Quick growing climber - suggestions please
BernieEarnie13
Posts: 36
I have a courtyard garden with boundaries made up of bricks and decorative cinder blocks. The blocks have holes in so anyone walking past can see in and I would like to create some privacy.
I am a complete novice to gardening and therefore ask for some advice/suggestions on the best plants to grow up a concrete wall. I would preferably like them to be fast growing, hardy and stay green all year round.
As it is a courtyard garden I have a very limited area of soil. I have tried growing Ivy in a pot, but it doesn't seem to have taken to the wall. It's stopped growing and the leaves have browned.
It would be good to know if I can grow the suggested plants in a pot or have to plant in the ground.
Many thanks in advance!
Last edited: 04 August 2016 08:35:59
Posts
The climbing hydrangea - Hydrangea petiolaris is a good wall coverer. It may take a little while to get started but after that its great. This however is not evergreen. Trachelospermum jasminoides is a lovely evergreen that likes a sheltered wall and it has sweet smelling flowers in the Summer. Most climbers are best in the ground but if you have a huge pot you might just get away with it.
Thank you Ladybird4. I have just googled Trachelospermum jasminoides and it looks rather pretty!
Last edited: 04 August 2016 12:08:27
Make sure you give it the biggest pot you can and really good compost. You will need to water regularly and top dress with fresh, slow release fertiliser every spring as it will use up the nutrients and get hungry.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Thank you obelixx. Is the slow release fertiliser the same for most plants? I have potted a few shrubs, etc this year. Will I need to do the same for them also? I am sorry for the questions - like I said, I am completely new to all of this!
Last edited: 04 August 2016 14:08:45
I use pelleted chicken manure which is a good general fertiliser with a balance of nitrogen for stems and foliage, phosphorus for flowers and fruit plus potash for roots and general plant health but for roses and clematis I add extra specialist food to help with flower production. Liquid tomato food is a good occasional instant tonic for flowering plants.
Anything grown in pots needs an annual feed in spring and anything growing in the ground will benefit from a boost in spring . Think of it as a bit like feeding a balanced diet to kids to help them grow strong and healthy and a good general diet to adults to keep them healthy as they mature.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw