies just love it.

Isn't wild coffee an invasive? Don't know about where you are, but I used to live in z9b/10a (at the time -- now solid 10a), and my firebush died back every winter. I hear there is a variety that won't do that, but not sure where you would get it. Anyway, ask for that one. Elderberry grows very quickly and if planted close together and trimmed back a couple of times, it's a great screen. Beautiful flowers and birds love the berries.

Florida Native Elderberry I would love to have, but need something that likes it dry ("commonly found in moist and wet open places"). Otherwise, perfect!

We found a solution to some spreading bamboo that made its way into our yard! Now it keeps regrowing and we keep using it lol. Its good for them and they love it.

What about banana shrubs? Michelia figo. They get tall and can handle semi shade. They smell like bananas and vanilla.

I have some Black Elderberries that seem to do well without a ton of watering.

Beautyberry can get tall.

How about bananas? I have many in shade and they still bloom. Mine die back some in the winter yours might not. They make a nice screen to block the view of our chicken coops and are behind our veggie garden.

My LSU figs grow about 8-10 ft tall and kinda shrubby. I think of them more of shrubs than trees. They make a good deal of yummy fruit.

I bought a Native Crabapple thats doing well. Seems pretty carefree.

Dwarf Black mulberries do well without a lot of care.

Sultry, thanks, I will check those out. I love your goat photos! I need climbing goats that will go to the top of the 3-story trees (that are left) and eat their way down.

Oh wouldnt that be fantastic! I would like some good climbers to climb up thses old tall oaks and trim back the limbs to let more light in my veggie garden! These goats would probably climb up to the main trunk but not beyond to the higher branches..if they did, they would probably try to play, King of the Mountain and butt each other off lol.

What about simpson stopper. It attracts both birds and butterflies. When in bloom it smells fantastic. It can grow up to 20 feet tall or be maintained smaller.

Also, I have several rows of popcorn cassia. The sulfur butterflies love it. Then the cardinals come and eat their caterpillars. I get lots of wild life from it.