Okay...well, I think it may be a privet, just different from what I've seen before. The leaves are not leathery for one thing and they are 'softer', greener and longer. The common privet that I had in SoCal would have to be one considered invasive. I see no other 'privets' on this property nor the section of wildland adjacent to it, so I don't believe this is an invasive type.

Have you considered (or eliminated) Ligustrum ovalifolium?

I think it must be the ovalifolium. When I look at leaf images, not all of them that are ovalifolium look like mine, but this one does...
http://www.google.com/imgres?i...

My pic, taken just now....






Thanks, tee.
Now I just have to wait for the whatever it is in the lamiaceae to flower to see what it it.......this place is fun...lol..

Yes, I think it's L. ovalifolium too. Well, I know how that is moving somewhere new and trying to ID what's already there, especially if some it has been there for decades.

Tee, there's just weird stuff here....lol..nothing I would ever have planted....the only thing I'm happy with is a large clump of Wallflower Bowles' Mauve...very established and tough and I think got no water all last summer, but did just fine. It's not where I would have wanted it, but will leave it there for now. There were two huge cryptomerias and I think, two hollies....all of which the managing realtor took out, of course, the only things I would have kept....

Hmmm... by the time we got moved in here, the nice tall outdoor ladder that the sellers left with the house had disappeared.

Yeah, unfortunately once a house is empty, neighbors can tend to think anything left is up for grabs. You could have had the one we left...lol..

The second unknown shrub in this hedge turned out to be escallonia.......

Interesting. I'm glad you got an ID, Sherry.

Thanks, tee....