I totally agree with rhizo, get a fence, especially since you stated that seeing other yards is going to be a major problem for you. Instant privacy, then plant shrubs in front of the fence, or even evergreen vines to soften the look of the fence.

I grew up in Tallahassee and one of the things I remember is that some varieties of Azaleas get HUGE there.

Pencil arborvitae... or a privacy fence... you can even add trellises to the fence and throw some trumpet honeysuckle/ climbing roses / jasmine/ grape vines to break up the fence for a more natural look; allowing privacy from the start and then nature to grow into it.... My trumpet honeysuckels are covering 6x12 trellises after 3 years and it is fun to watch the 15+ hummingbirds dogfight around the yard for the nectar rich flowers.

You asked about fast-growing shrubs or trees. Both ligustrum (also called privet) and sweet viburnum are fast-growing trees that will quickly fill the area for privacy. If you leave and do not prune/remove the lower branches, they will make a tight hedge all the way to the ground. I am not fond of either of these plants - they are common, overused and not particularly attractive - but they fit the bill for your request. Now, if you plan to keep this planting as a trimmed hedge (squared or boxed off) at a particular height, you will be trimming it weekly. These are both trees - and want to be trees - and so keeping them in the form of a shrub will be weekly work. But if the sky's the limit, you will be good-to-go with either of these plants.
Carol in Jacksonville

Memmor,

Well, if you haven't moved into your new home yet, and you insist on shrubs rather than a fence, keep in mind, whatever you plant, will take years to grow in.

First off, don't plant privet. It is invasive, especially in Florida. Don't bother with the Virburnum either, Chindo, also known as sweet viburnum, they are VERY prone to fungus dieseases if you have high humidity, which I have, and which you have in Florida. They will not grow well under high humidity conditions, I have one.

Stick with natives, and Wax Myrtle is one. They grow super fast, take a trim with no problem, they are attractive and will give you fast privacy, I mean fast. Just water well the first year if you don't get rain regularly.

I don't know what the sun conditions will be in your yard, or if you will have clay soil, you will have to access that when you move in, but if you can plant a NATIVE Rhododendrum, which will be evergreen also, look for "My Mary", at a nursery, sometimes you can order them online, but you can get a good sized one for about 25.00. Boy are they beautiful! The gorgeous flowers in the spring with a strong scent, and then the attractive foliage, well, I was impressed. You will have to water it a couple times a week in the heat though, if it doesn't rain, which you will probably get plenty of.

Congrats on your new home, I hope the builder leaves you some decent soil, they usually sell it and leave you dust to garden in.

Thank you all for your help and advice. The soil at the new home seems to be quite rich/dark soil and we will have an irrigation system. I'm researching the plants you've suggested and have been obsessed with sketching on graph paper some ideas. The house will be finished mid-August which I know is the worst possible time for plants; so we will probably do the minimum required at this point, then add more in the fall. Thanks again for your ideas, and keep them coming if you think of something else!

Memorr, we had exactly the same situation 3 years ago. Now, our backyard is completely private. We created what we refer to as a 'living fence' with mixed borders. The depth of the border and the mix of trees and shrubs varies all around the yard. At one narrow area of the border (about 12' feet deep)we have Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese cedar) with fast growing Hydrangea paniculata 'Quickfire' in between. The Quickfires filled in the space while the cryptomerias were growing in. In another area we staggered Nellie R. Stevens hollies (Ilex x 'Nellie R. Stevens'). This portion is probably also 12' deep (it's raining or I would go out and measure). In front of a row of Viburnum awabuki 'Chindo' (we haven't had a problem with fungus here but it may be different in Florida) we have a 'grove' of 5 Natchez crepe myrtles (Lagerstroemia 'Natchez').

Two other privacy screens were created using Ligustrum japonicum which we keep pruned into a tight hedge. It took 2 years for them to row together. We keep them about 6 1/2 feet high. We need to prune several times a year. In front of one of these hedges, which is close to our patio, we have a row of 'Natchez' crepe myrtles again and a low hedge in front of those.. This made our patio feel very private immediately. The other hedge is an island in the yard in front of which we planted roses and other shrubs. It blocks a view to our neighbors' yard and added to the overall feeling of privacy while the outside 'fence' was growing in.

We have been so happy with the results. We did have a landscaper plant the large trees - hollies, cryptomeria, crepe myrtles - because, like you, we didn't want to wait to get results. So, they were all at least 10' tall when they went in. They also planted the ligustrum hedges using shrubs that were about 4' tall. Best money we ever spent! We planted everything else. I will be happy to post some pictures if you're interested.

Best of luck to you!

Wow Marshaaa this is so very helpful, and yes I would love for you to post pictures. Printing it out so I can share with the landscaper....Thank you!

Memorr, hopefully you can get the idea from these photos.

Looking to the backyard from the driveway. The 'island' hedge with roses is straight ahead. The 'grove' of crepe myrtles is curving out on the left.This is the grove of crepe myrtles in front of a Viburnum awabuki 'Chindo' hedge. At the end of the viburnum hedge is the first of 3 Cryptomeria japonicum.

The second ligustrum hedge next to our patio. Another view, taken in the rain a few minutes ago, is below.

We're getting some beautiful, much needed rain - finally!

The very large tree in the middle and the wooded area in the back do not belong to us. Our property ends about 20-30 feet from the edge of the woods. Our property is a very even, perfectly flat 1 acre. The backyard was totally empty (not even a patio) until May of 2012. I would think that with your longer growing season, you would have no problem getting privacy quickly.

Let me know if you have any questions or want more pictures. I am retired and landscape gardening is my passion!

Marshaaa

Marshaaa, your landscaping looks awesome!

Unlike Marshaa, I had a terrible time with Chindo. Over a decade ago I'd purchased about a dozen of them from Broadwell's to use as a privacy border on one part of my yard. For years I sprayed them with everything that was recommended, pulling off the blackish/brownish leaves and disposed of them and to this day - approx 10 years later that Chindo still looks awful and never filled in. I've seen beautiful examples like Marshaa's and kept wishing for it but it never happened. The current owner of the house is still trying to make them flourish.

Marshaaa I am just in awe of your landscape, and can't believe you started with a blank slate! These ideas are so helpful and I'm definitely going to use the Natchez grove idea...Right now the lot is all graded, sod goes in tomorrow, and we'll move in next week with just pinestraw in the beds. I'm chomping at the bit to get started! Thank you for your generosity in sharing this information and the gorgeous pictures.

I echo butterfly4u's suggeston of using wax myrtles.

You don't want a monoculture (for lots of reasons, primarily because if one plant gets sick it could wipe out your whole privacy planting) so try to find some other good privacy shrubs that might work in your area.

In Tennessee, I like Viburnum dentatum (not evergreen), but it's not native to your area, so probably not that well-adapted to Tallahassee. What about Viburnum nudum - seems native through much of Florida (http://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Viburnum%20nudum.png) and is a gorgeous plant (multi-colored berries!!) with good wildlife benefits - http://plant-quest.blogspot.com/2007/02/viburnum-nudum-close-to-perfection.html

Perhaps cherry laurel (Prunus caroliniana), which is evergreen and native to your area (http://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Prunus%20caroliniana.png) might also work for you? (If you have livestock, pets or children, keep in mind that the leaves and foliage are toxic - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prunus_caroliniana)

memorr I don't know if you want the entire screen to be this, but consider Loropetalum. I see it used as a screen all the time, grows quite tall. The flowers are out right now and look incredible. I think the purplish leaves look great too. And it's evergreen, though I do think the foliage diminishes a bit in winter here (zone 7).

I agree with the idea of a six foot privacy fence for the back yard.

After I moved into my home one block from the high school, the city put in a sidewalk on the side of the house and there are lots of students who walk to school and back home using that sidewalk. I put in a hedge of Louis Phillipe roses along the picket fence between the sidewalk and the house. The roses were tiny rooted cuttings in two inch pots, after only a few years they made a nice hedge, they are now 5-6 feet tall. I got a little added privacy, the students got a fragrant beautiful area to walk.

I'll go a different direction. "Live" with the neighbors for a little while to see what, if anything, you can't tolerate. Then consider fencing the area (which is a big proposition in terms of linear feet) with a combination of solid fencing where you want the screening/privacy and more open fencing like rails or wire or even chain link where the 'vista" is better. This way, you can use a variety of different shrubs in front of the various sections of fencing.

I despise legustrums due to they are pita to remove. I would consider fencing like many mentioned above but my next door neighbor has a killer hedge row of blueberries followed by an arbor of grapes that is pretty awesome and is a great natural hedge.