Ariel,

Have you thought of Leyland Cypress Trees? Leylands are the most popular privacy tree in the U.S.A. They grow very fast and thicken to create a solid wall. Its feathery texture is soft to the touch. Stays green all year-round, giving you complete privacy. They quickly adapt to your soil and climate
* Mature to a majestic pyramidal form
* Thrive in Growing Zones 6-10
* Drought tolerant

Lou

The Florida Pine (Ponderosa) is a great tree though you might or might not have to rake the needle shed. I usually just mulch mow under it. Once in a while I rake and shred for the nice mulch that results.

My favorite neighbor hedge is clumping bamboo. Our neighbors (both sides) were worried at first but I explained it was the "good" bamboo and now they both LOVE it. They don't even want us to trim it from their side.

On one side it gives my kitchen sink window something nice to look at instead of the ugly side of one neighbors house (A/C unit and shed) and on the other side it is between our two pools so we both get more privacy.

Bambusa malingensis (seashore bamboo), Bambusa chungii (barbie blue), Dedrocalumus asper (white or ghost bamboo).

We have a pretty small lot but these and about 10 other bamboos fit on it (with many other plants also).

It is not non-shedding but it drops leaves neatly below as mulch and not in the yard. No raking.

Would get rid of the Norfolk Pines if possible. Had one in a neighborÂs yard come down in Wilma. I had to have been over 100 feet tall and crushed a telephone pole, wires and a car. The ones left standing lost all their branches and still look terrible. I think clumping bamboo is a great suggestion. Otherwise, a variety of cold hearty palms with some podocarpus hedges would also do the trick. Mixing it up always provides for a better landscape.

Magnolia Grandifolia is evergreen, and it's one of the most sturdy of trees in hurricanes. Although it is an evergreen, you still have to deal with the leaves dropping as they age. I also like Southern Red Cedars. They don't drop needles like a pine does and they look like Christmas trees. Leyland Cypress are nice and grow fast but I've heard that they don't live long. There are other Junipers that don't get as big as Cedars. Other than that I can't think of anything that isn't deciduous and worth planting except for palms. I would be leery of bamboos unless you are sure they are the clumping variety.

Those are all great suggestions I will need to look them up to find out some more information on them.

imagardener- i never even thought about bamboo,(clumping of course)-great suggestion.