Leylandii will grow in our zone... but are subject to disease. I suspect that is why I haven't really seen too many of these planted around here (even though the big box stores are jam-packed with them and pushing them). I have to tell you though, if your houses are 15 ft. apart, it will end up growing right up to your neighbor's door... and may even end up swallowing their house. (hmmm, but then maybe that's the solution you are looking for!) ;)

This place has 6-12" rooted cuttings of Thuja occidentalis 'Wintergreen' which is one of my very favorite plants:

(In 2 or 3 years they should be relatively well-established and start putting on good growth. Can grow up to 3 feet per year.

Here's a pair of giant's of this cultivar:
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Dax

Here is a link that might be useful: Reeseville Ridge Nursery

Call the city and complain. The codes department will come out and make them clean up the trash.

If that is not and option put up a privacy fence as a back drop and add upright conifers in front of it. The fence for a quick fix and the conifers to add interest and color.

Go to you county extension agent or local nursery for advice as to the best choices to plant in your area.

Dave

Those are some nice Thujas Dax,i love to see them growing naturally like that,a rare sight round here! 3 foot a year your say-thats fast and I remember being told that Leylandii grow that quick. Are the Thuja the ones with fragrant foliage,or is that Tsuga?

I agree with Dave on this one. Call your local zoning office about the obvious violation. Also put up a privacy fence for an instant screen. We have the exact same type of neighbor in back of us, and our privacy fence went up REAL fast! heehee Just make sure to ask zoning about what type (height, etc.) fence you can use because there are usually also zoning laws regarding that, which we had to find out about the hard way. Our neighbor is a real jerk and he called zoning about our fence because it was not within the code for height, so we ended up having to replace it with another fence... what a nightmare.

Anyway, we are still in the process of planting conifers in front of it, because it is such a long property (250 ft. wide), but we can take our time doing that now because the privacy fence is doing its job. :)

Wow!! I thank you for all of your responses. I called our local zoning office in my suburb. They laughed at me and told me I should just talk to my neighbor and ask him to remove his trash and debris. I've tried that and I've tried to bribe him with my homemade cookies (usually this works...) but, no go. He is a very independent self-righteous type, and told me not only where to go, but with whom I should go and then promptly added more trash to that side of his house....LOL...So, back to the zoning office I went with a request for a fencing permit. I am hoping this will be the backdrop as suggested from all of my responses...Now, I love that thuja picture, and I do not mind at all if this grows and grows and grows into his house. I actually thought of bamboo---but after seeing my friend's concrete driveway with 3" bamboo shoots sprouting throughout, I thought again. (I could be mean, but this is damaging meaness!!!) I thank you all for your advice. My home is stone, and the fence will be of natural wood. I do not like the vinyl nor painted look. Any suggestions would be appreciated as to what to plant in front of this fence. I will be sure to show you pictures of the before and after. Thank you so much to all so far---I really appreciate all of your ideas. They're great!!!

Dax, those 2 Thuja occidentalis 'Wintergreens' are very nice. Would you recommend them over 'Green Giants' for a wet site in winter that become hot and dry in summer?

I use Miscanthus sinensis 'Strictus'- Porcupine grass- while waiting for some Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup' to give more permanent releif. The grass makes a good screen for 9 months of the year. You cut it back in April but by the end of June the screen is back (about a 7-8 foot tall screen in July). Three plants for every 6-7 linear feet gives good coverage. The grass takes snow on it's own, but I still tie it to the fence for a bit more support. The Holmstrups should be about 4-5 feet at 10 years of age and are pretty narrow.

tj

I'm biased so I won't give my opinion over the two.
Either will do fine though.

'Hetz Wintergreen' by the way is only about 6 feet wide give or take a foot when the thing is 40 feet tall. It's such a perfect tree for screening in this situation, anyone couldn't ask for better. Here's the foliage close-up and a smaller specimen.

Dax

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Cough: re: your follow up pictures... Take a picture of the trash pile for me. I want to see if its worse that what I have to look at! (Unfortunately, my living room windows are 12 feet up in the air (A frame built into hillside) so in my lifetime nothing would grow tall enough! I'll try the cookie route!

Ok---progress report from me. I am constructing a natural fence for the length of his trash pile---believe me, it is growing by day---he even added old furniture...sigh...The fence was only going to be for his trash pile, but I decided to lengthen the fence to cover his whole side yard. I decided that I doubted we would ever converse again. No more cookies for him!!! LOL I am going outside to take some pictures and will post for all to see....:) I am using weathered wood for the construction of the fence---I thought this would be a pretty natural look with a line of thujas planted in front. Thanks!!

I think your cookies are wasted on him-good luck with the planting. Hmmm wonder if you'll ever be able to email cookies,sound tasty ;)

Good thinking on having the privacy fence cover the whole side of the yard. You have screened him from your life. If not he would probably move the trash pile so you could see it. They spend all their time making other people miserable and not wanting you to have anything nice.

I agree with Dax. The 'Hetz Wintergreen' would my choice also. Keep the growth habit down to one main leader.

Dave

Try dwarf Alberta spruce, get big ones and a couple smaller ones, no maintenance required, water in dry spells. I get a lot of compliments on mine, if you get a bare patch, plant a smaller one in front of the bare patch. Works beautifully. Not too tall but calls attention to your plantings, no one will look past them to the

I had the same problem. Go on Amazon and order a planter box with trellis and then order a sheet like of vines. Mine turned out great and pissed off the neighbor. HAPPY DAY!! LOL!!