Your MACs do look demure at the moment. I have 3 MACs in different settings (yes, I am nuts), all about 7 to 9 years old, and just went out and measured them. With pruning (and in the case of the one growing in decent soil on the west side of the house, "muscular" pruning that takes one day each twice a year; the other in crummy conditions, just one day a year), MAC on a pergola or trellis can be kept about 12 to 15' tall, 14' wide, and 9-10' deep. The third MAC, in partial shade and lousy soil under a huge old pepper tree that sucks up most of the water and nutrients, is about 20' tall and 16' wide and 12' (at least, wanders over to my neighbors trees at that point -- new neighbors whose screams I expect to hear any day now when they realize how far Madame Al is over in their trees...). This one is allowed to run amok (obviously) and is all mixed up with what I think is Fellemberg (was supposed to be Parson's Pink, long story) and is lovely, but is obviously motivated by the extra shade of the pepper tree to stretch. MAC actually tolerates pruning rather well, but intelligent pruning (don't create witches' brooms). Like you, I originally planted two MACs at my entryway and ended up removing one: one is enough here. Conditions in your yard may well differ. I have all the ones on your "new candidates" list. Jaune Desprez is just as rampant as MAC but worse because of vicious thorns (I dearly love it, but it costs in blood). Marechal Niel is so far modest-sized at roughly 10' x 4' after three years, but that's not long enough to know; some I have seen are definitely big. On the other hand, MN has a reputation as something of a fussy-buttons and is not looking like a house-eater here yet, though parked in prime real estate, so maybe not as rampant. Buff Beauty is definitely the "mannerly climber" it is often descrbed as. I have kept one at 7' tall and 4' wide and 16' long along a fence for about 9 years. Debbie

Agree the JM is an excellent suggestion. I have one also in my bed and it adds a real pop of color, which is important in a shade bed. I have inabe shidare. another fave is Tamukeyama. Both hold their color well season long. I have viburnum mariessi 'Dawn' and it doesn't bloom very well there yet, but its a nice plant overall. viburnums are just so easy-care. I have viburnum dentatum in similar spots and they bloom fine. The hollies I have are Blue Princess and Honey Maid. I bought (invested!) in 3 large Blue Princesses (4' or so) to give me some instant screening from the road. They have been great. You may have other choices though. I am in a colder spot. Blue Princess is very hardy. Honey Maid had some damage, but it adds a pop of yellow especially in winter. My pieris in that bed is a no-name that came with the property. However, last year I bought 'Silver Flame' for another spot. I LOVE it. Awesome pink long-lasting new foliage coloring and variegated otherwise. ditto ditto ditto spacing and planning. My bed was created about 4 years ago. This year I extended it and had to transplant 14 plants due to overcrowding. What a pain! Its possible at the time of planting I told myself, "well, I can move it later" or "I'll just put this here for now temporarily until things fill in". But who the heck remembers that!!! All I know is I was going nuts last year watching everything grow into everything else and not having anyplace to walk. I also added a yew, taxus capitata for some add'l screening but the deer had something to say about that :-( I don't usually have deer trouble, but last winter they were especially hungry and found all sorts of goodies. Oh, yeah that reminds me. I also have chamaecyparis 'Goldmop' in there. It isn't so gold in part shade of course, but that suits me fine. Its a nice chartreuse color. And another great perennial for sucha spot has been Jacob's Ladder - Polemonium (sp) 'Stairway to Heaven'. 'Touch of Class' would be similar. Let us know what you come up with.

hello i think i can sort you out ...here in the UK we're pack in like sardines so that problem is not unusual..you can buy ready to go hedges that start at that fence height with bare trunk under fence level...to get idea look up euro plants UK

Lord knows I love Hicks yew, but it grows 3-4 ft. spread and 8-12 feet high. I would not put one of those next to my house. You can prune them into a hedge, but pruning is not everyone's forte. Looks like Novice has some kind of yews already up against the house. That's why it is very difficult to advise someone on plant choices, because everyone is different in terms of taste, desire to do maintenance, family, pets, time, etc. Your landscaping really isn't that bad. It just needs to be maintained and pruned for the most part. I'd focus on the area around the front steps, and just edit the edge islands, there seems to be weedy plants in those areas and the mature trees and shrubs could be pruned a bit to make them look more aesthetic.