However one more plant choice evades me... a tree! I would like to plant a tree at the foot of this garden, to right hand corner pictured below. I would like to screen the view of the upper level of the home across the street, they currently have a clear view to our front door/patio - you can see their balcony and another window in the picture.

Preferably an evergreen tree so that we have privacy in winter, too.

This is a full sun location all day long, the gate faces SW and that corner of the garden gets sun starting around 9am and is never in the shade except the part shaded by the fence after about 3pm. Any tree higher than the fence would get full sun at least 8 hours/day.

Obviously there is a narrow space there so ideally I'd like a single trunk tree that has an upright trunk and then the canopy can branch out over the pathway once the branches are over 7' or so. An upright growing habit would be good.

I first chose a Natida fig tree, because I liked the look and the foliage, it seemed to fit my criteria but some forum members warned me that the roots would probably rip up the sidewalk in short order and that it would quickly grow too large. It saddened me to return that tree because I really thought it fit the bill.

Perhaps I could also plant a more spreading tree on the left side of the path, if the branches can be pruned to clear the walkway - so that it doesn't spread too much over our neighbor's fence (to the right, with her oleander peeping over). The wall to the left is our carport and the roof is a flat composite type, so a tree could spread over it comfortably. Other units have large mature trees in their little front courtyards including redwoods in a few yards! You can see a large tree in the front of the unit across the street, too.

PS this picture was taken at twilight, otherwise the camera is sun-blinded.

Does anyone else have recommendations?

Most trees, evergreen or not, that will eventually produce a more spreading canopy (which it seems like you are looking for) will cause all sorts of traffic/headroom issues until they grow up tall enough to walk under/pass by easily. And you just do not have enough room there to plant anything that has already got that kind of clearance.

Do you have room to plant on the outside of the gate?

If you want something with minimal maintenance... put in a taller fence.

As stated above......trees just don't stop growing. Sure you could prune to limit size of the top growth but who wants to be tied to all that frequent maintenance? To say nothing of how the roots will react under that sort of hardescape confinement.

Sorry if I missed some details just wanted to throw out a quick suggestion.

"FDR96 Sweet Bay Laurel ( Laurus nobilis )
Bay laurel is a pyramid-shaped tree or large shrub with aromatic, evergreen leaves and shiny gray bark. It can reach 60' in height in its native range, but generally is much smaller (3-10' tall) in culture. "
http://www.seedman.com/trees/laurus_nobilis.htm

Here are some more typical specimens, they are very easy to prune and shape - I already have 2 little topiary bay laurels in urns.

and as a shrub