The designers tend to be visual also. Why not post a pic of your house from the street, and also your view outward. Suggestions are more likely to help if posters know something about your situation. For "actual plant ideas," it's impossible to make suggestions without knowing your climate and planting conditions, so please add that information.

Think about how it looks from the other side, and what the "privacy" costs in hours!

Privacy hedges grow, and they will take a toll on you.

Blinds are better. Just close them.

Suzi

Lindsroc, usually people discuss all aspects of their project--such as a front yard--in one thread. It makes it easier to relate the various aspects. Then, if they wish to add another project--such as the back yard--they start another thread. It's throwing people for a loop, I think, that you are breaking down aspects of your single project into several threads that, at first, don't seem related. I'm not saying to change anything now, but I'm just pointing out that this is really a continuation of another thread.

There is actual privacy, and a sense of privacy. Which one do you need? Achieving actual privacy requires that the outsider's ability to see and hear you is modified sufficiently, or totally removed ... such as with a screen of some kind. Achieving a sense of privacy only requires that you feel like his ability to see and/or hear you has been modified sufficiently. One method of feeling like you have more privacy is by being in shade. While something in the shade is not actually hidden from view, it can be very difficult to see. Shade definitely gives people a sense of privacy.

I'm just looking for inspiration, I would like to see ideas others have had. I'm not looking for advice in this post, just inspiration.

"Inspiration, move me brightly. light the song with sense and color;
Hold away despair, more than this I will not ask."

Lindsroc, a book which addresses the subject is "Landscaping for Privacy" by Marty Wingate.

I recently purchased the book, but haven't read it yet or looked at many of the photos, so don't have an opinion on how inspirational it might be. The Chapters are: Buffers: Softening the Impact of Nuisances; Barriers: Effective Designs that Deter Invasion; Screens: Solutions for Unwanted Sights; Plant Lists.

Thank you, that sounds great!!! I will look for it today.