"Iris Cohen" wrote in message
...
I have horrible neighbors, and a fence that's only three feet high.
We
need a fence that will block them out _completely_, and stockade type
fences
are extremely expensive.
I had an idea to make a "vine fence". I thought I would buy some wire
(like
chicken wire, but thicker and sturdier) about 6 feet high, and put it down
the
length of the yard using posts or stakes.
I live in PA,

This idea is widely recommended in the gardening literature. However, I
would
only rely on annual vines for the first year. You want to plant perennials
for
the long run. I don't know what zone you are in, but something evergreen
would
be ideal.

I was kind of thinking this. If I use the thick wire fencing, I can always
take it down very easily later on, if I have to.


Avoid trumpet creeper, English ivy, or anything else that is
uncontrollably invasive. Patience with a vine that is a little slower
growing
will pay off in the end.

Ok, perhaps I'll plant the trumpet creeper somewhere else then. Maybe on the
side of the garage or something.


I wouldn't use climbing roses for that. They are a lot
of work, and not useful for your purpose for much of the year. Call your
local
extension office. They can probably give you a list of the best vines for
your
area. One that comes to mind is Dutchman's pipe, Aristolochia. It is
widely
recommended as a screening vine in the Northeast.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"A tree never hits an automobile except in self defense." - Woody Allen

Thanbk you very much for the recommendation. I'll look for some seeds for
that.

I had a neighbor once that made this sort of fence, with trumpet vines, and
the ivy you described. Even in winter, the dead vines stayed in the fencing,
and still offered a little bit of a screen- but also, the vines were quite
haywire, growing all over the place. I enjoyed them though from my side of
the yard- the trumpet vines brought hummingbirds, so I was happy with that.