Hiding a garage!

polb

Hi,

We have a fairly large old garage which is not pretty to look at. The main wall we can see is south facing and about (3-4 metres long and standard garage height). We have a very large garden to maintain and so low maintenance is key! The area currently has all sorts of weeds growing there including nettles. I understand having nettles is a good indication of good soil!? I haven't checked the soil in that area yet but generally the garden has very clay soil.

We had wondered about some sort of roses that are fast growing and could take over the garage wall, however I've never had much success with keeping roses, so an easy rose would be advisable!! :-/ The other thought was to plant a mixed firethorn hedge (red/yellow/orange)?

Its very visable as you come and go from the house, so I thought it would be nice to have some colour, although this is less essential than it covering the wall and it being low maintenance!

Any ideas?

Obelixx

Have a look at this thread and see if it helps.  https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1010319/hiding-a-hideous-garage-in-a-small-garden#latest

If not, let us know but to grow roses well you will need to do decent soil prep and provide supports so some work will be involved.

polb

Thanks for the link - helpful :-)

What about firethorn?

Like the idea of evergreen climbers..will look into that. Any suggestions for south facing and easy?

Obelixx

Firethorn - pyracantha - is a good evergreen plant which will provide food and shelter for wildlife from insects to birds.  It can have red, orange or yellow berries depending on variety chosen.   Prickly tho.

polb

hmmm..don't fancy the pricklyness! Would it need much maintenance? If not I guess I could live with the prickles!

Obelixx

Like any plant trained to cover a wall or trellis it would need regular pruning and tying in to make sure it grows in the directions you want and not out away from your garage.  As for the prickly bits it isn't called fireTHORN without good reason.

The only maintenance free garden is completely paved and decorated with only plastic plants and even then you'd need to sweep sometimes.

hogweed

Zilch maintenance would be something like Virginia creeper. Once you have put some starter wires up it will romp away. 

Borderline

Take a look at Ceanothus shrubs trained into a wall shrub. Like the Firethorn, they will need some careful pruning to keep the main branches pinned flat against the wall. It just means pruning off stray young branches facing outwards when that happens.

Naturally, the shrub wants to reach up and outwards, so a few years of pruning away branches facing outwards will start to create a shrub that is growing against your garage. As the branches age, they create the main frame work for your shrub. Evergreen glossy leaves and blue flowers in early to mid summer. A great shrub used as a base to annual climbers or perennial climbers once flowering has finished. 

I agree, there is no such as a totally maintenance free gardening. But, shrubs are generally classed as low maintenance once established.

polb

Thanks for the suggestions :-) I like the Virginia Creeper idea but I would be concerned about it creeping into the garage itself and taking over. I love Ceanothus and hadn't thought about having that! Perhaps I'll look into a combination of plants that would look good together and just require some pruning each year.

Many thanks everyone :-)

Nanny Beach

clay soil roses, Golden showers, (yellow) have one "hiding" our shed, Rambling Rector, (Yes, I KNOW< lots of folk on here dont like him) hes white lovelly smelling flowers, you would get some thorns of course, you could make it into a feature, cover it with trellis. hanging pots, solar lights.BBQ corner. Nothing will take over unless you let it!  Welcome to the "property Ladder"