I'm new to this group and to the UK. We've just had the garden enclosed
with trellising and wire so that our cats can go outside but not leave
the property (Unfortunately one of the cats was hit by a car and killed
instantly last month so we decided to do this). I'd like to plant some
climbers to soften the appearance of the garden and cover the wire.

We're located in the suburbs of London and the garden is pretty much
sheltered. Is it too late in the season to plant now? Should I just
wait until next spring? Any advice on what to plant? It can't be
anything too heavy so wisteria is out. I was thinking jasmine and
perhaps some variegated ivy.

thanks

pcb

"pcb" wrote in message
...
I'm new to this group and to the UK. We've just had the garden enclosed
with trellising and wire so that our cats can go outside but not leave
the property (Unfortunately one of the cats was hit by a car and killed
instantly last month so we decided to do this). I'd like to plant some
climbers to soften the appearance of the garden and cover the wire.

We're located in the suburbs of London and the garden is pretty much
sheltered. Is it too late in the season to plant now? Should I just
wait until next spring? Any advice on what to plant? It can't be
anything too heavy so wisteria is out. I was thinking jasmine and
perhaps some variegated ivy.

thanks

pcb

Canary Creeper is very good for covering a whole fence in one season (you
can almost see it growing) - it's an annual in the same family as
nasturtiums, and has yellow flowers. Although my packet of seeds show that
they should be sown by May. If not this year, they could cover it next year,
whilst other more permanent plants are growing. You pull them out at the end
of the season.

Also, what about Clematis? I was bought one at the end of May - I've put it
in a big pot and now it's reached the top of a trellis and is flowering.

Peter.

pcb wrote:

I'm new to this group and to the UK. We've just had the garden enclosed
with trellising and wire so that our cats can go outside but not leave
the property (Unfortunately one of the cats was hit by a car and killed
instantly last month so we decided to do this). I'd like to plant some
climbers to soften the appearance of the garden and cover the wire.

We're located in the suburbs of London and the garden is pretty much
sheltered. Is it too late in the season to plant now? Should I just
wait until next spring? Any advice on what to plant? It can't be
anything too heavy so wisteria is out. I was thinking jasmine and
perhaps some variegated ivy.


Autumn is a good time to plant. there are lots of interesting climbers: we
have c 20 varieties of honeysuckle, c 10 clematis and several jasmine, plus
golden hops and climbing/rambling roses (the roses have the added advantage
of discourgaing cats from jumping up: in our case intended to keep them
out, it works pretty well at that and I'm sure it would work just as well
at keeping them in. Some of them are very vigorous (eg Kiftsgate, Rambling
rector) and will cover a large area of wall. They work well mixed together
too, and the scent is a bonus. A lot more interesting than ivy!
Anita

Subject: can I still plant?
From: "Snowman"
Date: 25/07/2003 16:46 GMT Daylight Time
Message-id:


"pcb" wrote in message
...
I'm new to this group and to the UK. We've just had the garden enclosed
with trellising and wire so that our cats can go outside but not leave
the property (Unfortunately one of the cats was hit by a car and killed
instantly last month so we decided to do this). I'd like to plant some
climbers to soften the appearance of the garden and cover the wire.

We're located in the suburbs of London and the garden is pretty much
sheltered. Is it too late in the season to plant now? Should I just
wait until next spring? Any advice on what to plant? It can't be
anything too heavy so wisteria is out. I was thinking jasmine and
perhaps some variegated ivy.

thanks

pcb

Canary Creeper is very good for covering a whole fence in one season (you
can almost see it growing) - it's an annual in the same family as
nasturtiums, and has yellow flowers. Although my packet of seeds show that
they should be sown by May. If not this year, they could cover it next year,
whilst other more permanent plants are growing. You pull them out at the end
of the season.

Also, what about Clematis? I was bought one at the end of May - I've put it
in a big pot and now it's reached the top of a trellis and is flowering.


Sympathies for the loss of the cat, and congrats on being a responsible cat
owner.

On the climber side of things, I always think golden hops look nice for yellow
foliage. Bit late to grow for this year, but garden centres should have some
left still and they come up every year.
****************************
Rhiannon
http://www.members.aol.com/mddestiny/entrypage.html
ClipclopclipclopBANGBANGclipclopclip
-- Amish driveby shooting

Honeysuckles will be your best bet they grow fast and are mostly evergreen
However I think you are way too optimistic that any fencing will keep your
cats in
I know someone who spent £6000 on fancy fencing and rolling poles etc trying
to keep their 2 burmese in ........what a joke


"pcb" wrote in message
...
I'm new to this group and to the UK. We've just had the garden enclosed
with trellising and wire so that our cats can go outside but not leave
the property (Unfortunately one of the cats was hit by a car and killed
instantly last month so we decided to do this). I'd like to plant some
climbers to soften the appearance of the garden and cover the wire.

We're located in the suburbs of London and the garden is pretty much
sheltered. Is it too late in the season to plant now? Should I just
wait until next spring? Any advice on what to plant? It can't be
anything too heavy so wisteria is out. I was thinking jasmine and
perhaps some variegated ivy.

thanks

pcb

pcb wrote in message ...
I'm new to this group and to the UK. We've just had the garden enclosed
with trellising and wire so that our cats can go outside but not leave
the property (Unfortunately one of the cats was hit by a car and killed
instantly last month so we decided to do this). I'd like to plant some
climbers to soften the appearance of the garden and cover the wire.

We're located in the suburbs of London and the garden is pretty much
sheltered. Is it too late in the season to plant now? Should I just
wait until next spring? Any advice on what to plant? It can't be
anything too heavy so wisteria is out. I was thinking jasmine and
perhaps some variegated ivy.

You can plant a container-grown tree or climber at any time of the
year as long as you don't let it get dry. (Well, ok, not during a hard
frost.)

If you wait long enough some ivies will get nearly as big as some
wistarias, and carry a lot more leaf; but variegated forms are
slower-growing, and in any case they can be cut down ruthlessly if
they look like getting too heavy and will recover. Jasmines are good,
as are climbing hydrangeas. Grape vines (Riesling sylvaner and Black
Hamburgh are good in Britain; or an ornamental form such as "Brandt",
which has lovely autumn colour). There are several varieties of our
native honeysuckle, from red through to pale cream, deliciously
scented.

Climbing or rambling roses grow a mile a minute once established:
choose ones which repeat-flower and have a good scent -- it's worth
visiting a specialist nursery if the budget allows, so you can see
them in live action and get advice from somebody who probably knows
what he's talking about, unlike the people in ordinary garden-centres.
Or spend a lovely day or three at the Royal Horticultural Society's
gardens at Wisley, or Kew.

You can grow cordon or espalier fruit trees, too: maybe there's room
for a peach, a fig, and an apricot on your south-facing side. Apples
and pears grown that way are very productive. Under the trained fruit
trees you can have ordinary flower-borders.

Prepare the beds according to the book now, and you'll be able to
plant the fruit-trees this winter. Ornamental climbers can go in
between to fill the space above (but of course you don't want ivy
choking the fruit-trees.

Warning: If somebody suggests "Russian vine", *Polygonum
baldschuanicum*, think twice. It grows ten feet or more in a year, and
in the right place it's rather good; but an ordinary suburban garden
isn't really that place, and you end up with a shapeless mess for half
the year where you could have had something nice but a little slower.

If I'm not preaching too much (I know I do: sorry), remember that
putting plants in front of something can hide it better than putting
plants *on* it. So I wouldn't concentrate all my efforts on flattening
everything against the fences: sure, it's a heaven-sent opportunity to
grow beautiful climbers, but let's have things in front and lower down
too, and avoid too many right angles.

The cats will still get out, though, I'm afraid: they love climbing. I
love cats, so I hope yours like it so much at home that they don't
feel like wandering! I suppose they'll like it best if you provide
lots of interesting nooks and crannies, and mini-jungles for
mini-tigers. Maybe a few goldfish?...

Mike.

You say nothing to heavy...Why?
Ivy can get very heave over time,
You could plant a couple of climbing roses at the posts supporting the
trellis.
Honeysuckle, Clematis- I'd use something like Tangutica Flower and seed
heads) Winter flowering Jasmine, and nothing to stop you planting Sweet peas
and Runner beans next year.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

"pcb" wrote in message
...
I'm new to this group and to the UK. We've just had the garden
enclosed
with trellising and wire so that our cats can go outside but not
leave
the property (Unfortunately one of the cats was hit by a car and
killed
instantly last month so we decided to do this). I'd like to plant
some
climbers to soften the appearance of the garden and cover the wire.

We're located in the suburbs of London and the garden is pretty much
sheltered. Is it too late in the season to plant now? Should I
just
wait until next spring? Any advice on what to plant? It can't be
anything too heavy so wisteria is out. I was thinking jasmine and
perhaps some variegated ivy.

thanks
pcb


Passion flower - Passiflora caerulea - might be a good choice and
should be hardy in London. You should easily be able to get one at
this time of year. Might be in the houseplant section but they can go
outside in a sunny spot.
Mine survive temperatures down to -15 in the inner city :~))

Jenny

"Mike Lyle" wrote
I'm new to this group and to the UK. We've just had the garden
enclosed
with trellising and wire so that our cats can go outside but not
leave
the property (Unfortunately one of the cats was hit by a car and
killed
instantly last month so we decided to do this). I'd like to plant
some
climbers to soften the appearance of the garden and cover the
wire.

We're located in the suburbs of London and the garden is pretty
much
sheltered. Is it too late in the season to plant now? Should I
just
wait until next spring? Any advice on what to plant? It can't be
anything too heavy so wisteria is out. I was thinking jasmine and
perhaps some variegated ivy.


Here's a site with pictures and info all about climbers - they do mail
order too :~))

http://www.plantsman.com/pics/pictures00.html

Jenny

I'm afraid I can't say much about climbers (except roses, clematis and sweet
peas, although NOT ivy) but I will say this: unless your cats are severly
disabled they will climb that fence! My 12 year old will happily get over
an 8ft wall. We also used to have a cat that was hit by a car and couldn't
walk properly, he could still go over a 6ft fence quite happily.

Charlie.

"pcb" wrote in message
...
I'm new to this group and to the UK. We've just had the garden enclosed
with trellising and wire so that our cats can go outside but not leave
the property (Unfortunately one of the cats was hit by a car and killed
instantly last month so we decided to do this). I'd like to plant some
climbers to soften the appearance of the garden and cover the wire.

We're located in the suburbs of London and the garden is pretty much
sheltered. Is it too late in the season to plant now? Should I just
wait until next spring? Any advice on what to plant? It can't be
anything too heavy so wisteria is out. I was thinking jasmine and
perhaps some variegated ivy.

thanks

pcb

Thank you for all the suggestions.

The enclosure that we had built is similar to the one found at this site
http://www.mainecoonguild.org.uk/Gar...en_safety.html

If my cats can manage to get over it, I will truly be amazed and that's
considering they roamed wild for the first year of their lives and
climbed everything in sight.

pcb

"pcb" wrote in message
...
Thank you for all the suggestions.

The enclosure that we had built is similar to the one found at this
site
http://www.mainecoonguild.org.uk/Gar...en_safety.html

If my cats can manage to get over it, I will truly be amazed and
that's
considering they roamed wild for the first year of their lives and
climbed everything in sight.
pcb

What a clever solution !
Far superior to all the nasty chicken wire one tends to see :~))
Jenny

pcb wrote in message ...
Thank you for all the suggestions.

The enclosure that we had built is similar to the one found at this site
http://www.mainecoonguild.org.uk/Gar...en_safety.html

If my cats can manage to get over it, I will truly be amazed and that's
considering they roamed wild for the first year of their lives and
climbed everything in sight.

Wow! is about all I can think of to say about the structure
illustrated! In a sunny region that would make a stunning garden. It
may take a few seasons to get the plantings right under British
conditions, but I'm sure it can be done. If it doesn't feel like an
invasion of privacy, I hope you'll bring in somebody from tv or one of
the magazines to show what can be done. (I'm a journo myself, as well
as a broken-fingernails man, but I tend not to mix business and
internet leisure chat.)

Mike.