Need fast growing hedge- Chicago area

My neighbor is putting on a 2nd story addition and I want to replace my forsythia hedge with something that will give us privacy year round.


Thanks!

I just put in 2 Arborvitae's. There are a number of types among them American which grows tall !!! and spreads out alot. I have a Techny and a Rushmore. The techny will grow to about 12 feet tall and spread 6 feet or so. The Rushmore will get about the same height with a 3 to 6 foot spread. They are easy to trim so those dimensions can be a corrected a bit. They grow FAST! I planted the Rushmore 3 weeks ago and it's already getting new growth. I'd recommend researching them before installing and keep the available space in mind. Good luck!

Pines, fir and spruce. There are some selected, named plants that are very handsome (and a little pricey). Good luck.

What a shame about the Forsythia hedge, it is so prety and colourful, you dont say front or back of the house, but there are no instant hedges that I know of, you will have to wait 2/3 years at the least if you want total privacy, so would a low, maybe 3 foot fence with an open trellis type top added above this help, be instant and you can maybe keep your Forsythia but add climbing shrubs to scramble up the trellis to hide it on your side, add colour and give you some hight into your side of the garden, please be aware that some really large fast growing hedges can end up blocking your light out as well as your overlooking neighbours, these hedge plants need a lot of cutting, a lot a moisture is removed from your soil and can cause you problems, and in some areas over here in UK, they are ending up as court cases, so be very selective which type you buy, just want to warn you about the pit falls, good luck anyway, you sure are in a pedicament. WeeNel.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Weenel - I know it seems a shame to cutdown our hedge to grow a better one. To answer your questions - it is in the back of the house. The house I'm trying to block is uphill from us. Our town limits fences to 5 feet. I've feertilized the forsythia this year and they're doing quite well. We also have some volunteer mulberry trees that are adding height.
I think I'll wait to see what he builds and then take pics over to the nursery.

Hi Patrice, really so sorry about the prdicament your in about neighbouring extentions, we had a simaler thing happen to us many years agow in another home, it really is so unfare, I dont know about the county/city laws where you are, but here in UK, we have to be able to view the plans of anything that borders, or is within a certain amount of feet away from our boundery, or imposes on any other owners property, then we are, by law, allowed to either agree to the errection of such, or, say no, give the reasons for not wishing this building, or, ask for amendments to the plans, in our case, the other party was enforces to alter the hight and window positions as it was agreed that, it was far to imposing on our privacy and enjoyment of our outside space, it was all agreed amicabley thankfully, and the other party really did not realise the impact his extention was to have from our point of view, so after alterations, it was eventually passed for building and we were quite happy with the end results, do you have a planning dept or city dept that oversees any such matters or can you more or less just build what you like without concideration for the loss of privacey from such, if you do, then get along for a chat, they can only say no, it should cost you nothing, and might help your situation. Good luck anyway. WeeNel.