Hi J!

The usual info out there says that depending on how fast you want your screen to grow (it also depends on what type of bamboo you use, if it's clumping or running-running is faster hence the name, but can be invasive). If you want a real fast fence, they usually say to plant 5 feet apart (or less if you have a good source of bamboo plants). You don't really have to get rid of the brush, unless the place gets mostly shade, then you would want to maybe cut down the larger trees that shade it so the boo grows faster.

Also, make sure to get bamboo that is hardy in your zone...I accidentally got p. nigra (henon) for my yard, it's hardly spread at all. It comes back every year but it hasn't done much. Hope this helps a bit.

Also unless you put in a good barrier, your neighbors will eventually start to get boo's in their yards too. If you don't like your neighbors, this may or may not concern you.

Me, I wish our neighbors would have huge man-eating plants invade their property and eat them all. I can always dream.....

Ha ha! That's hysterical. My Parents have a huge grove of yellow groove bamboo (running) which I hope to mooch off of, if we can figure out a way to get it here (PA to MA). I will need to put up some kind of a barrier to keep it contained, so I guess I need to dig a trench along his fence and put plastic in it? Is that how that's done?

this page has bamboo screen planting suggestions

http://needmorebamboo.com/privacyscreen.html

As long as you put the barrier down deep enough and make sure it sticks out at the top at least an inch (those rhizomes can 'travel'), it should be okay. Bamboo can be managed by getting out the lawnmower when it shoots up in the spring.

If you discover any carnivorous bamboo, send some my way, I'll pay for it. I've got the perfect place to plant them...

Not sure of your zone, but from about zone 7 plus, many of the most popular runners will EVENTUALLY (after a period of several years) become highly invasive without some control. Remember, they WANT TO FORM A GROVE (NOT A FORMAL HEDGE). Some of the Phyllostachys are much more aggressive than others. The common P. aureum (Golden Goddess) can be very aggressive given the proper conditions. Believe me, I speak from experience! P. nigra (Black Bamboo is not nearly as aggressive but it too will need to be controlled (P. nigra though needs a zone 7 to thrive.) Pseudosasa japanica hasn't been such an aggressive spreader for me (possibly because the P. aureum eventually strangled it. You might want to consider clumping (NON-SPREADERS). Basically, in northern climates the biggest genus is Fargesia but they have some issues. Many have good to excellent cold hardiness but have relatively low heat tolerance (many are mountain species). They are also supposed to be slower to extablish (even the runners will take several years befor they TAKE OFF). (I just got into Fargesias so I can't give you and feedback on them.) If you go with runners you can purchase a rhizome barrier (even saw this being sold on ebay--they're not cheap). Or you could trench around each of your plants and cut the running shoots once they extend beyond the perimeter you've established. You do have to be concerned about spread to your neighbor as well. Remember some of the timber species want to attain an eventual height of over 35-50 feet (which could be an issue cropping up unintentionally in someones backyard). I have several species in large containers that overwintered well (aureum, vivax, viridis, nidularia and nigra). (Moved within the past year.) Now I am debating whether to keep them (civilized) in containers or to let them run wild in the back. There is a boggy expance just beyond a tiny patch of woods in back of me (so that should naturally curtail its expansion to the rear--as they are not supposed to spread into boggy conditions). Then I'll just worry about treching on the sides of the grove. Hope this was helpful. Good luck!