Hydrangeas. If that spot isn’t super dry. There are hydrangeas that grow to 8’ and others that grow only 3-4’. They like shade; I can’t tell if that spot is always shaded or not. Are you standing at your house when you took the picture? Would there be hot afternoon sun shining in that spot? Hydrangeas wouldn’t like afternoon sun.

Like that comment to make it like a natural woodland than a solid wall! I was leaning towards ornamental a d fragrant so that our neighbors can appreciate it too!

I don't know exactly where you are, but a few Eastern hemlocks scattered in there might work. It's one of the few evergreens that will tolerate partial shade.

I believe there are some fragrant native shrubs. Not sure if they'd suit your area. Lindera benzoin?? Philadelphus lewisii??

What's native depends on where in the world this is. We don't know that yet. We also don't know which direction the site faces.

There really hasn't been enough information provided to start recommending specific plants.

I was assuming somewhere in the chilly north of the USA. OP says 5a and the yard looks very American. I just gave a couple of tentative ideas. Note the ??? The site looks pretty sunny. It's very bright even though it is winter and the sun is clearly very low.

In a zone 5a, most "evergreens" will be conifers and the majority will not be shade tolerant or will tend to grow tall and provide minimal screening as a result. An exception are yews (Taxus sp.). They can grow in full sun or near total shade, are drought tolerant once established and one of the few conifers that can be pruned as often as necessary to maintain a specific height. Some thing like Taxus x media 'Hicksii' would be perfect for your conditions and provided you get a few already of decent size, you'll have the start of year round screening almost immediately. Then fill in with some flowering native shrubs as previously suggested and with flowers, seed or berry production and possibly fall foliage color, you will have a privacy screen with multiple seasons of interest.

5a Oregon and 5a New York are a continent apart. So yes, location matters.

ETA: Even between Michigan and New York there are enough differences that the 'native plants' are not going to be identical.

Ooops. Forgot to mention, Illinois Zone 5b. Kankakee county

5a Oregon and 5a New York are a continent apart

They are also a continent apart ------ visually. There is nothing in the OP's pics that indicate that is anything but a midwest or east coast setting. Even the lower zones of most of the west coast are populated by conifers. Deciduous trees are in a minority. .

There are also an assortment of native shrubs that are common to wide swathes of the country......so less of a concern about specific location. Although there are also plenty of attractive and well behaved non-natives that would work equally as well.

Avoid yews if deer are a problem. Large rhodies would work (unless that area gets hot western sun) and only if the soil is acidic enough. I would certainly look at groupings of understory trees--redbuds, Amelanchier, Halesia, Cornus florida.

Fothergillea should be fragrant, if you get the right cultivar, flowers in the early spring and has nice fall color. Probably native to you, too. Holly is evergreen, which is a plus, if you want to block the view in winter, although dense planting will go some way, even with deciduous shrubs.

Fothergillia blooms in spring, before the leaves come out

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Is it the two windows in the picture? Are you about where Tue driveway is? If so nothing needed. No one can see a thing.

Maybe the OP would just prefer not to have to stare at the neighbour's garage and house all winter.

So something different than privacy as the post states then.

The advantage of a mixed shrub border is that you can use both evergreen and deciduous shrubs. Also, planting all of one species leaves you vulnerable to losing the entire border if one becomes diseased. I would be sure to offset the plants and maybe have two rows at least. It will be more natural and prettier, imho. It is a wonderful piece of property and a woodland garden will be magnificent!