Ever since visiting the west coast, rockies and pacific northwest I have loved the evergreens, redwoods, etc., and other native species that grow there. I know that it probably would be difficult to grow some of the trees here - however, I wondered which trees, if any, from that side of the nation, could grow here in Birmingham area? If none will, are there any similar looking trees that will grow here?

Well, good old pines are still a good choice although I would mix them with other things. As Alex said, Wax Myrtle (Morella cerifera) is a great choice, and Cherry Laurel (Prunus caroliniana) is nice. Other ideas: Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) American Holly (Ilex opaca) Inkberry (Ilex glabra) A good source of low cost seedlings is Georgia Forestry Commission where you can buy packs of 50 pine seedlings for $16 in the fall. They also sell wax myrtle (which are surprisingly tall for seedlings). Hope that helps.

Sorry to hear about your spruce :-( Foliage looks a lot like a couple of my large birdnest spruces. Wonder if this is the same thing. They are extremely low maintenance once established; mine are in about 3/4 sun and have done quite well for nearly 30 years. Is it getting too much summer sun maybe? Was the rootball well watered in? How did you prepare the hole? Any manure or potting soil added? Did you take some of the foliage off right before/after planting? That can take some of the stress off the root system and help with the shock of transplanting, worth the temporary sacrifice of size. To save the plant you have, may be best to lay off the water for a little while and shade it somehow until things cool off. Also you'll want to prune carefully, removing the dead foliage so that the plant can devote all of its energies to the living branches. Sorry if these questions/suggestions are basic; not knowing your experience level it is safer to risk asking basic questions of an experienced gardener than assuming the opposite.

I'm also trying to figure out privacy landscaping for my yard. Someone else might know better about spacing but I do know the Cherry Laurel requires regular watering. Have you considered the Wax Myrtle? 5 ft. growth per year and stops at 20 feet. It is also drought/cold resistant and repels mosquitoes. It's not as pretty though. It would fill in the space between the magnolias. The Mountain Laurel looks nice to me; it just grows more slowly. Also, have you tried mulching to increase the growth rate? I'm also considering the Moonglow Juniper.