I've been clearing my property of brush and saplings and trees and thickets for the past 2 summers, as the previous owners basically let mother Gaea run amok. I'm making some good progress, but my neighbors and I now share a lot of visibility that I'm not particularly keen on.

I'm looking to plant some trees or bushes along the perimeter of my property that restore privacy for everyone. However, I don't want to end up making too much more work for myself down the line. I don't know much about plants, except for how to cut them down and burn them.

I'd prefer some trees over shrubs or bushes, for the height. Leafy year-round would be awesome, though I've ceded that I'm only getting that by going evergreen, which I find kind of plain. Low lateral growth would be preferable, for ease of maintenance. Flowering is a huge plus. Would prefer no fruit or otherwise obnoxious seeds. Moderate height limit would be preferable- I don't know how long we're planning to be here, but it could be a while, and I don't want anything too huge as some will be near utility lines.

I don't expect to check all these boxes with a single miracle plant, but I intend to get a variety anyway to keep things interesting. I thought flowering pears might be nice, or Japanese cherries. I love rhododendrons, but I think they'd take a very long time to grow to the size I'm hoping to get.

I hope I've been descriptive enough to give an idea of what I'm looking for. Any ideas?

• I suppose I should have mentioned I am in southern Maryland