Question
What is the fastest growing, least expensive, lowest maintenance plant that would provide the greatest privacy?  I would like to line my entire property with somewhat of a variety of bushes and plants- some green, some flowering - in order to create more privacy.  Leland and Podocarpus have been recommended to me.  What are your suggestions and what are the approximate prices?  I need a whole lot of them, as my lot is 27,000 square feet and is lined with a see-through iron mesh/lattice fence.  (So sick of seeing my neighbors and their junkyard backyards.) I live in Hayward, CA. Thanks.

Answer
katrina. I dont know that I can help with this one. I could help you if you lived in the north/midwest, as I live in MN, I dont know many plants that grow in the California area. My reccomendation would be to either: call a few garden centers, and see what they recommend; if you call say two or three, and they all say the same plant, that would be a good choice. Or 'B' call and have a landscape designer come out and look at the area. since I assume you would be planting the stuff yourself, tell them up front that you only want them to come out and look at the area for recommendations. Be prepared to pay for them to come out, the charge should only be 50-75 dollars, but I think it would be worth it to you to have a designer look at the area and determine what plants would work well, and that would be a very honest and worth while opinion. Good luck on this one, I hope things work out for you.

Mark