Curiosity wrote:

Well that's what my gardening books call it, a cross between a fence
and a hedge.

I want a boundary between my open plan front garden and my private
rear garden however I do'nt want it to put up a solid fence and make
the place look like a fortress.

My gardening book suggest a trellis covered with Ivy .

How long would this take to become established, are there different
kinds of Ivy, are there any other suitable climbing plants apart from
Ivy, any advise on the trellis or should I use wires/fencing ?

In order.. Yes, probably several hundred... See
http://www.fibrex.co.uk/front/welcome.html for the National Collection
of Hedera (Ivies). Well worth getting something more interesting than
the bog standard Garden Centre ones...

Other suitable climbing plants. Parthenocissus henryana, Passiflora,
Wisteria, Jasminum.. Not all as evergreen as Ivy though.
Climbing/Rambling roses.. Someone just down the road from us has a mixed
fedge. Its Ivy & roses mixed grown over trellis between brick
piers/uprights. Several years on it gets a once yearly trim and looks
fab.. Green all year, roses in summer..Great!-)

Willow is another option for a fedge, but very fast growing and it is
necessary to get the correct cultivar (one of the narrow growing
hybrids)

/
Jim

The fedge will face NW .