What are you wanting to accomplish? Big windbreak, privacy screening, wildlife options?

I tend to think using a mix is better than one kind of tree. Yes, Norway Spruce can be done in a couple rows of around 15 foot spacing- that will make a pretty good windbreak and privacy. OK for wildlife. Should be relatively easy to mow around/keep clear as they grow- once they get bigger you might not need to as much. If you put in additional lower plantings to fill that can impact too.

Be aware of the big you are planning. What is on the other side of the road? Once those trees are grown in, you are creating a big shade and wind wall. You won't get decent sun on that part of the property till afternoon. If there is open on the other side of the road, you could be creating a dead spot for snow- it can blow across the open and accumulate on the road more easily/quickly than if there is something across the road to help with wind breaking. Depending on whats across the road, you may want to plan on stepping back the plantings from the road a bit extra for snow clearance.

I wanted to add. If you aren't familiar with the area, SE Wi is a lot of kettle moraine land. Glacier action made the land curvy- and dropped a lota rocks on the way out. As you dig your holes for trees, you are likely to encounter a lot of nice rocks. Keep them, use them for walls, driveway pillars, garden borders, ect.

Thanks for the response @beesneeds. I am mainly doing this for privacy and to drown out road view/noise. On the other side of the road is woods; 60+ foot pines. Wind is not really an issue because of the woods across the road and the west half of the property. I am not too concerned about blocking morning sun because there are already those tall pines across the road and the trees I will be planting on the east side will be about 200 ft from the house; I would guess at max height they would block late morning sun for maybe another hour. What other tree would you suggest mixing in?

@beesneeds awesome, thanks for the tip. Yes right in that area

If it's mostly for privacy/sound. I don't think you need to go with such tall trees. You can do fewer trees in the more 20-30 foot max height range and still get plenty of privacy/sound control. Do a mix of evergreens and leaf droppers, add in some lower story plants to fill in the 10-15 foot tall range. The lower story fill is going to give you more for sound buffering than the Norways alone. It won't completely nix sound, but a good fill can help.

gal l will probably chime in.. that technically is wont do any sound deadening... but i thinks its psychosomatic.. if you think it will.. it will... and this isnt an urban setting.. so it will have some impact ... imo ...

as soon as you can.. if the ground is frozen .... go dig a hole.. or three... take pix... and perk your native soil... this will give us much more into to help you make this as easy as possible ... tiem the result.. how your soil drains water is imperative with trees ....

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=perc+test+soil&t=newext&iar=videos&iax=videos&ia=videos

then read and commit this to memory ...

https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub

next.. budget .. not numeric ... how big are you thinking.. and have you considered the annual county soil conservation district plant sale.. if they have one... one to 2 foot transplants will be the cheapest and fastest way to accomplish this... the larger the transplant.. the longer it takes to get over all the stresses of transplant...

tree time is counted in DECADES... trust me.. you will not have much of anything in 5 years.. not matter what size you start with ....

if you need immediate help for a deck or patio.. then build it out of wood.. and when that wood rots out in 10 or 20 years.. your trees should be all set ...

im sure there is more.. but ive lost focus... get us the additional info.. and perhaps a pic or two... and we will go from there ..

ken

@beesneeds do you have suggestions of specific species in that height range? And for the lower story plants? I am new to this so I will do some more research but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

This DNR page gives you more information. Including planning personal property plantings. You can order trees from the DNR, or from other places. https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/TreePlanting

Depending on where you are, you might be near one of the local nature centers. Those often have sales. Some counties have sales too, like Jefferson. It's not a lot of variety, but sometimes these sales can be a bargain: https://www.jeffersoncountywi.gov/departments/land_and_water_conservation/jefferson_county_tree_sale.php

I wouldn't plant a Black Hills spruce (white spruce) in SE Wisconsin, which is where I live. I have planted them in the past, only to see them start to decline when they finally get big. Colorado spruces are even worse. The Norway spruces are the best. They grow fast, keep their color, and don't decline. In my experience, Douglas fir do not do well here either. I liked them when I lived in Montana so I planted 5 seedlings when I moved here. They grew great for a while but after 20 years one is dead and the others are very thin and ratty, with some kind of trunk canker. We grew them at the nursery where I worked but they discontinued them about 10 years ago because they were too much trouble.

@nurseryman33, do you have any suggestions for evergreen species to plant alongside Norway Spruce?

It has been 15 years since I’ve been there, but the Janesville Rotary Gardens has a nice selection of conifers for you to get ideas. The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois would also be worth a trip. Picea omorika, Abies concolor and perhaps a few yellow arborvitae would be on my short list, although arbs are deer candy and may need protection.

tj

I like white pine. They usually do well here. Very fast growing. Soft needles.