Best privacy shrubs/trees Chicago Area

Best privacy shrubs/trees Chicago Area

How tall? How wide?
How much sun/shade?
Will you be able to irrigate it to get it started?
Are fruit or flowers important?

Ahhh..I thought I gave more info...sorry.
We bought a new house and we want to plant shrubs or trees around the property. We planted pine trees from arborday.org but they are very small and it willtake forever to grow. I would like something inexpensive and fast growing. We dont care about flowers or fruits, evergreens would be great but not necessary.Thanks

Since we dont have big trees yet full sun, we can water if need it.

You could plant Miscanthus giganteus as a short term screen (couple to several years), and plant a more permanent desirable species that will grow up to the size you ultimately want. When they are big enough, you edit out what you no longer need.

The Giant Miscanthus will provide an 8-10' screen annually.

Anything else? Something permanent? I don't want to deal with this tall grass. We planted 4 Spruce Norways and 4 Spruce Colorado Blue this spring around the property line but these are only 5-6 inch tall. I also have 6 Arborvitae Green giant about 2' tall on one side facing my neighbor back patio door.

You gave two parameters: inexpensive and fast-growing, to create a screen till your permanent evergreen plants grow up.

Given a plausible solution that anyone could implement, you refuse it out of hand.

If you are unwilling to spend a larger amount of money to buy woody plants that are already tall enough to create the screen you desire, I don't know how to answer you.

Here is what Miscanthus giganteus can do for you instantly...

From where you can get Miscanthus giganteus? I found a reasonable priced site but it was by reservation.

Here's information from right here at Daves Garden:

http://davesgarden.com/products/ps/go/1598/

This vendor looks like an efficient way to acquire as many of these plants as you'd like:

http://www.lacycreekgrowers.com/misc-gig.html

$10-15 for a plant/rhizome of the sources you provided . You have to plant a rhizome every 9" - that gets expensive. I found this, they sell them for $1.5 and under:

http://www.mapleriverfarms.com/index.php

It isn't up to me where you buy them or how much you spend. You asked where to find them, and I gave you four sources.

I'm sorry that you are taking the stance that you are exhibiting. Good luck with your gardening.

Geez, you can only cheap out so much. My guess is these miscanthus rhizomes for $1.50 are going to be so small it's going to be several years before they do anything meaningful. Adymaxx, did you look at the second link that VV gave you? That website has them at a maximum of $2.89 each. They are suggesting you plant one every 3 feet. I don't know how much you're trying to cover but I'd go with the slightly more expensive plants regardless because they are offering a much higher quality plant.

I wonder if a medium sized shrub might work better. Select perhaps 3-5 species, and mix them in batches, perhaps 2 of one species + 3 of another, then a gap (baby tree) and then another set of 5-7, again an odd numbered blend of 2 species... and keep on going until the property is lined with them. You could mix and match this way:
Choose 2 permanent plants, and space them properly between the trees, and add 3 fast, but temporary plants in a zig-zag line in front of (or behind) the permanent plants.

Here are some plant names, it is up to you to research to be sure they will grow in your area, and to find them. Ditto the comments above: Cheapest is not going to be the best. * marks the ones that are the fastest in my area. YMMV

*Cotoneaster salicifolius. There are many other Cotoneasters, but I have no idea which (if any) will grow for you.
Elaeagnus pungens, or E. x ebbingei. Several varieties with colored leaves.
Euonymus japonicus and others. Many varieties with colored leaves. Best in full sun.
Photinia x fraseri
*Pyracantha- several species, many varieties. Some can be trained as small trees.
Prunus laurocerasus- certain varieties.
Viburnum- many species, but not all are hardy in all zones.
Osmanthus- many species, not all hardy in all zones.
Ilex- many species. Look into I. vomitoria
*Ligustrum- several species, some invasive by reseeding.
**Lavatera thuringiaca (and perhaps others)
Escallonia

Thank You for your suggestions. I'll go with what I can find locally and I'll mix them up.