New Hedge or Screening Suggestions

Aristocat

Hello,

We’re aiming to cover some fencing. We’ve had a variety of climbers planted without much success. The fence faces West. Please could I have some recommendations for alternatives? Open to all options including hedging and bamboo. The top of the closed board fencing is 1.5m and whatever is planted would ideally be this height or, even better, taller. 

Thank you in advance. Have attached a couple of photos taken in Summer & Winter.

[URL=http://s1356.photobucket.com/user/Aristocat12/media/EA35600E-9238-44CF-9A80-E112CB58028C_zpsrhpnce8a.png.html][IMG]http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q726/Aristocat12/EA35600E-9238-44CF-9A80-E112CB58028C_zpsrhpnce8a.png[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s1356.photobucket.com/user/Aristocat12/media/03588DCB-BE61-488D-9E89-468840F089E5_zpsmxsdnlgn.png.html][IMG]http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q726/Aristocat12/03588DCB-BE61-488D-9E89-468840F089E5_zpsmxsdnlgn.png[/IMG][/URL]

Aristocat

Sorry, tried to attach photos but doesn’t seem to have worked.

Here‘s the links instead:

http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q726/Aristocat12/03588DCB-BE61-488D-9E89-468840F089E5_zpsmxsdnlgn.png

http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q726/Aristocat12/EA35600E-9238-44CF-9A80-E112CB58028C_zpsrhpnce8a.png

Ladybird4

Hello Aristocat. There was a glitch on the site so that no photos could be uploaded but thanks to the technical team that problem has now been solved.

It might be a good idea to widen the border near the fence as anything you plant would have to compete for water and nutrients with the grass. I notice that you already have plants in the border so are you not happy to just let them fill out and cover the fence? What are the plants you have in the border? If you were intending planting something else you would have to move some of the plants already there which seems a bit of a shame to me.

Black bamboo would certainly fit your needs but a mixed hedge would be much more attractive if you wanted to have birds visit your garden.

Nanny Beach

I have some of the non invasive bamboos, there is no border there, so they are in pots, at the edge of our patio, as screening, I love it, because its "soft", makes a nice sound when the wind goes through it.but  It backs a japanese area we have made there. so, feeling bamboo might not look quite right in a mixed border. They will set you back around £70 each if you want to get them already the height of your fence.Further along there is a border, sort of west facing, I put honeysucklel there Hall Prolific, and its has covered 2 fence panels in 2 years, was flowering still a week ago, and smell gorgeous, and 3   clematis, the labels have fallen off, but they were cheap as chips from Aldi. At the foot of our garden I have rosa rogosa planted along as hedging, smells and look lovelly, good for the birds, who love the hips and the bees, and not too expensive. Ladybird is correct, the border isnt anywhere near wide enough.

Aristocat

Thank you both for your replies. I would be happy to widen the border and could afford to go up to about 35 inches with this. Yes, I agree Ladybird about it being a shame to move the existing plants, my reason is they’ve been in for a couple of years now and have made little progress. Currently, there are 2x Trachelospermum Asiaticum, 4-5 clematis, 1x pyracantha, then a couple of none climbers like a rose and hibiscus. 

I‘d love to attract some wildlife, the bird feeder is only really visited by a black bird despite being kept fresh and clean. I thought perhaps a hedge to dive in and out of would make the birds feel less exposed.  But then very overwhelmed by which hedge to go for, hence the post! I’ve been looking at Privet, Hornbeam and and mixed species, and as per my initial post, would really like something that is going to achieve 1.5m plus in a reasonable period of time. 

Your bamboo sounds lovely Nanny. I already have a clumping bamboo further down the fence which is thriving, and a running type in a pot which isn’t very happy. The sound is so relaxing, isn’t it? The only thing I wouldn’t relish is digging down to put root barriers in for more bamboo! 

Ladybird4

How about a compromise then. Incorporate your plants already there with some new mixed native hedging plants. You can research these online and basically do a pick and mix. A little patience will be needed though as to get an instant tall hedge would take a lot of money and it is easier to get shorter hedging to establish rather than big shrubs.

Obelixx

Some climbers, especially clematis, can take a couple of years to get going while they get their roots established.   It looks to me as if they've had to compete for water and nutrients with the grass and are in unenriched soil.

I would dig the border wider and add plenty of well-rotted garden compost and Or manure and then fill in the gaps with wildlife friendly shrubs and perennials which provide nectar and pollens for insects and birds or shelter or both.  Have a look here and follow the links to more info - https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/wildlife-garden/wildlife/encourage-wildlife-to-your-garden

Nanny Beach

You can get "well behaved" bamboo, then you dont have to worry about digging tenches etc.

Garden noob

We inherited a jasmine when we bought our house that grows very well on a west-facing fence (so well that it can look shabby at times - see below!). No idea how long it would take to establish a bush like this. I would guess 5+ years.

We also have a honeysuckle on the east-facing fence that took two years to get to this stage from a small plant. Both seem pretty indestructible - very easy to grow.