awful --please help !

I asked my son to make me a wee fence, between my back gdn and the field because the lambs come in and eat my flowers. He used really cheap horrible scabby looking wood - Its like the stuff they board up shop windows with. I hate it so much but cant ask him to take it down, he has fixed it to the concrete fence posts that were there. Plus it's squint...
I will paint it with those coloured treatment finishes, maybe in dark green, but my question is - What can I plant that will be sure to live and cover it fast ? (Its only 2ft high thank god !)

 

Russian vine or clematis montana

 

You may need something prickly if sheep can come to it. I am not sure about sheep but cows definitely nibble at "fence height" if the grass is short. In my garden they leave the roses alone, and the brambles. A wonderful rose for covering fences is "Mermaid", but I am not sure if it is hardy enough for Scotland. It may depend on the position; there are lots of other roses that will do the job though. On the edge of the fields a single flowered one may look more appropriate.

I would try also Ivy (it is a bit toxic for cattle, but if it grows in the place already they know it and avoid it), to have an evergreen cover, with the rose scrambling over it for summer colour.

Some nice brambles (garden varieties of Rubus) are also pretty and very tough.
Even the wild version looks good if it is cut back regularly. And if you make blackberry jam don't give any to your son. ;-)

 

Whatever you do I wouldn't plant Ivy! it will invade everywhere else as well, you'll never be rid of it without a major exercise. Winter Jasmine covers fairly quickly but like Proguard suggests Clematis Montana would be good. Or perhaps one of Ivory's suggestions Roses or berberis maybe nice and prickly that will keep the lambs out. Not that, having kept sheep, there is much that will keep them out if they are determined. I am certainly not sure that 2ft high will either if they really prefer what you have on your side of the fence. Still it will act as a deterrant.

 

Well that is certainly a factor if the fence is right on a flower border, but if it is on a lawn or similar the lawn mower will take care of it.

 

ok thanks all , I love the idea of the painted flower border and sort of wish I could have that --but the (its hard to explain without a pic isnt it! ) The horizon runs downhill fr L to R, the original old wire fence runs in line with it, and the daft son's hardboard fence runs uphill as the horizon runs downhill !! it's making me seasick having 3 horizons A painted border would be cut short at all the wrong heights...but I might try that on the shed actually, I like that.
I will go up to the garden centre tomorrow and look at what they have there. TY all !
NB its jsut grass so ivy might indeed do.

 

it's either that or never look out of the back windows....:(

 

think I'd plant clematis, and some berries :-)

 

Sorry. But I would be honest with your son. Tell him its not exactly what you had in mind, heh,heh.

I can say this, cause he ain't my son.:D

 

Ming I have two sons none of whome are like their dad in the sense that they are not into DIY stuff at all but if one of them had gone to the trouble to make a much needed fence for me I think I would thank them but also pop out to Wilkinsons and buy some screening to cover up the messy look.

We brought some a few weeks ago 3ft high by 10ft long at only £6.99 each a bargain in my book and with it being 10ft long it goes a long way all you would have to do is tack it to the fence, then just have a little word with your son and tell him that although he did a good job you just wanted it to look a little more tidy..... after all you wouldn't be lying and your son wouldn't feel like you were unhappy with his work.Hel.xxx.

 

Well, I painted it and planted borrom, ivy, and a pyracanthra --because there was one in the garden centre and I liked it. However, its a tall column of a plant about 4ft high. I thought I could nip the top and then it would grow sideways & cover more of the fence. But now I've been told you can't do that with this shrub. Any advice on what to do next ? Its nice and covered in white flowers but the top is just waving about in the wind & I feel it shouldnt be ....
gawd did not want me for a gardener !

 

Erm...I can't see why you cant do that with a pyracantha...I have fanned more than one variety.:confused:

 

You can fan it as tweaky says and certainly prune it hard but it is inclined to naturally grow verticly hence if you want sideways growth then you need to train the branches.