Hide an ugly fence
Hello All
I have a small garden just 21ft wide by 23ft long. Recently a new property has been built at the back of mine & a 2.8 metre fence has been erected on my boundary. Any suggestions as to plants I could use to cover this ugly & dominating fence ? I was thinking of planting a Russian Vine but a bit concerned as I know this is a rapid grower 
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Eek Angie. Do not plant a Russian vine - they are rampant! There are several really pretty climbers that will do the job for you. Parthenocissus henryana; Hydrangea seemannii (evergreen) or Hydrangea anomala petiolaris (deciduous) both climbing Hydrangeas and beautiful. You will get flowers and lovely Autumn leaf colour from the hydrangeas. You could also grow a clematis up into the Hydrangea once they are established.
Did they have permission for a fence that size?
Apart from planting on the fence, you can also use the old trick of planting a specimen small tree or large shrub further into the middle of your own garden. About a third of the length of the plot, in from the back fence. That will screen out quite a bit of the fence...and the neighbours....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Not Russian Vine - ugly thug. Clematis, climbing roses, honeysuckle - all sorts of climbers to choose from and the choice will depend on soil and aspect so tell us more about the soil you have and which way your new fence faces because that affects available sunlight and thus what will grow.
FG's tree idea is also very good and there are plenty that will do the trick and give you something pleasant to look at too - sorbus kashmiriana - foliage, flowers and pearly berries in autumn, prunus serrula which will give spring blossom, foliage colour in autumn and shiny copper bark in winter. Lots of small trees to choose from.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Just beware. The neighbours of friends of mine put up a new fence and forbidded my friends to grow anything on it. The new fence dominated my friends garden so they had to put trellis up on fence posts in front of it and grow things up that to hide it. I am not sure if you are legally allowed to grow stuff on your side of a neighbours fence.
Too true but trellis is a sensible option anyway as it allows air to circulate and thus reduce diseases and also makes for easier training and tying in. If trellis is too expensive for the budget, then posts with strong wire tensioned between them at 12"/30cm intervals will work just as well.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
That's an interesting point hogweed. I wonder if anyone here knows.
I can see that it might be illegal to tie plants to a neighbour's fence, but what if you plant something that clings naturally without your assistance?
Is their any way you could complain that the fence is too high the local authorities often have planning regulations about this. have a look at the link.
http://www.boundary-problems.co.uk/boundary-problems/fences.html
"Fence height: How high a fence can I put on my boundary?
"The height of fences is a matter of planning policy. To find out what is allowed in your area contact the local authority planning office. As a general rule, fences in rear gardens are allowed to be up to 2 metres high."
Last edited: 25 October 2016 11:20:54
'You must have some bread with it me duck!'
A lot of garden fences are party fences, your house deeds should tell you. So you can put what you like up. There is a height which your not supposed go over for fencings though I don't know it. As for growing anything up your neighours fence, it is your garden.
Back to the original feed, I'd put a montana clematis up the fence, they are quick to grow to cover an area and not too hard to keep in check. Also every april they are absolutely covered in flowers, you just cut them back after flowering to keep them under control.
that is not true. If it is a party fence then it belongs equally to the two parties. You can't put up what you like. T depends on local council bye laws. And even when it is your garden you may not be able to grow whatever you want up your neighbour's fence.
Clematis montana can be a thug when happy and it ahs a very short, tho spectacular flowering season. I'd go for a later flowering group 2 hat will give you two flushes of flowers if well cared for or a group 3 which will flower all summer. Plenty to choose form in either group. This website lists hundreds - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemlistsearch.cfm and can be searched by pruning group, aspect, colour, size and flowering period or you could look at commercial growers' sites such as Taylors or Evison or Thorncroft or Hawthornes which was founded by a poster on here who is a natonal collection holder of viticellas.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw