Q: I am going to hire someone to plant an evergreen screen for privacy and long-term low maintenance. Our neighbor’s upstairs bedroom overlooks our yard. Is Green Giant arborvitae a good choice?

A: I think ‘Green Giant’ arborvitae would be a fine selection. They grow tall enough to block second-story windows and the foliage is quite handsome. It seems less prone to limb cankers than Leyland cypress. You’ll get the fastest growth rate if you thoroughly loosen the soil six feet in all directions from the base of the trees at planting. Be sure to water regularly for six months after planting, even in cold weather. There’s no need to fertilize now but a couple of applications of landscape fertilizer each summer will aid growth.