Climber for wall
 

I would like tips on a good plant that will help to cover a wall. However, I
don't want to use an ivy because of the associate risks. I am thinking of
using a trellis, but don't want a plant that uses 'suckers' to cling to the
wall itself. I would like a leafy evergreen if possible. Any suggestions?

Alex

In article ,
Alex Woodward wrote:
I would like tips on a good plant that will help to cover a wall. However, I
don't want to use an ivy because of the associate risks. I am thinking of
using a trellis, but don't want a plant that uses 'suckers' to cling to the
wall itself. I would like a leafy evergreen if possible. Any suggestions?

How are you going to attach the trellis? I suggest that you ignore
the nonsense about ivy - it won't damage any walls built in the past
50 years in the UK, unless they are already failing. It very rarely
damages even older ones.

The point is that REMOVING ivy from a wall with loose mortar (e.g.
decaying lime mortar, as used over 50 years back) can cause trouble,
but otherwise it does no more harm than any other evergreen creeper.
And, to grow anything else, you need to fix a fairly solid trellis,
which assumes that your mortar is solid!

That being said, I don't grow ivy. How big is the wall, where do you
live, what is the aspect, what soil do you have, and what other
properties do you want it to have?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Alex Woodward" wrote in message
...
I would like tips on a good plant that will help to cover a wall. However, I
don't want to use an ivy because of the associate risks. I am thinking of
using a trellis, but don't want a plant that uses 'suckers' to cling to the
wall itself. I would like a leafy evergreen if possible. Any suggestions?

Alex

List: http://www.hintsandthings.co.uk/garden/climbers.htm
Pictures: http://www.plantsman.com/pics/pictures00.html

Jenny

I like pyracantha which you can obtain in many different colours:


http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plan..._coccinea.html

http://www.crocus.co.uk/plantdoctor/...09&CategoryID=

http://www.hort.net/gallery/view/ros/pyrcrgr80

Regards,
Emrys Davies.




"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Alex Woodward wrote:
I would like tips on a good plant that will help to cover a wall.
However, I
don't want to use an ivy because of the associate risks. I am
thinking of
using a trellis, but don't want a plant that uses 'suckers' to cling
to the
wall itself. I would like a leafy evergreen if possible. Any
suggestions?

How are you going to attach the trellis? I suggest that you ignore
the nonsense about ivy - it won't damage any walls built in the past
50 years in the UK, unless they are already failing. It very rarely
damages even older ones.

The point is that REMOVING ivy from a wall with loose mortar (e.g.
decaying lime mortar, as used over 50 years back) can cause trouble,
but otherwise it does no more harm than any other evergreen creeper.
And, to grow anything else, you need to fix a fairly solid trellis,
which assumes that your mortar is solid!

That being said, I don't grow ivy. How big is the wall, where do you
live, what is the aspect, what soil do you have, and what other
properties do you want it to have?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
Emrys Davies wrote:
I like pyracantha which you can obtain in many different colours:

Well, yes, but ....

Please don't top-post!

An established pyracantha will grow 6' in a season, with stems 3/4"
thick, and armed with 1" thorns. I got rid of mine because I got
sick of keeping it under control - and I believe that is why the
owner of a large wall pyracantha nearby did.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Clematis armandii is an evergreen with large, glossy leaves and almond-scented white flowers from around now for the next month or so. It takes a while to get going, but once it does it can cover a large area.

In article ,
Ornata writes:
| Alex Woodward Wrote:
|
| I would like tips on a good plant that will help to cover a wall.
| However, I
| don't want to use an ivy because of the associate risks. I am thinking
| of
| using a trellis, but don't want a plant that uses 'suckers' to cling to
| the
| wall itself. I would like a leafy evergreen if possible. Any
| suggestions?
|
| Clematis armandii is an evergreen with large, glossy leaves and
| almond-scented white flowers from around now for the next month or so.
| It takes a while to get going, but once it does it can cover a large
| area.

It is a good plant, but is slightly tender and slightly tricky to
prune. Neither should put people off as I do mean "slightly",
but they are worth knowing.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Alex Woodward wrote:
I would like tips on a good plant that will help to cover a wall. However,
I
don't want to use an ivy because of the associate risks. I am thinking of
using a trellis, but don't want a plant that uses 'suckers' to cling to
the
wall itself. I would like a leafy evergreen if possible. Any suggestions?

How are you going to attach the trellis?

The wall is approximately 3 metres high by 4 mtrs long. It was constructed
about 8 years ago as part of a house extension. There are no windows and it
looks a bit drab, therefore I would like to brighten it up with a creeper.
Of course if anyone has a better idea, then I am all ears!

I suggest that you ignore
the nonsense about ivy - it won't damage any walls built in the past
50 years in the UK, unless they are already failing. It very rarely
damages even older ones.

I take your point about ivy, but what about the mess it might leave if after
I plant it, if I later decide to remove it?. As I have mentioned, the wall
is part of a relatively new house extension and I certainly don't want to
discolour the brick work for no good reason (even though it does look a bit
drab at the moment)


The point is that REMOVING ivy from a wall with loose mortar (e.g.
decaying lime mortar, as used over 50 years back) can cause trouble,
but otherwise it does no more harm than any other evergreen creeper.
And, to grow anything else, you need to fix a fairly solid trellis,
which assumes that your mortar is solid!

The mortar is solid, plus there are other places where I can anchor it.


That being said, I don't grow ivy. How big is the wall,

See above

where do you
live,

UK, zone 8

what is the aspect,
east facing

what soil do you have,

It will be planted in a long container, therefore I'll use the soil that is
required (provided I can get hold of it)

and what other
properties do you want it to have?

Hopefully it will grow quite rapidly initially, though I don't want it to
swamp the house. I don't mind if it completely covers the wall I intend
putting it against though. Also I'd like to see some colour change on its
leaves during autumn.

By the way I'd like to point out that I am not an avid gardener by any means
and am quite new to it, so please be patient with me if some of my questions
seem a little stupid!

Thanks for your reply and for any more tips you can give.

Alex.

In article ,
"Alex Woodward" writes:
|
| where do you live,
|
| UK, zone 8

If you want serious advice, you need to give more relevant information.
Most posters to this group live in the UK, and the USDA zones are
almost completely irrelevant to us.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Alex Woodward" wrote in message
...

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Alex Woodward wrote:
I would like tips on a good plant that will help to cover a wall.
However,
I
don't want to use an ivy because of the associate risks. I am thinking
of
using a trellis, but don't want a plant that uses 'suckers' to cling to
the
wall itself. I would like a leafy evergreen if possible. Any
suggestions?

snip
where do you
live,

UK, zone 8

what is the aspect,
east facing

what soil do you have,

It will be planted in a long container, therefore I'll use the soil that
is
required (provided I can get hold of it)

and what other
properties do you want it to have?

Hopefully it will grow quite rapidly initially, though I don't want it to
swamp the house. I don't mind if it completely covers the wall I intend
putting it against though. Also I'd like to see some colour change on its
leaves during autumn.

By the way I'd like to point out that I am not an avid gardener by any
means
and am quite new to it, so please be patient with me if some of my
questions
seem a little stupid!

Shame you have to grow it in a container, still if your heart is set on an
evergreen in a container, things to bear in mind are, container as large as
possable (or you will be watering for ever)
Very secure trellis that is about 3" off the wall (or the plants will damage
in the wind)

Choices that may work on an east wall that is not too frosty.
Ercilla volubilis (does self cling but tends to pull off due to its weight)
in full flower now and very scented.
Clematis armandii
Passiflora caerulea
Trachelospermum asiaticum or jasminoides (this will turn red in autumn as
well as be evergreen but glues itself to the wall (not like ivy or viginia
creeper) asiaticum flowers well but the jasminoides can be shy to flower,
the best form is called 'Majus' and there are a couple of very attractive
variegated forms.

I am very fond of Holboelia latifolia but the last few nights have stripped
the flower buds, ditto Akebia quinata, but that tends to be semi evergreen
if frosted.
--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

Alex Woodward wrote:
"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
[...]
The wall is approximately 3 metres high by 4 mtrs long. It was
constructed about 8 years ago as part of a house extension. There
are
no windows [...]

I suggest that you ignore
the nonsense about ivy - it won't damage any walls built in the
past
50 years in the UK, unless they are already failing. It very
rarely
damages even older ones.

I take your point about ivy, but what about the mess it might leave
if after I plant it, if I later decide to remove it?. As I have
mentioned, the wall is part of a relatively new house extension and
I
certainly don't want to discolour the brick work for no good reason
(even though it does look a bit drab at the moment)


The point is that REMOVING ivy from a wall with loose mortar (e.g.
decaying lime mortar, as used over 50 years back) can cause
trouble,
but otherwise it does no more harm than any other evergreen
creeper.
And, to grow anything else, you need to fix a fairly solid
trellis,
which assumes that your mortar is solid!

The mortar is solid, plus there are other places where I can anchor
it.


That being said, I don't grow ivy. [...]

Hopefully it will grow quite rapidly initially, though I don't want
it to swamp the house. I don't mind if it completely covers the
wall
I intend putting it against though. Also I'd like to see some
colour
change on its leaves during autumn.

By the way I'd like to point out that I am not an avid gardener by
any means [...]

OK, no windows is good news with ivy. But if you aren't an avid
gardener, can you promise yourself that you will never let the ivy
get as far as the barge-boards or the roof? It can loosen slates and
prise apart the joints in woodwork.

If the wall were rendered and painted, removing ivy would leave
zillions of little "roots" and dead bits of stem behind: these would
show through the next coat of paint unless you laboriously scraped
them off. (I speak as an ivy-lover who has made the mistake.) On your
plain brick wall, these left-behind bits won't matter much, as
they'll eventually rot away.

Some ivies colour nicely in the autumn, and stay that way all winter;
but it doesn't usually happen till they're mature, and may not happen
at all if they're well fed (one beauty I selected carefully in the
wild still wasn't colouring up ten years later).

Mike.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
"Alex Woodward" writes:
|
| where do you live,
|
| UK, zone 8

If you want serious advice, you need to give more relevant information.
Most posters to this group live in the UK, and the USDA zones are
almost completely irrelevant to us.

When I say UK zone 8 I took it from this webpage:

http://www.uk.gardenweb.com/forums/l...146163246.html

Hope the information is what you are after.

Alex

"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
...
Alex Woodward wrote:
"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
[...]
The wall is approximately 3 metres high by 4 mtrs long. It was
constructed about 8 years ago as part of a house extension. There
are
no windows [...]

I suggest that you ignore
the nonsense about ivy - it won't damage any walls built in the
past
50 years in the UK, unless they are already failing. It very
rarely
damages even older ones.

I take your point about ivy, but what about the mess it might leave
if after I plant it, if I later decide to remove it?. As I have
mentioned, the wall is part of a relatively new house extension and
I
certainly don't want to discolour the brick work for no good reason
(even though it does look a bit drab at the moment)


The point is that REMOVING ivy from a wall with loose mortar (e.g.
decaying lime mortar, as used over 50 years back) can cause
trouble,
but otherwise it does no more harm than any other evergreen
creeper.
And, to grow anything else, you need to fix a fairly solid
trellis,
which assumes that your mortar is solid!

The mortar is solid, plus there are other places where I can anchor
it.


That being said, I don't grow ivy. [...]

Hopefully it will grow quite rapidly initially, though I don't want
it to swamp the house. I don't mind if it completely covers the
wall
I intend putting it against though. Also I'd like to see some
colour
change on its leaves during autumn.

By the way I'd like to point out that I am not an avid gardener by
any means [...]

OK, no windows is good news with ivy. But if you aren't an avid
gardener, can you promise yourself that you will never let the ivy
get as far as the barge-boards or the roof? It can loosen slates and
prise apart the joints in woodwork.

I don't mind pruning now and again. Assuming they thrive, how often do they
need pruning. Do they grow as quickly as hedge rows for example?


If the wall were rendered and painted, removing ivy would leave
zillions of little "roots" and dead bits of stem behind: these would
show through the next coat of paint unless you laboriously scraped
them off. (I speak as an ivy-lover who has made the mistake.) On your
plain brick wall, these left-behind bits won't matter much, as
they'll eventually rot away

The wall is plain brick.
..

Some ivies colour nicely in the autumn, and stay that way all winter;
but it doesn't usually happen till they're mature, and may not happen
at all if they're well fed (one beauty I selected carefully in the
wild still wasn't colouring up ten years later).

In that case, is it better not to feed them so well after they have fully
grown or are there serious disadvantages in going down that route?

Alex

In article ,
Alex Woodward wrote:

When I say UK zone 8 I took it from this webpage:

http://www.uk.gardenweb.com/forums/l...146163246.html

Those are USDA zones, and are almost completely irrelevant in the UK.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

How about a wall trained shrub rather than a climber as these will not attache themselves to the wall at all, you will have to tie them to the supports, and I would suggest using horizontal wire between vine eyes as the best solution.

Garrya elliptica (silk tassel bush) has wonderful silky tassels in winter when not a lot else is about, and grey-green evergreen (or evergrey-green!) oval leaves and is not too vigorous unlike the thorny pyracantha.

Linette Applegate

www.applegategardens.com

buy instant garden designs... online.