Planting suggestions please!

Hello!

The garden of our new house is wraparound, and the lawn is to the side and front of the house. The fencing here is a low picket fence, and so I would like to make a new bed and choose some planting to make the garden a bit more private. I don't need full screening (no bamboo!! We had to hire a digger and skips to get rid of some extremely problematic bamboo and I am still traumatised), we are at the end of a cul-de-sac so there is not much traffic but I would like something that helps me feel less on display when out there. I was thinking perhaps a row of standard/ half standard trees underplanted with shrubs, would that work? Open to any other suggestions. Also looking for ideas then of what to plant please! I am new to gardening but enjoying it so far. The area is south west facing, soil seems quite clay, and there is already a mature rhododendron at the end. Thanks in advance!