Podacarpus is beautiful... just plant them close. Also Italian Cyprus. You need a ladder to keep them from putting out strange limbs, but both will do the job for you. I'd lean to Podacarpus.

When I was researching plants for a similar area in my house, I was coming up with Shrubby Yew Podocarpus (Podocarpus macrophyllus maki) from Monrovia Nursery. It is a more shrublike and less treelike form of Yew Podocarpus (Podocarpus macrophyllus). Monrovia.com website has some more info.

Italian cypress will eventually be a huge problem, literally. Emerald Isle Leyland Cypress is another choice.

I went with Hollywood Juniper since that is what my neighbor on the other side used and I had the additional width for that.

I suppose you should also check into root habits of whatever you choose. The concrete and pool are close to that wall, and you don't want something to lift and crack those things.

Nice dog, BTW!

Do the Ligustrum (Privet). If you keep it sheared once or twice a year, you won't have problems. Photinia would work--it is okay, can get scale. Long term, the Ligustrum will give you the least headaches. The podocarpus will in time be as root-distructive as Ficus and italian cypress is overkill--they can quickly get 40' tall.

However, if all you want is to screen your neighbor's view, another option would be to do a wrought-iron wall topper and grow an easy vine on it like Bignonia capreolata 'Tangerine Beauty', but you have to keep up on the trimming of it. A wrought-iron fence topper with some strategic metal panels would give you screening without need for plants--then you could do a variety of shorter, clean plants for around a pool and widen your options. The drawback of course is wrought-iron is pricer than a few dozen shrubs.

Ficus will destroy both your wall and your pool deck.

Perhaps you would like to try Austin Griffith Manzanita: drought tolerant, native, the proper size, evergreen, clean. Roots shouldn't pose much of a problem either.

It does attract native bees, but native bees don't really pose a threat or concern to people in general.

Here is a link that might be useful: Austin Griffiths Manzanita

Thulja Green Giant. You can find it at Fast Growing Trees. I wouldn't buy bigger that the three to four foot size because these grow fast. You don't have to buy from this site either. Just has a lot of good info about the tree. Watch the video about them. Good Luck, Jeff
www.fast-growing-trees.com

I had the same criteria two years ago - check out pittosporum. After obsessive research, I created a hedge of the Marjorie Channon variety and they are my favorite plants in the yard. Nice and dense, water wise once established, fast growing, happy on my rocky hillside, with gorgeous pale green leaves edged in cream. Everyone has privet and ficus. The Pitts are unusual and I think, lovelier! Mine have shot up to over six feet and are still going. I added some bougainvillea in the same area and I'm worried they'll shade my Pitts too much but the combo is great as a fence eater. I'll try to attach a pic - this shows the bougs more than the Pitts but they are the silvery toned second layer...and you can't see my house! :)

Hi all! Thanks so much for all the great feedback & suggestions. Currently we purchased and planted one podocarpus. My husband loves this one the most so that said it will likely be all along that back wall. Cetacea33 I love your pairing of the pitts with bougainvillea and will thinking I may try that along our east wall.
Been obsessively searching on everything I can read on Podocarpus G. and MOST are saying the roots are no problem with this guy. I have seen mature ones as trees planted alot around So Cal next to buildings, sidewalks you name it and I have not seen any visible lift.
Then, about 1 in 10 webpages, I can find someone saying they DO create root problems.
I am so confused, there is conflicting information out there. I see a lot of pictures of them as privacy hedges and even a few around a pool similar to my situation.
If anyone out there can give me more info on the life and times of a Podocarpus it would be much appreciated!!!
Thanks again to everyone and I value all your imput!
=)

Not an expert but my research was that there are lots of different species of Podocarpus and the larger ones like Gracilis do become a problem. Medium size ones like Macrophyllus eventually can be a problem but take longer.

Supposedly Maki never gets big enough to be a problem but you would be best off talking to Monrovia Nursery for more details. We have several in a planter surrounded by concrete that have been growing for 15 years with no issue and I would be pretty comfortable that will not be an issue in another 15 years.