need ideas: fast-growing, tall plants

Hello, I'm very glad to have found this forum. We have a temporary gardening challenge — we need to grow a fairly tall screen, and fast! It doesn't necessarily need to be dense...I'll try to explain:
Our property sits above what is normally an open field (baseball) for a high school. They are rebuilding the school & have brought in portables on the field for the transition. In anticipation of this, last September I planted clumping bamboo at the very bottom of our hill (~12' below the grade of our house). I hoped this would be sufficient to provide privacy during the 2+ years the temporary campus will exist. However, 1.) I didn't anticipate bright glaring roofs of the portables in the morning sun, and 2.) the bamboo have not grown enough.

To clarify, there are two problems we're trying to counter: the glare of the roofs, and privacy (there will be 1400 teenagers virtually in our backyard during school hours beginning in the fall). It seems there are two options:
a) an approximate 18' tall (X 25' wide) screen at the bottom of the hill, in the form of an extremely vigorous vine, or
b) multiple upright plantings on the hill of perrenials, shrubs, annuals (?) with heights varying from 10' - 16', depending on how far up they are planted (the further down the better because space is a concern...we don't want to box ourselves in).

The vine idea is a little perplexing because there is no existing structure to support it. The bottom of the hill is owned by the city — there is an existing 6' chain link fence, and school architects opined that no one would care if we drove several 20' poles into the ground (adjacent to the existing fence poles) and strung across some bailing wire for a vine to grow up...not even sure if that would work though. It might be easier to grow self-supporting plants all over the hill — the burning question is what will grow up to 16' in ONE season?

I realize I'm asking a lot because the time period is but a few months (school starts in September) and I don't expect perfection, but I know the right plants are out there, if I can just figure out which ones! I am willing to water and feed religiously. The hill is full sun...deer are a concern...otherwise anything goes...temporary or permanent...

Thank you SO much for your time and wisdom!
Melanie

Wow, I was struggling and then you threw in deer! A friend came to our house the other day and said how green it looked and then he realized he lived in Portola Valley where all the deer are.

You have quite a problem. The only thing that I can think of is some rather large redwood trees. An expensive proposition.

Here are some suggestion from Emily Compost. Someone asked her for a 10-12 foot screen in one season.

A: If you were thinking of a Dutchman's Pipe for a screening vine plant you are probably thinking of a more permanent plant screen. However, the Dutchman's Pipe will die back for the winter season.

Might I suggest something like a Carolina jasmine, or a confederate jasmine. Even a trumpet vine would be nice Both will provide a thicket, a wonderful smell, and nice little flowers for your pleasure. This will also attract hummingbirds and butterflies. You may have to trim now and them to control the future growth.

You can also supplement with an annual vine such as moon vine/morning glory/hyacinth bean. All of which grow very quickly for the spring and summer season.

You might want to browse this site:
http://www.heronswood.com/catalog/browse?AeBxA3DJ;Vines::0:8;166

Good luck, and I'm sorry for your difficult situation.

lol, doss! Yeah, the deer are pretty unafraid here. I love looking down on the young bucks, they are so beautiful...however...
I'm finally getting the hang of barriers and deer resistent plants, but, boy, is it work!

I think I may be giving up on the vine idea. I have ms, things don't come easy. I've been to OSH & Berk. Hort several times in the last few days, trying to come up with a sound idea how to provide an 18' tall support over a fairly wide area, and it's just not coming together.

So at this point, I'm just going to stick things in the ground, that is, non-support-needing plants that I hope will grow to be fabulously large, water and nurture the heck out of them, and hope for the best.

Thank you SO much for your time and consideration. I truly do appreciate it.

Best,
Melanie

My neighbor's backyard borders a comercial alley. He planted sugar cane which grew faster than corn (looks kinda like it too) and it reached 10' last summer. It multiplied like crazy and the good thing about it was that you could a cane or two down and chew on it. Made a nice screen along his block wall with a massive view of green.

Good luck Melanie. Maybe your bamboo will take off. What kind is it?

nadabigfarm – Sugar cane, you say? What a fun idea -- my daughter will be in heaven! 10' is helpful near the top, and multiplication is very good for saving money! Thanks! Where is Gardena?

doss — I put in three different kinds (all clumping): Alphonse Karr, Qiongzhuea, and Chusquea c.. That way I figured if one kind didn't take maybe the others would. Interestingly, the Alphonse Karr is far behind the the other two in terms of upward growth. The chusquea and qiongzhuea have doubled in size...unfortunately, they were only one gallons to begin with so they are only now about five feet tall. The AK started at about six feet and remain at that height. I am noticing some healthing looking culms of several feet coming up now though. But it seems pretty unlikely, given their location at the very bottom of the hill, that they will be useful as a screen anytime soon. (Had I known how insanely close the portables were going to be I would have done things a lot differently last fall). They'll still be nice, about the time the portables are removed, lol.