Trees, Shrubs and Conifers: Suggest a "screening" evergreen for me!, 0 by HoosierGreen

HoosierGreen wrote:
In Dirr's book, he says 'Green Giants' are hardy to zones (4)5 - 7, which is his way of saying that "officially" they are hardy up to zone 5, but experience has shown that they survive fine into zone 4. I can understand if you might not want to take that chance though. To be sure you don't have to rule out on this excellent plant, check at local nurseries to see what they recommend.

Alternatively, you can plant the hardier varieties of regular arborvitae Thuja occidentalis, which again are going to be less expensive that any other evergreens including yews, pines, and spruces. Some great cultivars to check into are 'Techny' (aka 'Mission') 25'x 10', 'Pyramidalis' 30' x 8', and 'Nigra' 20-30' x 10'. The most commonly available is the very popular 'Emerald' 15' x 4', which is stocked by the big box stores every spring. It is hardy to at least -40º and keeps a bright green color all winter. It doesn't get as wide as the others, but since it's cheaper, you can plant closer together. Here's a photo of 'Emerald'.

Another quick-growing, relatively inexpensive choice would be white pine. They are the quickest-growing pine with a soft look and they can be found at big box stores in the spring for pretty cheap.