No conifer will stop growing so you may need something that takes to pruning. Perhaps one of the many narrow Taxus baccata cultivars.

tj

18 inches is too close to the house ...

god i wish i had a nickle ...

conifers are trees.. they NEVER stop growing.. link to intro to conifers ... apply annual growth rate info to previous sentence .... most size estimates are at 10 years ... and they will be twice as big in 20 years.. etc ...

finally ... in this statement, define too long:

Will the Miniature take too long to grow to the desired size?

really now.. the faster it gets to size.. the faster you are going to have to start cutting it back to maintain the size ... planting trees/conifers.. usually is not about instant gratification ...

welcome to GW... and good luck

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Thanks for the comments.
I only expect to be in this house for 10 to 15 years. If "instant gratification" means the shrubs are the appropriate size in 5 years or less, then yeah that's what I'm looking for. I wouldn't mind doing some annual pruning. The question is could I keep the shrubs the desired size without making them look ugly.

tsugajunkie: Since these shrubs will be planted in front of a south-facing brick wall, with no shade, and lots of heat and reflected light from nearby concrete, I would be surprised if any Taxus would do well.