How about some roses? Mutabilis will bloom beautifully for you and grows to about the height you need. I provided a link so you can see a picture of this rose.

How about Rose of Sharon? They are deciduous, but would definitely give you the privacy you need with blooms all summer.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mutabilis

oleander? I have cedars as a fence row but they may grow too slow for you.

How tall is your fence? You might consider fast growing annual vines to have while some other slower, permanent plant is growing... Purple jack is a good one, unfortunately that is the only name I know for it. I suspect it may be some sort of hyacinth or runner bean.

I would plant an evergreen passion vine called Caerulea. It grows fast and will bloom a gorgeous tropical bloom.

Here is a link that might be useful: Passi Caerulea

Wax Myrtles(15-20 ft) are fast growing,evergreen,native and last about 20 yrs. They are also skinny so you could but a slow growing, longer lasting hedge behind them. They provide food for the birds in the form of tiny berries(hardly noticeable unless you're a bird) and smell good. They do fine on my alkaline caliche btw. PJ

I second PJ's wax myrtle recommendation. It also stays green in winter, so you won't lose your privacy. And, they throw lots of little plants up too (suckering?, volunteers??) to help fill in.

An oleander alternative is Arizona Rosewood, which I initially mistook for oleander. The original landscaper for my house told me what it really was. Think "oleander" and "really big shrub", and you've got rosewood!

Sandy

Here is a link that might be useful: Info on Arizona Rosewood

My first thought was Pampas grass. It gets huge very quickly, stays green all year and will keep everyone away from the fence.

Wax Myrtles grow really big really fast. The builder put one (each about 2 ft tall) on either side of my door when they built the house. 2 months later I transplanted them to the 2 visible sides of my a/c unit. They have since, in one year, not lost a leaf and grown about 3-4 ft wide and 6 ft tall. Very nice sized tree/bush that would have made it impossible to get through our front door in less than a year. What were the builders thinking?

I noticed they had a dwarf wax myrtle (Myrica pusilla) at Rainbow Gardens in San Antonio as well as the one that gets as big as a tree.

"Evergeen, compact shrub. Glossy, olive-green foliage. Aromatic. Adapts well to many conditions. Grows best with supplemental water in dry periods. Used in mass plantings. Blue fruit on female. Average size 5' x 5'.

The form and leaves looked the same except smaller. Hopefully it would grow as fast.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dwarf wax myrtle (Myrica pusilla)

Make sure it won't block your sunlight or you may be replanting your garden with shade plants. On second thought changing a garden could be fun.

I came across the following website that has info and picts....easy to use, too. http://www.huntersville.org/interactive%20ordinance/Zoning_TOCshrub.htm. We are having the same privacy issue since our back neighbor's huge cedar tree is quickly biting the dust. On our side of the fence, I planted a short row of native bamboo which I love (I also love weeping willows and have planted those). I do not know if the bamboo will take hold or not--I would like to see a small "forest" eventually! Serenity and movement. Lots of people on Craig's List, propagate and sell bamboo so it is easy to find. If that does not work, my next endeavor is wax myrtle,

We planted elaeagnus for privacy. It grows fast and in the fall smells so good. We keep ours trimmed to about 6 ft which is the height of the chain link fence next door that we want to block from view

I have elaeagnus, also, and love the fragrance as well as the beautiful leaves. Mine blooms more than once each year - perhaps because I do not have to do much pruning to mine, and the cardinals love to nest in it.

Carrie751 do you just let your elaeagnus sort of willow?
I'm trying that with one out back to see what it would look. Probably in a few weeks the HOA people well send me a nasty note telling me to trim and shape it and if we don't they'll take us to court. I'm so glad that soon we'll be moving out.

I cut only the canes that are unruly, the rest I have left to grow as it pleases. It is probably 10 to 12 feet tall, and I like the looks of it. I planted it with the intentions of keeping it trimmed, but it grew rather quickly, and before I could shape it, the cardinals had already begun building nests in it, so I just gave it to them. I am glad now that I did, and I suppose it does sort of willow.

The one out back is about 12 ft to and it's so pretty.
I bought some unpainted bird houses at Michael's when they were on sale and the 2 youngest grand daughters had lots of fun painting them. When they were all done they pointed where in the elaeagnus they wanted them hung. Lots of birds now have new homes

Aren't they fun to watch? I get so much enjoyment watching the birds and their antics.

Came across this link by accident.
http://www.fast-growing-trees.com/ThujaGiant.htm

Thanks to all of you for your great suggestions! I'm going to try several things and see what does best. You all are wonderful! Jeani