Forgot to include, zone 5b, flat old farmland with a foot or so of clay top soil, harder clay below. Pretty wet in the spring, soft but no standing water.

I can't think of any grass, other than very hardy Bamboo, which will do what you want.

5' ornamental grasses for your zone will have to be cut to the ground every late winter, in order to keep them healthy, and they won't regrow to full height until early to mid-summer.

Salix (Willow) might work, but I don't know about growing it from seed. Cuttings work great, and are much cheaper than full blown plants. It might take a couple of years of taking and rooting cuttings from your original purchase, but you could really put together a thick hedge.

Gleditsia triacanthos (Honey Locust), which can be grown from seed, would also make a thick (and very spiny) hedge. It's fast growing, but relatively short-lived (120 years) as trees go.

Did a little research. I've always wanted to grow bamboo, but it would take some years to build that large of a screen, or a lot of money. Looked at some of the large miscanthus, and they would work well, I think, but don't know if seed can be purchased. Gonna look into it. For next year I think I may till up and plant with field corn, or make the screen my sweetcorn patch, serve double duty with that idea. Thanx for the help. Ken.

Hey Ken...

If your still considering grasses you can check out santarosas current sale. Might give you a jump start as opposed to using seed since their fall sale prices are very reasonable I think. I got a couple myself...

Although Zebra grass may be pushing it a little in zone 5 may work well for you. 8ft and at Buy 1 get one free it comes out to just under $2 a plant. They have a bunch other varieties if zebra grass isnt your style.

http://www.santarosagardens.com/Miscanthus-sinensis-Zebrinus-p/mis-zeb.htm

You could plant Tall Grass prairie types like Big Bluestem, Indian Grass, Redtop Tridens, Switchgrass, Ryegrass etc. You can order seeds from many sources online by the pound either in single types or mixed. It will take a couple seasons to establish. You could add some medium and tall forbes like wild tall sunflowers too. Would attract all kinds of interesting wildlife, birds, butterflies etc. along with the deer.

It would be very cold hardy, drought hardy, self seeding and low maintenance once established.

Some of those native grasses get very tall and would be easy to hide in.

I really like the Idea of the prarie grasses and sunflowers, that would have a nice eye appeal. My soil is heavy clay underneath, with a decent 10 inches of clay based top soil above. Grows good tomatoes, and corn. The plan for next year will be sweet corn for the screen, and one section of prairie grass/sunflowers/etc. for a test planting. I may try some of the miscanthus as well, I have a few in raised beds that do just fine. Big bluestem is the tallest , so that will be the prairie. I've seen some pretty big fountain type grasses growing here abouts, may try some of that.

There is a very large and pretty clump of native Switchgrass (Panicum) about five miles from my house growing on an undeveloped plot I saw last year. It was taller than me and I am 5'8". The blooms must be 6 and a half or seven feet tall, very vertical and the leaves were easily as tall as I am. It was a solid clump 8 to 12 feet across and very dense. I saw it and had to stop the car and go down and see what it was. It really stood out and was very defined. A deer could certainly hide behind it and you'd never see it. Switchgrass will grow in clay. I would choose it for sure. Theres a lot of improved varieties too but that will cost you more. Santa Rosa has quite a lot to choose from.

Thanx cactus, I had decided on the big blue because it grows the tallest. 6 foot leaf tops would be great. Does switch grass do better in clay than big blue? I would hate to waste one season planting something not quite suitable.

Kenny..I'd definitely choose Big Bluestem over Switch Grass.

The biggest reason is your zone. Switch Grass is rated hardy to zone 5, but that's the bottom of its range, and the chances of it re-seeding are lower than in the warmer parts of its range.

Big Bluestem, on the other hand, is rated to zone 4, so it has a better chance of re-seeding.

Neither of them will hit the heights listed in the plant descriptions, because those descriptions are based on optimal growing conditions...ie; the middle of their hardiness range, with ample sun, warmth, moisture, etc..

You might want to experiment with both, either in separate sections of your planting, or inter-mixed. Switch Grass blooms in early summer, and Big Bluestem in late summer, so you'd have a longer period of fresh blooms if you grow both. If you mix them together in a planting, one will eventually take over the patch...my bet would be on Big Bluestem.