In article , Glen Able
writes

I'd really appreciate some help getting started planning this - particularly
a) nice/vigourous shrubs/combinations of shrubs for my purpose

Do you mean vigorous = fast growing or vigorous = robust?
Fast growing sounds attractive but you'll spend forever cutting them
back once they've reached the desired size. Everyone would like a plant
which is evergreen, attractive, grows like a rocket to 6ft, and then
remains exactly the same height for the next 20 years ;-)

I'd suggest you choose the sunniest part of the garden for a sitting our
area and make that private, and worry less about privacy along the rest.
Instead, grow shrubs that you like, so that you won't begrudge the
attention that they'll need. Think about all seasons - it's good to have
the witch hazel and viburnum flowers to tempt you out of doors on a cold
february morning.

b) how I lay out the border other than in a straight thin line which'll
probably make the garden look even longer and narrower

When I had a garden which was 150 ft long and 20 ft wide, I divided it
into compartments. The bit nearest the house had 6ft panel fence each
side so was private. It was mainly lawn with daffodils and a few flowers
and containers, and at the end was a huge old apple tree.

Past the apple tree was the greenhouse and an asparagus bed. Next
section was the veg bed, and finally, at the far end, was another lawn
surrounded by young apple trees.

None of the bits looked large by themselves, but they were all a
reasonable shape, and because you couldn't see the garden in one go, it
was a matter of exploring from one mini-garden to another.

I'd suggest with your border you find ways of subdividing it, for
example with a tree, or a shrub which juts into the rest of the garden,
or a trellis at right angles to the boundary

c) how to get some instant height in there, so there's some privacy further
up the garden at least.

Trellis plus climbers. Pyramids of canes plus climbers. Annual climbers
such as sweet peas or runner beans

And put something interesting within the garden so your eye is drawn to
that rather than to the neighbours - absolute privacy is impossible, but
a feeling of seclusion can be obtained without necessarily having an
impermeable barrier.

Phew - thanks for taking the time to read this, and for any ideas...
glen.



--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm