North house wall

The side of my house faces north there are no windows its just a very large bare wall, looking at it yesterday decided to grow something up it any suggestions please?

 

madame alfred carriere roses - can't be beaten for a north facing wall.
They're repeating flowering, fragrant white blooms and semi evergreen. The downside is that they are prone to mildew and black spot, but these can be easily controlled with roseclear, or the like.
they're great!

 

I love to see houses covered in red leafed ivy. I'd have some myself but haven't got a bare wall.

[ 15. June 2005, 10:41 PM: Message edited by: michaelmasdaisy ]

 

I have got Madame Alfred Carriere I planted up the garden wall last Oct and it is looking good.
What I did not explain is there is a slabbed path with only a few inches in which to plant something I did wonder about a Quinguefolia,
Virginian creeper any body got any comments.

 

Hia, I was going to suggest Virginia Creeper or Clematis Montana both will at least cover it fairly quickly. I may be wrong but I think Virginia Creeper will grow without a trellis or support and will give year round colour.
Jo Mack

 

I also have Hydrangea Petiolaris growing very well on my north wall looking very pretty at the moment.

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I love cats- MEEOW!

 

Hi, I'm not an expert but I looked up in a book I have which suggests climbers for different aspect walls.

Besides different clematis and roses there are five suggestions with detailed descriptions.

Here goes, I'll give you the names and brief comment. If you want me to copy the whole paragraph let me know its not a problem.

BERBERIDOPSIS CORALLINA - unusual, not often seen, needs acid soil that doesn't dry out and a mild sheltered garden. Evergreen, slow growing, heart shaped leaves and red dangling flowers in late summer.

HYDRANGEA ANOMALA SUBSP. PETIOLARIS - good anywhere plant, white flowers in July, golden leaf tints in autumn. Clings to wall with aerial roots, not good if dodgy mortar! Slow to start flowering.

AKEBIA QUINATA - semi evergreen, early spring dusky maroon flowers, spicily aromatic, followed by sausage shaped purple seed pods.

SCHIZOPHRAGMA INTEGRIFOLIUM - flashy cousin of the climbing hydrangea, July flowers up to 1ft across and long, decorative bracts.

PARTHENOCISSUS HENRYANA - Chinese Virginia creeper. Smaller (32 x 6ft) and slower than its cousin. Generally more colourful, leaves are tinged pink with silvery midribs all summer and looks slightly variagated, turns scarlet in autumn.

As I said no direct experience of any of the above but recommended by my book, look them up and see what you think.

Hope this has helped and not confused!

Mini

 

The schizophragma is beautiful, I have it on a cool wall, I also have hydrangea petiolaris on a north wall. When they get established (they are slow to get going) you can give them one of the smaller clematis varieties for extra interest. An alpina would be lovely

 

viginia creeper is decidious although the leaves do look brilliant before they fall

 

Umm thank you all for the suggestions, I think I may go for the Virginia Creeper as it need no trellis or anything pity the leaves fall off ...I wonder if I plant Ivy as well..... :rolleyes:

 

Hi Rosie - have a look at this link (it is a very vigourous climber, as is Ivy)
http://www.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantselector/plantdetail.aspx?plantid=42649
I have an east facing wall (which is very shady) with Hydrangea anomala ssp. petiolaris - it's self clinging and has lovely white flowers, a bit slow as Wine & choc says but not as thuggish as ivy or parthenocissus. I also have a variegated ivy (canary island) which I have to keep on top of and a Rambling Rector rose growing through this (which I cut back every 3 years as its a bully, but does hold its own against the ivy) - suggest if you go for a rose, have a climber rather than a rambler such as New Dawn, Mermaid or Zephrine Drouhin
All the ones Mini reccommended are excellent for shade - I have just used the Akebia (not as scented as some books would suggest!)& Berberidopsis in a planting scheme & they are lovely