Trees, Shrubs and Conifers: Help! Neighbors have taken away my privacy, 1 by DonnaMack

DonnaMack wrote:
I moved into a house and have neighbors who constantly come over to the fence - a chain link one they put in - and talk and talk and talk. The conversations are unpleasant. The parents have a grown and unemployed son who lives with them, and then he comes over and complains about his parents. Then they complain to me. They just announced to me that they had cut back their shrubs so that they can see me better. In other words, I have lost my privacy, and they can see me every time I go into my back yard. They come running out of their house and pry and ask me to do things for them (she wants me to set her hair!)

Here is what they did to their shrubs: please see the first three pictures.

As result, here is the view from my side. Please see pictures four and five.

I can't make them regrow their shrubs. They have been very pushy.

So, please, please give me some suggestions for something to fill this space. The are here has dicentra, Hydrangea Snow Queen and Snowflake, several forms of athyrium, epimedium, fragaria vesca reugen, coral bells and so forth. It is on the east side of my property and is part sun part shade, but I would like something that can handle shade since it is fairly heavily wooded.

I immediately thought of a viburnum prunifolium (I had one in my own yard) but am not sure it is the right shape. A cornus alternifolia is too big for the site. Possibly a large fothergilla? The soil seems nicely balanced between alkalinity and acidity. I grew fothergill minor at my old house but it is too small - and it needs sun to color in the fall. I would like to get a fairly large specimen of whatever I choose and get it in no later than this fall. I will go to a garden center NOW if they stock it. I would be so grateful for your help, since I can no longer go into the yard without these people literally running out of their house to get me into the middle of their squabbles.

Thank you!