Nice additions. I am guessing the design you have up top is like I said earlier to block the view of the neighbors homes from you house and for a winter windbreak. I didn't read the entire article due to time and it seems yardvark pretty much nailed everything as usual. I would just say personally I would add a little color via roses, would talk to a local nursery on those, and I would certainly look into edibles a bit more like a couple of apples. You could get full size "standard", Semi, or dwarf. I would slap a honeycrispx2 on there and a granny smith. I would also pick up a cherry or two, I personally like ranier but don't know how well they do in your area. That way you get spring blooms, fall apples/color, and something to look forward to seasonally. I would also augment those with evergreens like hollies with red berries for winter interest. When in doubt go for some more evergreens. Spring/Fall pretty much take care of themselves. See what looks best in your area in the summer/winter in the nurseries and go that route when in doubt of what to plant.

"They [low priced nursery/garden center landscape designers] are used primarily as a marketing tool to sell plants, often very common or less desirable plants, and what you receive design-wise may be very substandard." My sentiments exactly. One would likely get the typical "builder's plan" ... the kind of problem prone landscape that everyone can't wait to redo as soon as possible. The forum is good for giving ideas about general direction to take, or spot problem solving ... but it does not produce PLANS, which are essential for a quality landscape product. One has the option of drawing their own plans if they are DIY oriented and feel competent about it. (They can get advice from the forum on the mechanics of doing it. ) If not, as in every other project, they must hire a professional. But landscaping without plan at all will probably result in something less desirable than a 'builder's plan.' The approach one takes for a back yard depends largely on one's goals and objectives. Some people want total privacy, as in a private paradise ... they don't want to see any part of neighbor's houses. Other people want a more open solution and prefer not to block much view between neighbors' yards. Still others want to block sight lines between theirs and neighbors' outdoor living spaces while keeping a feel of openness at other places. One needs to decide on their goals in order for a plan to shape up that would meet them. In nearly every discussion of creating a privacy border of some type comes the advice to avoid a uniform hedge. I would take this with a grain of salt because often, especially when space is at a premium, it may be the uniform hedge that best fills the bill. Many people here are plant loving "gardeners" and can't conceive of a planting that is not crammed with as much variety as possible. A potential downside to that is more labor in upkeep, more space consumption, and a busier look. If that fills the bill, no problem. But there are advantages to uniformity in potential space conservation, a cleaner look and simpler maintenance. Landscaping is not 'one size fit all.' Develop your goals and set about to see how they can be realized.

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!

Redbuds, Dogwood, Amelanchier (serviceberry) and Stewartia will all tolerate partial shade but may not bloom much (if at all ) in heavy shade. Japanese maples would work also but not flowering in the sense you want :-) Planting any new trees in a wooded setting may require more frequent irrigation than they would in the open, even after establishment. The roots of the bigger trees can be very aggressive and hog available soil moisture.