A direct answer to your actual, specific query is not contained herein.
Hate privet a lot. Bamboo is hard to keep where you want it. Continuing with the not what you asked about theme, I've got some azalea hedge over 8' long the back yard boundary. I also have some gardenia that would be that tall, but I keep those pruned to shape because they're right by the house.
Gardenia won't cost you a dime if you root from cuttings. We know about a dozen people around here and a few elsewhere who all have in common that our gardenia hedges came from the same single bush.
I got a neighbor who likes to ride a section the property line along the back forty to look at "my" deer. I planted a screen of Egyptian wheat. I have seen that stuff stay standing a long while. Obviously this isn't suitable for the front yard.
