Yet another yard privacy question zone 5a

My house was one of the first in the neighborhood, and it was built 8 years ago. We have lived in it since new. Weird pie shaped lot with 100+’ in front and 55’ in back. The back faces straight west. I now need privacy! On the north side is a totally obnoxious neighbor who built his vinyl chain length fence right on the property line (against the city regulations, but …). I would love to never see him again! The neighbors to the south are lovely, and they built a nice vinyl fence the required 1’ from the property line. But they are now building a huge deck that will sit well above my yard and direct visibility to anything I do. On the west is a 25’ water swale easement on the western neighbor’s property. It is still undeveloped, but it is for sale. It is also a good 6’ higher than my lot which is why the easement is there. On the west side I have a planned perennial garden. I just had it edged, sod removed, updated the irrigation system to drip, and had 4” of mulch added. Since it was almost 100 degrees when this was done, I am waiting to plant in the spring. I think the shrubs I have planned will do a decent job of screening me from the west, but what do I do on the north and south? My friends say “get those tall evergreen things” but isn’t there something else? I do have two deciduous trees planted and thriving - a hybrid elm and a hybrid honey locust in the backyard as protection for my deck and house from the brutal west sun.