Recently, new homes have been built behind our house and we are looking for visual screen plants that will grow in shade. We live in Zone 5b in southern Maine.

On our SOUTHERN SIDE, there's about 75' of woods separating our lawn from the new home's lawn. The woods are a pretty mature forest of oak, pine and hemlock. Most of the canopy is high, so we don't enjoy a screening effect at ground level. Rather we see right through the trees. Our soil has considerable clay in it. I'm tempted to speak with the owner of the new home once they move in and suggest we plant some coniferous seedlings on their side of the woods which would get full sun, as opposed to our side of the woods that is in the shade.

Our WESTERN SIDE is really an identical situation except everything is Canadian Hemlock. I am going to try and find an evergreen to plant at the edge of these woods, as they do get some sunlight. I just need one with an upright habit such as arborvitae. But I also would like to learn what I can plant under the hemlock canopy to get ground level screening.

At some point, I may cut some of the big high canopy trees to let in some sunlight. Right now only their trunks provide screening and that is obviously limited.

I would appreciate any guidance that anyone can provide. Thank you.