@PlantMania - Are you familiar with bamboo and how it grows? Yes, it's evergreen and a fast grower. And I love how it looks. But it is known to spread like crazy and requires vigilance to keep it in check. If your neighbors aren't growing bamboo now, they probably will be if you plant it.
Be sure to do a little research before planting the photinia. Not sure but it might be considered invasive. It is grown all over Dallas and creates extremely tall, thick hedges. It's even used to block the side of my neighborhood shopping center. You might drive (or walk) around your area to see if others are growing it.
