Our new house has old, sparse, 20 foot privet bush hedge borders. Problem is the tall privets are bare trunks for first 4 feet or so of their height- just wood stalks. Know can cut the privets down to promote lower leaf growth, but like the height of them, the sort of loose secret garden effect of privets' unkempt old growth, and like looking out at privot "canopy" from our 2nd floor windows.

Which has me trying to figure out ways to maintain narrow profile of the border (which is edge to 4 foot wide shade plant bed)while filling in the bare bottom and blocking out neighbor's adjacent AC units.

Looking for a not invasive evergreen vine that's winter hardy in NYC Zone 7 - that I can train to grow around bare privet bottoms - that's dense enough to create privacy screen - and will grow in part sun / more shade. Spring/summer flowers and/or fall berries would be a bonus. I am not an Ivy fan, which makes this even harder.

All info very much appreciated!