Help with my garden?

Question

I have a very wide but short garden with a wall the length of a garage which is a bit of an eyesore. I would like to put some climbing plants on it but am worried about damaging the foundations. I look forward to your comments.

Answer 1

Clematis Montana is the fastest growing of all the clematis and also one of the easiest to grow. In perfect conditions it can grow to a height of 12m (40ft). If it is cut back by about one third after the first flowering this will encourage vigorous growth. Montana prefers alkaline soil and the roots and main stem need protecting from direct sunlight.

Virginia creeper is a hardy climber with warm red foliage in Autumn. Ideally should be given a horizontal support.

Honeysuckle comes is several varieties which are vigorous and hardy, with strongly scented flowers ranging in colour from pale creamy white to bright orange red. They prefer a lightly shaded spot, well drained soil and plenty of compost.

Russian Vine is probably the fastest wall cover of all, but can easily get out of hand as it can grow 5m (16ft) in one season.

Akebia quinata is a creeper with fragrant, deep purple flowers which will happily creep up any support on a warm, sheltered wall. It quickly reaches a height of 4.5m (15ft) with a spread of 1.8m (6ft) and could eventually grow as big as 6-9m (20-30ft).

Answer 2

I would like to say that Forsythia is not a climber it's a shrub. Anyhow, the only two climbers I can think of that could potentially cause problems for your structure are Wisteria and Trumpet vine. Other than those two your foundation and structure should be just fine. I would like to suggest climbing roses for color or if you would prefer foliage then Virginia creeper It is green in the summer and red in Autumn and will cover that wall in no time. Unlike the rose the Virginia creeper would not need to be supported with another structure. You'll need to keep in mind that climbers like Roses, clematis, morning glories and the like need some other kind of structure to climb on. They can climb a fence, but they cannot climb a wall without help.

Answer 3

You can grow climbers such as clematis, honeysuckle, passion flower or climbing roses in large pots or troughs, if you are worried about foundations. You could make or buy some trellis to train the plant along the wall. It looks lovely if various climbers are combined. Don't go for Russian vine though, as it is a bit 'enthusiastic' and known in these parts as 'mile a minute'.

Answer 4

honeysuckle, clematis, climbing rose the list goes on have you considered fruit? You could train cordon or espalleir apples, plums etc on the wall they will benefit from the added warmth and reflected heat of the sun. Just be aware that the roots should be planted slightly away from the wall and the plants trained against such. This allows the plants to access the moisture in the soil as the base of the wall is likely to be very dry.

Answer 5

How about some sort of climbing flowers growing up a trellis? That way you shouldn't have to worry about damaging anything. Talk to your garden store about something that won't take over and go places you'll regret later. :) Happy gardening.

Answer 6

Attach trellis to the wall and underneath place long wooden planters/troughs, and your foundations will be safe. Clemitis is a good climber and so is passion flower or Passiflora. Steer clear of hedge like shrubs, holly and trees because they need lots of pruning and the more you prune them the thicker they grow.

Answer 7

climbers shouldn't damage the wall's foundations as long as the wall is built well, trees and shrubs will however damage it.
try a mixture of flowering and evergreen plants for interest all year round, i can't recommend anything as i don't know your tastes nor the position of the wall or soil conditions.
good luck

Answer 8

Try adding rose trellises along the wall, and get climbing roses. They will only climb up the trellises, not the wall, but you will need to train them or they'll just drop down. Since you have to train them, they won't climb up the walls of the building.

Answer 9

Climbing Roses: New Dawn
Wisteria (Blue)
Clematis Armandii (evergreen climber)
Honeysuckle (again, evergreen - pretty much)
Boston Ivy - wonderful colour

Answer 10

Hi,
A simple solution is to plant your climbers in Tubs. Clematis is a good fast growing cover.