Trees can be over the garden to at least some extent. I would definitely plant one somewhere. And if you want the benefit of it soon, one can buy big specimens - but they should be planted in spring, not early summer, and will cost a bit. There are also fast growing trees that will provide shade within 3 years, though you won't want them for long. But if you plant a slower growing nicer specimen beside it, then you have shade from the junk tree while your good one grows in. But OK, back to the shorter term. Immediate relief = awning, giant umbrella, etc, no two ways about it. Short-term - Your wires may not be that bad an idea, but even the most rampant vines (and really not sure you want those) will take two or three years to get up them (even clematis that regrow from the ground each year don't put on much overhead mass in their first year or two; perhaps you have a mature one you could move from elsewhere?). And then you have to consider that vines do put on a fair bit of weight over time, and just as they provide enough shade, they could rip your anchors out of your soffits. You can build all manner of free-standing trellises and pergolas, and a good old clematis or two would do your work for you within three years. But how much height do you need? You can only get posts that are so long. I built one that looks like a giant badminton net, used 12 foot posts and once they were sunk in far enough for stability it is only 9 feet high. If your structure is 3-dimensional you may be able to use 15-foot posts, sunk in less. Which vines to choose depends on what's hardy for you - not my forte, sorry. It's usually a good start to check your local nursery. KarinL

Thank you all for your responses. I've been researching the info you've given me, but am now more uncertain than before. Since there are so many kinds of viburnums, and since there's such variation in leaves, blooms, size, etc., I've decided to do nothing for 2 of the locations this year. Instead, I will go to a nursery every month that carries about a dozen varieties and observe how the leaves look. In the spring, I'll try to determine which ones bloom or leaf out the earliest. I'm going to take notes, since I keep forgetting which is which! I did decide to get another Canadian hemlock for one of the locations. The location by the wetlands seems to already have some viburnums that are gradually filling in the area I'd wanted to plant, so time may solve this problem, at least for during the summer. Another location seems to be filling in with serviceberries. We've been so busy building the house and getting rid of unwanted trees, that I'd been ignoring the underbrush, thinking it was all black cherry seedlings, which we have a gazillion of. So I'll keep looking at the viburnums until next spring and then decide the other 2. BTW, I found a couple of websites that list a lot of good info about some viburnums. The U of Illinois site has pictures. The Ohio State site also tells you the good and the bad of each viburnum! I don't know how to list 2 links, so here's the U of Illinois one--http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/shrubselector/search.cfm Anne Here is a link that might be useful: OSU link to plant facts, including shrubs

I had a similar problem with the drunk, loud neighbors behind us, and their little (drunk?) barking dog too. I don't think a vine, a water feature, or a 20'wall will solve your problem. It is a sticky situation. People that don't understand civility or how to be a good neighbors also don't know how to respond to polite requests. We were afraid that a visit by the police would only amplify our situation. Sadly, there was a house fire about a year and a half ago, which left the house vacant. I think it was Karma for shooting out all our rear sliding glass doors while taking bb gun practice against the back fence one day. It is very frustrating, and you shouldn't have to abandon your yard or wear headphones or fear retaliation for seeking peace and quiet. I know that if they rebuild the house behind us, I plan to have a good talk with the owners of the surrounding homes to see if they would like to get together to discuss what we can do together to keep things pleasant.

This is a 4x4' plot with beans and peppers on one side and potatoes on the other, right? That's a lot of stuff for a 4x4 plot. Or are you now moving the cukes? There is no reason cukes can't grow by tomatoes as they have nearly the same nutrient needs and only minimal different water needs. How much space you would need depends on the type of tomatoes, how you support them and if you prune them or not as well as the size of the trellis, and he number of cuke plants etc. Basically 3-4' anyway as many tomato plants get at least that wide. Like Dan said (I think it was him) - "tall crops on the north, short crops on the south, it really is that simple." But keep in mind that thousands of gardeners also grow quite successfully every year with N-S beds or NE-SW beds because they don't have any choice on placement. So don't let it worry you too much. Assuming even half-way decent sun exposure, over-crowding the crops is more of a threat to success than is placement relative to the sun. Hope this helps. Dave