Plants for screen

I have a area about 20-25 ft long that I am wanting to create a screen of an area in my back yard. We are not allowed to have fences in my neighborhood. I would put a gate in the middle of it. I am looking for any suggestions for plants to create a screen at least 6 ft. high. I am not looking for a formal hedge. I live in zone 5. I have woodland behind my house. I am probably looking to combine several plants, but could do just one kind. I especially like plants with fall interest (Berries, leaves, seed heads) But evergreen is fine also. I am looking for any suggestions for plants that fit that bill. Thanks.

Hollies are nice. Just one of many possibilities, though.

There are lots of different kinds, some dense, some not, some sharp, some not, etc... you could mix varieties.

http://davesgarden.com/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=Aquifoliaceae&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=Ilex&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=with&Search=Search

i've got quite a few hollies. blue prince and princess i believe. nice in winter but don't much like the heat. have red berries in fall and winter (female-princess).
many of the rugosa roses and species roses have red or orange hips.

Ninebark and elderberries are both tall, spreading shrubs, also viburnums and Annabele hydrangeas.

My sister used barberry bushes. They have fine stickers, so if you have kids it might not be a good idea, but they grew quickly, kept the neighbor's dogs out of the yard, and are very pretty color. A similar choice without the stickers would be burning bush, very beautiful in the fall sun.

http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/education/ExoticSpecies/Japanesebarberry.htm

http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/education/ExoticSpecies/wingedwahoo.htm

Those are both non-native invasive species in Illinois, probably not good choices...

I would recommend mxing amur maples and diablo ninebarks for contrast. The ninebarks grow to about 7 feet tall and wide and the amur maples will mature at 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide. They are both good for sreening. Google them both and you will find plenty of info on them.

Crazy4plants.

LakeCamelot...don't mean to take over your thread but perhaps if someone can help me, the information will be useful to you and others.

I have 90' to screen off on the back of our property (135' really but 90' is good enough for now). Priced a fence today. Yikes. Too much now even for an ugly fence. The problem, aside from not knowing what is best to plant, are two very mature maple trees. They were planted on the neighbor's property but now a foot or so of the trunk is on ours. That is OK but the problem is shade. The lot is 175' deep so I can come out from the property line quite a bit--plant several rows of screens (I can buy a LOT of plants for the price I got on a fence). Can't come out far enough to get out of the shade however--these trees are huge.

In the photo below, a red surveyors stake is just visible in front of the rear maple. Anyone have suggestions?