Russian vine (Mile a minute)

I need to sort my fence out and then i'm going to have me some Russian Vine...i've always loved it and even if it is a thug it's better looking than the thug next door

 

I've got the houtuynnia thingy. It does pop up all over the place but has not been a serious nuisance and I've had it 10 years or so. Mind you, it likes damp so survives but not thrives in my usual drought-ridden conditions. Maybe this year is the year it will take over.

The annoying thing about it, is that it would look really good in a big clump, but it runs at the root and just dots itself about rather than forming a tidy clump.

 

Our neighbours at the back have a Russian Vine that they planted to grow over a pergola, unfortunately they let it "escape" in to the hedge row and now its seriously threatening the health of the hedge . On our side I'm hacking it back every 2-3 days at the moment, it's quite literally growing 12-18" shoots in that short space of time. The worst bit is that its travelled several gardens down and completely swamped a 20ft hawthorn tree in the hedge!!!!

That said when it was in full flower last year it got a short reprieve as the amount of hoverflies and bees it attracted was astonishing and when its in full flower again this time I will leave it alone for a little while...

 

Hi Madahhlia,
mine is placed at my dampest spot in the garden, it only gets really showy later in the year usually, even now it just gets really going
for best colour it needs some sun
You might best have the same size things growing in between, then it might look more filled out.. It's probably to dry in your place, as you said.
I have it growing between chives and bergenias and freshly grown forget-me-nots
This is a pic from last year, late summer I guess

 

I can smell in now that tangy orange

Spruce

 

Etoile Violette growing through the RV lovely

Spruce