Though my earlier post appears on this thread, this is the first time I'm seeing the panoramic picture. (The pic I saw had the grape growing on the deck rail.) Panoramas tend to torque the perspective so it's hard to get a sense of the space. Normal shots that are not too close up are probably better. Not sure what/where is the "ugly building on the left." (Advice on that would best be from a photo of the "ugly building" taken from the deck.) In general, it can be surprising how much a sense of privacy and "protection" is added simply by being in the shade of an overhead tree canopy, and it doesn't obstruct one's view outward. If you could place any SMALL trees near the deck that could produce some shade, it would help lessen the in-a-fishbowl feeling. Screening that can be called into use at will (as mentioned earlier) or strategically placed screening (such as a vine laden trellis) could work when directly obstructive screening is necessary. Strategically placed plant material screening at the back yard perimeter would be useful. Unlike some of the at-the-deck screening options, it wouldn't limit your view of your own yard. Yard perimeter screening does not need to be solid, but could be broken up as the need warrants. Some areas may need no screening. Some might need a filtered view, like what could be achieved with small tree forms (such as a Lilac grove or 12-15' height trees.) Some areas you might wish to obstruct entirely so tall shrubs (on the narrow side) would be useful. How tall depends on the elevations of viewpoint and object to be screened. For more specific help on that, I'd add views taken from the deck (with more of the deck showing than just the rail) toward the area in question.

Given what you're looking for, I'd put a gazebo out in the yard away from the house. Create a path from the screen patio to the gazebo. Gazebos typically have a roof and you could also build a "sundeck" attached to it so you can enjoy the sun or escape it as you wish. Then I'd greatly reduce the grass with large, landscaped beds. I'd personally maintain the view of the water, but try to "frame" it with some tall growers on the sides and low growers against the fence facing the water. Of course, if you don't want to see your neighbor's back yards across the pond, then you'll have to block your view of the water. There are many hedging plants that will quickly provide the privacy you seek. Viburnum grows great in 9a.

"We passed on an otherwise perfect house because it abutted a highly used nature trail. Sure, 99.9% of the people going by are fine, but what about the .01%?" That is why I mentioned checking the predator list. We looked at a nice house on 5 acres that was in a great area. The elderly resident was moving into a nursing home. While we were walking the property, we happened to run into the neighbor next door and had a chat with him. He seemed very nice. When I got home I did an offender search for that vicinity and was startled to learn that this 'nice' neighbors son was on the list for child offenses, domestic battery and burglary! He had lived elsewhere for awhile but was back living with his parents. It made me wonder if the children of the elderly woman had moved 'mom' out because of this. Needless to say we passed on the house. A little later I was curious to see who bought the house and learned that a couple with 2 young children had moved in. I didn't want to take the chance that they didn't know about the guy who lived next door, so I sent them an anonymous note with a print out of the offender and the stats (address). I didn't want to scare them but I would have felt terrible if I had neglected to share what I knew. It takes a village to keep kids safe in this day and age. I'm very happy to do my part to help any/every child enjoy a safe, happy childhood.

Your back alley entry - backyard combo is a unique hybrid of standard house layout. The landscaping will have to adjust accordingly. This makes the space designed and intended for your private outdoor use semi-public. I am gathering the privacy you most need is for the back screen porch and the back patio slab. First off, no you may not plant a tall hedge along the alley to make the backyard private, mainly because you can't block the view of traffic in the alley. If it is one way I might consider it. Now I want to see if I can work your HOA fence to your advantage. If you like this idea it might be worth haggling with the HOA about it if need be. Start the fence on the house corner on the left behind the screened porch. Put a gate in it and run it across the side yard. Head halfway to the alley, turn left and run the fence to the edge of the driveway. Your screen porch and back patio are now enclosed in their own room. Leave enough space, four to six feet, on both sides of the fence for planting. Ditch the tiny beds between the screen porch, patio slab and drive. They are useless. Leave the driveway side of your new backyard enclosure fully open to the drive. Privacy for this side will be planted across the driveway along the property line. If the HOA refuses this fence layout, the same general line of planting beds will do the same. Grasses are a good choice for your location for some very quick privacy. I would not however do them as a hedge of sorts. That would be dull. The two small trees I see planted, one in each side yard, will need to be relocated to better suit this layout most likely. What looks like a birch tree can be an anchor and specimen plant for the outside of your planted fence and privacy enclosure.