What can i use as cover here?

Hello I'm wanting some sort of shrub to grow and act as a cover between my garden and next door. But i want them to be reasonabley sized when i plant them (ie: not a few inches tall). Any thoughts please?

Also - would now be a good time or not to plant?

I was wanting this sort of thing but think it will be too much work:


Live in Wales - it gets decent sun.

Thank you

 

Hi Yelf . in your situation with your neighbours in close proximity to you i would build a trellis onto your existing wall,as i have done recently. i purchased trellis from B@q the trellis is about seven foot high x three feet. this can be fixed onto your wall and the plants i would recommend are clematis . there are hundreds of Clematis to chose from ,it depends on your preference.
go on line to some of the garden centres which will give you a good idea as to what you prefer.
you said you have decent sun, if planting Clematis(some can be planted in pots), have some shade on the roots ,ie ,old bits of roof tiles . this keeps the roots cool in direct sunshine.
i have read Clematis likes cool feet and a warm head music .

 

Hi Yelf

I think Music's suggestion - building a trellis and growing a climber - is a good one. Clematis are nice, but most are not evergreen, so you wouldn't have much cover in the winter months; it all depends whether or not you think it matters. Clematis armandii, which blooms in the spring, IS evergreen, but it is very vigorous and needs keeping in check.

Japanese honeysuckle keeps its leaves all year round and has scented flowers over a long period. Again, it can be a bit of a thug when it gets going, but you can easily cut it back. Bizzielizziedirect is offering three named varieties for 14.99:-

http://busylizziedirect.bttradespac...en-honeysuckle-3-plant-offer?needLoginError=1

Obviously, if anything is to do well you will have to prepare the soil and give your plants a good start. You could plant pot-grown climbers now, provided you make sure that they don't dry out, or alternatively wait until the autumn.

 

The trellis is a good idea as is clematis. I would suggest montana as it grows quickly, is easily cut back after flowering and is much bushier than the summer flowering varieties. Could I suggest a rambler (rose). The trellis will support it and it will provide a good framework for the clematis to climb through. It will help give a bit of screen in the winter too. I have this arrangement on a trellis and it works very well. I have felicte perpetue rambling rose which come into flower just as the montana finishes and th effect is pleasing. I also have flower carpet (ground cover) rose at the base. I partially tie it up too and it gives summer long colour after FP has finished.
It looks like you need to do a bit of work to the soil before you plant anything. The wall looks new. Is that builders rubble lying around?

 

Hi,

Great ideas about the trellis, using the battens already screwed into the wall you could strip the old cross sections and attach sturdy trellis panels-especially if you want a screen for privacy. Whichever plant you do choose, if you lose the climber because the panel wasn't strong enough you could lose years of growth, and that is unpleasant if it has been growing for some time.

If it is also a security thing then you can't do better than a climbing rose that has thorns like kitchen knives-I can tell you from experience that a seagull rose means business. Extra protection from unwanted visits can be got from planting a mahonia or two-those could do some damage. You can protect your own children from scratching themselves by having a wide bed there and putting some safer plants at the front of it.

 

If it gets good sun, then the world is your oyster!

Climbers including, but not limited to, Clematis, Jasmine, Honeysuckle, fruit, climing or rambling roses.

If you want a couple of vigorous, more upright shrubs to use as a hedge, then the choice is big too. Forsythia, Ribes, Cherry laurel, fruit trees. For intruder / animal deterent, something nice and prickly like berberis (Berberis thunbergii is the most attractive one for me).

My advice would be to spend some time perusing garden centres and / or catalogues, and just see what takes your fancy.

 

Thank you all for the replies - its got me thinking. AM no good at DIY so am not sure on putting up trellis panels.

Its not a new wall. There were 2 Pyrcanthus (dont know how you spell it) there which I've removed (still some deep roots though). I think the previous owners had put some stones over the soil which is what can be seen.

What do i need to do to the soil in preparation?

I was in B&Q and saw some Bay LEaf shrubs which I thought might work??

Im kind of thinking of this sort of shape but realsie its topiary and requires a lot of work which i doubt i will manage. But that sort of shape really


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Hmm. Won't give you much screen and if another winter happens like last happens they will probably be lost. They are not fully hardy.

As a matter of interest why did you take out the pyracantha?

 

If you want something as topiary, go for it, but bring your credit card as getting plants that are tall enough to give instant cover doesn't come cheap.

Attaching a trellis won't be difficult and a climber would cover it within a year, faster depending on what you choose.

 

I still think a trellis is the best idea. If you're not very handy, maybe it would be worth getting someone in to do the job? It would make such a difference to the space.

As far as the soil is concerned, you need to give it a good digging over and incorporate some organic matter. If you don't have a free source of compost, garden centres usually sell bags of rotted horse manure.

 

THey got out of control. One fell over and so had to come up.

OK - thanks guys, think i shall look into a handy guy to put up the trellis.:gnthb:

 

Treliis is bought and should be up within 2 weeks - how quick are these recommended climbers?