Both can be wonderful shrubs. Please note that some bayberry bushes will only grow to about 3-4 feet in the great lakes region, so read up on the variety you look at. Bayberry has a wonderful scent (both leaves and fruit) and the berries can last a long time. They do tend to like wet soil but well draining so that may be a consideration.

Honeysuckle can grow to 10 feet in the right conditions. You also have a bit of choice in the bloom color with honeysuckle. If you want a wild/natural look, honeysuckle is easy as pie. If you want to train it you've got your work cut out for you.

Personally, I find honeysuckle to be very easy and effective as a hedge. Do make sure you get one that is hardy but isn't invasive in your area.

Honeysuckle can be extrememly invasive so as whynot mentioned ... it would be good to check on its status in your area.

You might also want o check as to how bug prone these plants are. I don't know about bayberry, but my sister's honeysuckle was an aphid magnet.

I would NOT plant any kind of honeysuckle. It is very invasive, since the birds carry off the seeds, spread them everywhere. I am constantly fighting with invasive honeysuckle in my fencerows, any place I ignore for a couple weeks. It is the worst plant around here for invasion. I am not familiar with the Bayberry bushes.

If you want dense planting to prevent vision of the path, perhaps some firs, small pines, could make a solid barrier for you. Many of the cypress are going to top out as smaller bushes. They seem to do quite well in our z5 areas.

There are just so many things you could choose for screening, I would want more for my money than your named choices given the bad features.

Bayberry will work fine, and will get to at least 6-8' tall in z5. Will be nearly evergreen in mild winters. Tolerates wet soils, but prefers good drainage.

Steve Galehouse