What is that big box?

it is a swim spa

pool and hottub

You mention bamboo, so here's from houzz: Kathleen Shaeffer Design, Exterior Spaces: "It's Bambusa oldhamii, a clumping timber bamboo."

Santa Cruz III · More Info

Goldstripe Bamboo / Synonyms: Hedge Bamboo / Bambusa multiplex ‘Goldstripe’ / dense and tight growing with a nice upright habit. It’s also relatively small (around 4m) with thin canes, making it a popular choice for smaller gardens. Fine variegation on the canes and is an attractive species if you’re after that quintessential bamboo look. Non-invasive clumping species.

OP not likely to be in a climate area for Bambusa with blue Colorado spruce growing in the yard already

A fence. You know a good fence makes good neighbors saying it is true. Or a nice hedge .

Are you in a town in OH? If so, tentative good news - the metro park isn’t buying the course. I just read that news on the local facebook group. If that’s not where you live, then never mind, apparently there must be more than one metro park/golf course issue. :)

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I forgot to mention that I am in Central Ohio zone 6a. Rebecca, you nailed it, we heard thst last night, but still awaiting on confirmation from our contact at the course.
@Patricia, a fence is not allowed on the golf course and I do not want to block our view of the course and pond.

Bamboo is possible in a container ( I have friends nearby that have it) but needs lots of baying during our winter and prayers that we do not have a harsh winter.

I was thinking something that would grow faster than the Spruce tree but definitely open to it. I was also looking at
Blue Point Juniper
Emerald Green Arborvitae
Leyland Cypress Tree
Japanese false cypress
Junior Giant Thuja Tree

I live in Florida and planted bamboo about 6 yrs ago. I can tell you they provide no privacy at all. All the leaves are at the top, the poles do not hide anything. I'm originally from NY and found shrubs provide the best 'fence.' Plant them in layers and they really provide good privacy and also act like a noise buffer. We had Forsythia, Burning bush, Spirea and a few Junipers mixed in. Forsythia grows the fastest, but they all (except Juniper) are fast growers.

Of course they mostly lose their leaves in winter, but we didn't care. Our pool was closed and we really didn't use the yard.

Jane

Read up on Leyland Cyprus trees. There is quite a bit of blight with them in the SE over the past 15-20 years. Our previous house had about 10 of them over 15 years old. They have all died in the past 2 years.

Thanks janeinbama, that is not good!

How much height do you need? If 6 or 7' is enough, look into the different species of Fargesia bamboos. They are all clumping and go from really hardy to very hardy. And they are very pretty.

we plan to start with 6 ft but would like to end up with at least 15ft

I would start by creating privacy around the patio area itself--and providing shade from afternoon/evening sun at the same time. It desperately needs to be enclosed to be more appealing; the entire back of the house just looks naked.

following

Good morning! I live in Central Ohio too. We planted a row of English hornbeams on one side of our yard to create a screen for our view of our neighbor's yard for privacy and some sense of separation. We don't keep them formally trimmed; they are tall and have a pretty leafy look and provide a natural screen most of the year. They do drop their leaves in the winter, but the branches are pretty dense, so in winter they maintain our sense of separation, if not a complete screen. We live in one of the older suburbs, and our yard is not as big and open as yours appears to be, but a short row or "clump" of hornbeams might work for you!

The hornbeams replaced 4 red twig dogwood plants that I loved, but that had been planted too close to our property line, and so the branches began to extend farther into the neighbor's yard than they liked - the red twig dogwoods were about 5 feet tall when we removed them - very pretty and full when in leaf, and very pretty red branches against the snow in the winter.

Just a couple thoughts!

Following

Thanks Laren, I will look into those. I am hesitant to use anything other than evergreens because I want to keep keaves out of the pool...lol!

laceyvail, great sugesstions but not in the budget. We like the full sun on the patio. We also do not want to block out view from the patio so we can see the golf course and pond. Plus we have several big dogs that would and have murdered any landscape...lol! The patio is generally organized better but had to throw everything on it so they could get cut down the trees :)

Check out Cryptomeria cultivars.

thanks Doug! Cryptomeria japonica sekkan, looks really nice!

Evergreen plants drop old spent leaves also. And if there is a filter involved with your swimming setup you don't want anything that generates tiny fallen parts - such as those produced by

Blue Point Juniper
Emerald Green Arborvitae
Leyland Cypress Tree
Japanese false cypress
Junior Giant Thuja Tree

growing near enough to the water for this fine debris to be sucked into a pool filter.

If "English hornbeam" = Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata' that is only narrow growing when young, becomes egg shaped - and very much larger than red twig dogwood - in maturity. As in producing average crown spreads of 25' or more.

I would start by creating privacy around the patio area itself--and providing shade from afternoon/evening sun at the same time. It desperately needs to be enclosed to be more appealing; the entire back of the house just looks naked.

Ding!

If I plant them far enough away, that should not be an issue, where as a tree might have branches hanging over the pool

Thank you Beverly, but a pergola would be great but we have not found a place to put one that still makes the patio work for our needs. Right now we need help with barrier trees

There are hundreds of versions of bamboo. Not all are invasive when they are planted in the ground, and some varieties withstand snow, so it's not out of the question as a barrier. Down here in Florida you can plant them and some will grow a foot per day until they reach their limit in size.

https://chadwickarboretum.osu.edu/our-gardens/learning-gardens/bamboo-garden

Etsy Bamboo