There is often a request to make suggestions for what to do with a blank slate or a blank canvas. We expect nothing from a blank canvas until it is framed, then it becomes a non picture or a potential picture. It is the desire to make something within the frame that is the real question. So as not to be too obscure, I wonder how we can frame a space so as to raise the expectation of ÂgardenÂ? Once we have achieved this focus we can move on to the details. The Âframe I think is "what is the garden for?" what do you want to do there and what do you want it to do for you? It is not enough to expect Âgarden to have a generic meaning that you stamp onto your Âblank canvas or arrives on its own unless you want the three white horses running through foamy water over the sofa look. There is probably nothing wrong with having a garden that has no personal meaning and is there just to fill the space I just think it should be a conscious choice. The implication of a blank slate is, "I can do whatever I want here" which is not strictly true if it is a garden we are talking about because those rules regarding soil, sun and zone will restrict your choices whether you are a princess or a panel beater. So it is a blank space with some preconditions and in need of maintenance, even more maintenance after you have installed your masterpiece. A long time ago when I worked in a restaurant kitchen the chef would stall the menu naming of the soup until after it was done, the name depending on how it turned out. The stock would vary and some bones would go in along with a bit of this and a bit of that, ÂBrown Windsor was a common soup of the day! I suggest naming a garden in advance to avoid such a muddy result. Lifted from my blog

Hi all! Thanks so much for all the great feedback & suggestions. Currently we purchased and planted one podocarpus. My husband loves this one the most so that said it will likely be all along that back wall. Cetacea33 I love your pairing of the pitts with bougainvillea and will thinking I may try that along our east wall. Been obsessively searching on everything I can read on Podocarpus G. and MOST are saying the roots are no problem with this guy. I have seen mature ones as trees planted alot around So Cal next to buildings, sidewalks you name it and I have not seen any visible lift. Then, about 1 in 10 webpages, I can find someone saying they DO create root problems. I am so confused, there is conflicting information out there. I see a lot of pictures of them as privacy hedges and even a few around a pool similar to my situation. If anyone out there can give me more info on the life and times of a Podocarpus it would be much appreciated!!! Thanks again to everyone and I value all your imput! =)

Check Facebook market and craigslist etc. for materials and stuff! Free or cheap find can help with cost! If you can't afford a fence maybe just some cheaper landscaping or raised garden beds with some taller things like tomatoes, (squash will climb too) (from free materials!) Down your property line. Hopefully they'll take a hint and stop playing catch in your yard! At the very least record this, it's trespassing. Maybe the HOA can step in for you. It'd be different if you guys were friendly and they asked for permission. Also maybe those cloth sun screens could help? They aren't terribly expensive (I'm looking at some to block the creepy camera the neighbor installed to watch us, and they'd told us they are watching us. The kids see them watching through the windows! Now they have a camera too) but if you angle them right (low on the neighbors side, he'll who to say you can't put one of those vertically between some post? It's not a fence) between that and any plants you put in could help create near full privacy! You can find so many DIY projects on youtube and online now and days, if you are really struggling to keep this low budget try to do it yourself, and keep it simple, you can always build off of it. Also guess I'm lost on the plants allowed...but what if you installed like a wire climbing wall (wood frame) for plants...maybe you could build it higher too? The best cheap solution I have that is easily reversible for something more permanent is you could make a small garden along the property line, cherry tomatoes grow quick, some quite tall (I've grown some over 10ft high with wood post and chicken wire as a climbing wall) and offer pretty good coverage. Bonus is you can grown them from seeds so they're very cheap, and Tomatoes! Yum! Sunflowers would be a good choice too (especially down the property so they can't use it for catch). Wouldn't be year round but it'd help you most in the seasons they are out there the most. Maybe a "wall" of bird houses on post, grow some viney plants around and between them? Bonus you can face them towards the neighbors so the birds coming in and out will poop all over their yard and pool. Could you build a wall with wood frames and glass? Maybe in small sections broken up by hedges or some bushy plant? You can treat it so it let light in but blocks their view...that with a sun screen cover until you can build something more permanent might work. Last resort might be a shed or something, but that'll probably ruin your space. Hope some that helped, if not, seriously, check out youtube and pinterest etc, you'll find some ideas!

If the limelights can grow to their full potential, they should exceed the fence height by a couple of feet. You don't indicate how high the screening needs to be.