"Tim Downie" wrote in message
...
Having sweated blood in removing a common ivy that was growing up the
gable of our house, I'd now like to train a Virginia creeper up there
instead.

There's been a VC growing by the gable end for some time but it's never
been able to get a good enough grip on the painted pebbledash to gain any
height. What's the best thing to train it up? Trellis, plastic mesh, vine
eyes & wire or something else?

We have a VC on our (brick) gable end, it has been there for approx 12
years. I don't actually 'train it' but I get my ladders out 2 or 3 times a
year and cut off all the new growth to leave a neat square about 15 feet
wide and 20 foot high. This action also encourages the VC to fill in all
the gaps in the square, so at present I have a very full covering and in the
autumn it is absolutely beautiful when it changes colour. It is a right
PITA picking up all the leaves when they drop off!!! The amount of grab
that the 'attachers' on ours have I am surprised yours cannot get a grip on
the pebbledash.

I am in no way a gardener so this advice is worth the amount of money you
paid for it, but I pass a VC every day that the owners do not 'train' and it
is now covering the roof!

HTH

John