Callie

Thanks for all the suggestions. We're going ahead w/ putting in 30 5 ft. tall Leland Cypress trees along our back border to restore the privacy & provide shade( Originally there was total privacy w/ trees and a cotton field and now we're looking at barren land and 6 houses behind us.) Our house is completely upgraded w/ exotic hardwood floors, granite, SS appliances, tumbled marble baths, 3 fireplaces, vaulted ceilings, custom closets, cherry cabinets, etc. so I don't think we could possibly upgrade anymore and make a difference. That being said we feel the trees will be well worth it to restore privacy from our new neighbors in our large backyard. - Sat Jul 19 2008, 06:43

Thanks for all the advice! Our front yard is nicely landscaped with grass, trees, flower beds and shrubs. Our backyard is also landscaped with 10 mature shady trees and grass. We have a large covered back porch with Belgian block pavers and columns.

The $8K would be for 30 Leland Cypress evergreen trees in a staggered row along the back perimeter (about 200 ft. across) of our property line. They will be on a burm of mulch and be 5-6 ft. in height. and 3 ft. in width. We want to restore the privacy and shade we had when we first moved in. Originally, we had total privacy of mature trees and a cotton field just beyond our property line. After 1 year, a new subdivision was planned and they cut down every single tree just past our property line and beyond. Now our view is dirt, houses, construction, and new roads.

Our total lot is 3/4 acre and our 4000 sq. ft. house has numerous upgraded amenities making it one of the most expensive in our sub. However, new construction has just been started on a new phase of our sub. which will be comparable or more expensive than ours. The house next door to us just sold for $441K. Most houses in Jackson sell in the $150-300K range with about a 5-10 on the market now in the $400-500K range. Then there a few in the $750K+ range. So we will definitely need a higher end buyer when we go to sell. We would like to just break even after closing costs.

So would putting in these trees be worth it or should we just go for a smaller arborvitae version at 3 ft. tall and spend $1000-2000? - Thu Jun 12 2008, 13:58