Thorny fast growing climbing plant

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by minimadj, Oct 2, 2018.

  1. minimadj

    minimadj Apprentice Gardener

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    Hi all,
    Having recently put up a new fence around our garden and laying a new lawn and patio I need to add some plants to our new garden.
    Our garden is exposed to the public on 2 sides and having recently put a strong new fence up, the local kids now climb on it and into our garden and it's driving me insane. I can see them from my CCTV but they only do it when I'm not home.
    So I would like to plant something thats prickly and incredibly fast growing to deter them from using my fence as a climbing frame. Any suggestions?
    Also what can I use to train the plants over a garden gate. Would a long screw on each post connected with some wire be sufficient for a plant to grab onto to bridge the gap? The kids use the braces on the gate door to help them climb out so I'm particularly keen to stop them from climbing on this area of the fence.
    It makes me feel sick that they climb into my garden in my absence!
     
  2. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    Berberis is fast growing and thorny, they also have nice colour - something like this variety:
    Berberis ottawensis
     
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    • HarryS

      HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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      Firethorn is very spikey plus you get an attractive berry display in autumn winter.
      Pyracantha coccinea
      pyracantha-red-column-red-firethorn-hedging-plant-9cm-p2448-14110_image.jpg
       
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      • minimadj

        minimadj Apprentice Gardener

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        Thanks for your replies, I just hope I can train it across my rear gate. Could I buy this now and plant it or does it need to be done in spring?
         
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        • HarryS

          HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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          Both the Berberis and Firethorn can be planted before the end of October . You should be able to find large plants in garden centres and nurseries , they are both popular plants . You can buy 1 metre high plants mail order at a higher price. Not sure how long they will take to reach 2 metres tall.
          Pyracantha - Red
           
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          • Verdun

            Verdun Passionate gardener

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            Pyracantha when trained and tied in can fill a space relatively quickly so I agree with this suggestion. It is incredibly vicious though....if you yourself want to use this gate!!!
            Online plants at 6' are available...Charella Gardens for example.
            Berberis Darwinii is another prickly plant but very beautiful....evergreen with orange flowers in spring. Easily pruned to shape too. :)
             
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            • Kandy

              Kandy Will be glad to see the sun again soon.....

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              644179FF-675F-41C9-BFAC-3D57AF34B6AA.jpeg B07F032B-E5A6-48E5-AAFF-6853400CBA3B.jpeg 33625471-0528-4948-A1F9-5FA4E99CAD27.jpeg Hi @minimadj and welcome to GC:smile:

              Pyracantha (Firethorn) is a good plant to put up against a fence as it is thorny but even if you buy tall specimens from a GC or nursery it will take a few years before they are tall enough to stop the kids from climbing up your fence.The plants in my photos are at the bottom of my garden up against a six foot fence and it has taken at least ten years to get to that height which is now a good two foot above the top of the fence so you might need to consider if you have got the time to wait for them to grow tall enough to stop the kids climbing up the fence as they are quiet thorny so a good deterrent.Ours are wired into the fence as well to keep them in place.

              I also have a couple of plants growing up trellis on what was my dustbin store but these also have taken a few years to get to that height.They look lovely when in flower and the birds love them in the winter months for their red or orange berries.

              Plant that is fast growing is Clematis Montana and you can train it to grow across the top of a gate if you have some trellis attached to the top of the gate but even then it will take a few years to some height and by then the kids will be older and possibly moved on to doing other things when they get bored.
               
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              • HarryS

                HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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                I can vouch for it being viciuous ! Google photo of the thorns on a Pyracanthus. And yes they are as painful as they look . The air can get a little blue when I am pruning mine :biggrin:

                vuurdoorn5.jpg
                 
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                • CarolineL

                  CarolineL Total Gardener

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                  How about roses? Ramblers or full climbers. Or a rubus eg cockburnianus
                   
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