Unsightly pipe work - Recomendations?
ittim
Posts: 1
Hi, we recently moved house and i'm keen to try and hide some ugly pipe work running at the rear of the building.
Because the area has drainage and a patio I think it would be wise to look for something I can grow in pots. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Would ideally like something evergreen that flowers. I was thinking some kind of Clematis but I've never been overly successful with them.
I think the wall points W/N
Many thanks for reading.
0
Posts
I'd be tempted to put a half barrel pot by the base and grow runner beans up it. Handy for the kitchen door and the flowers are quite pretty. Or climbing sweet peas?
owbout holbelia?? it smells good
I assume you mean you're trying to hide the down pipes on the wall?
To get anything up that height you'd need a pretty substantial pot and would need to be vigilant with feeding and watering. Better idea might be to buy or make a large 'raised bed' of timber if you don't want to plant directly into the ground- (you can still put a base on it as long as it has plenty of holes for drainage) then you could plant ivy, clematis or hydrangea Petiolaris (evergreen)which is the climbing one with white flowers and would suit your NW aspect. There are plenty of clematis which would grow well but only a few are evergreen and it would also depend on your climate. Whatever plant you put in -it's dependent on you for nourishment and the smaller the container the harder that is. You could opt for a shrub which can be grown against a wall - eg ceanothus, if you don't need it to grow too high.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I agree that any plant in a container would probably end up suffering,as you really do have to be on top of feeding and watering.It might be an idea to put some decorative wrought iron style trellis panels up the wall alongside the downpipe, and plant a clematis ( or two - flowering in different seasons ) close by, and train them toward the trellis. I have a clematis 'Broughton Bride' growing in my north facing garden, and it is a prolific climber, covered in white 'paper handkerchief' type flowers at the moment, so is ideal for early season cover. There are hundreds to choose from, and all of mine manage to wrap themselves around everything they touch !
Whatever you do, don't plant 'mile-a-minute' vine, whose proper name escapes me for the moment, I'm afraid. It's pretty and tough, and a rampant climber which will be up shoving among and under and through your roof tiles before you can turn round. I had one that in two years was up three floors and climbing under the slates towards the chimneys. The hydrangea is a great cover with very pretty flower mops and attractive seed-heads in winter, and self-supporting, sticking itself onto your wall. Birds love nesting in it - in my garden, at least.
Instead of a pot or raised bed, you might consider lifting some of the concrete to dig out a wee bed in the ground; not for anything with big roots, though, which might damage the foundations.
Don't confuse 'mile a minute' VINE with the plant also known as Russian Vine with the CLEMATIS commonly called 'mile a minute' - the VINE a real monster as Frances says!
The young plants can look similar so beware, you wouldn't be the first do be caught out on this....... Good Luck!
Ittim-Frances is right - russian vine is a real thug! Fallopia is the botanical name for it so give it a body swerve if you see it.
Frances is also right about lifting some paving but I got the impression you didn't want to do that. It would be far better for the plants though. I had a deck at one house and left an area to plant into at one end. I lined it with polythene to protect the house wall and the timber and then had clematis and a fatsia and a few bulbs in it. Much easier to feed and water too.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I've used Russian Vine for similair and it is manageable. I just cut is back and let it do its thing. When grown in a large tub it isnt as vigarous as if planted in the ground so may do the job. What about a tall bamboo? Again good in pots and the big ones are great for hiding things and pretty hardy.
Good luck x
First try toning the pipework down with Plasti-kote 'stone' spay paint. I used this on ours and it makes a heck of a difference. I also used it to disguise an ugly gas meter box too. I have ivy growing up the wall next to it which takes the eye away from the pipework. I got some of those pots that strap around pipes (sprayed them too!) and planted up with seasonal plants and bulbs. After a while you stop looking up!
Whatever you choose to do, tone those pipes down!
Ive just bought a book "the garden problem solver"by readers digest for 50p from the nuneaton bookbarn.
It suggests a variegated ivy,as long as the mortar is sound.As it clings of its own accord,it says other climbers such as clematis alpina will be provided with a foothold.(which is violet blue in late spring)also suggests honeysuckle, or Hop - humulus lupulus.