Birch grows fast and sucks up excess water. A mix of plants and heights always looks best. Do you want to screen your back yard? Or the second story windows? I'd plant a few taller trees to block views you want to block, fill in with shrubs.

What is the drainage ditch for? Storm water runoff? If the ditch ever has water running through it, I wouldn't plant anything in it and certainly not a tree.

not sure what the original purpose was. it was there before my house was built. The whole neighborhood is on a slope and it leads to a pond. There’s some large trees and various bushes already growing well in it. I just want thicker coverage for privacy because there is a landscape business behind me with a lot of activity in the summer.

Can you place a couple of trees closer to the house? Trees higher on the slope will block the view faster.

Looks to me that what you need is large shrubs. If you have the room, fence and then layers of shrubs with some small trees. Shrub/tree border could be 15-20 feet deep front to back with a carefully chosen mix of shapes, sizes, deciduous and evergreen, with flowers, berries perhaps, fall color. I am NOT talking about a stiff row of the same plants or a manicured hedge.

Green giant arborvitae is fast growing, disease and deer resistant. Unless you have extreme drought for long periods it stays nice and pretty. Good growth in a lot of different soil types too.

I'd use a couple of sycamores as the base along the fence (love standing water, beautiful bark for winter interest, fast growing) then add a mix of shrubs/small trees as lacey suggested along the fence. Higher on the slope plant a couple of redbuds (fast growing, spring flowers) for a focal point to further distract your eye.

Deer will eat the arborvitae to the ground so dont get those. I speak from experience.

" Deer will eat the arborvitae to the ground so dont get those. I speak from experience. "

That may be true for regular arborvitaes - Thuja occidentalis - but Green Giants are a hybrid of two entirely different species of Thuja. They are significantly less appetizing to deer but not immune from predation if the deer are hungry enough or lacking other food sources.

Probably won’t do a fence. I just want to soften the views. The semi was just doing a delivery and isnt usually there. The entire ditch is my property so I like the idea of being able to utilize that space and not have to take up lawn space. Fast growing is a must, but i like the idea of planting a mix of trees and bushes for a more natural feel. Anything I could plant with green giants that would add some color in the fall?

We used Leyland Cypress to block a neighbor's messy yard. Fast growing.

nyssa sylvatica