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  • Climbing challenge

    Morning all,

    Let's see what suggestions you can come up with here. My house borders an electric sub station. There's a cherry laurel hedge at the front of it, and a dull old brick wall surrounding it:

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    I want to soften that wall by growing a climber up it. There is no soil to plant in by the wall and I don't want the hassle of looking after something in a planter.

    I had a daft idea that I could plant a climber the other side of the little wooden fence where I've marked with a red arrow (not the aeroplane), then train it up the wall, over the gate and eventually across over the fireplace.

    Obviously, any climber I plant will have to fight a mature cherry laurel. There is actually a decent space between the wall and the trunk of the first laurel (big enough that I put a hedgehog house there - it's quiet and has almost zero human traffic so I thought it might be worth a punt but I don't think it's being used) - maybe about three feet.

    I am happy to do a wee bit of guerilla gardening - nip into the substation grounds (not in the substation itself of course, that would be silly and it's all concrete anyway), dig a bit of a hole, add compost or otherwise try and improve the soil, trim the laurel back on my side to make a bit of a gap and then I can look after it (I'm guessing mostly just watering, initially) from my side of the fence until it gets established.

    To my question - is there anything tough enough that could cope with being planted no more than about 3' from a cherry laurel, with the associated shade and lack of water? I'm happy to help it get established but it'd need to be mostly self sufficient after that. No objection to chucking a bucket of water over the fence every now and then.

    I (very) briefly considered a wisteria but they have too big a root system and I have underground utilities that I need to consider. I figured my best bet would be an ivy, but if anyone can think of perhaps a prettier (i.e. a bit more showy) climber that could cope, I'd love to hear it.

    The wall is roughly west-facing. The ground under the laurel is covered in leaves which are incredibly slow to break down. I don't know if they will have an affect on the pH of the soil - I've a test kit in the garage somewhere but I haven't found it yet.

    Over to you lot....

    Cheers,
    MBE
    Last edited by mrbadexample; 16-01-2021, 07:57 AM.
    Our England is a garden, and such gardens are not made
    By singing-'Oh how beautiful!" and sitting in the shade,
    While better men than we go out and start their working lives
    At grubbing weeds from gravel paths with broken dinner-knives. ~ Rudyard Kipling

  • #2
    Great idea!

    Boston ivy and Veronica creeper come to mind.
    But they are deciduous. Stunning though
    I think you’d have to be sure they don’t head off into the building ?

    Just a thought...should you ask if it’s ok to plant it up? I know some authorities can be cautious about damage to bricks, if the size will be controlled etc. Just because you would assure them you will keep it under control doesn’t mean the next owner of your property would.

    Is it worth considering painting it?...I love the fireplace idea!

    (Clematis montana or alpina should also grow well there)
    Last edited by Nicos; 16-01-2021, 08:38 AM.
    "Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple

    Location....Normandy France

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by Nicos View Post
      Great idea!

      Boston ivy and Veronica creeper come to mind.
      But they are deciduous. Stunning though
      I think you’d have to be sure they don’t head off into the building ?

      Just a thought...should you ask if it’s ok to plant it up? I know some authorities can be cautious about damage to bricks, if the size will be controlled etc. Just because you would assure them you will keep it under control doesn’t mean the next owner of your property would.

      Is it worth considering painting it?...I love the fireplace idea!

      (Clematis montana or alpina should also grow well there)
      Thanks Nicos, some options for me to research.

      I can keep it from growing into the substation, I'm sure. Naturally, I would try seek permission before I did this. I emailed the grounds maintenance company to ask them about the hedgehog house but they didn't have the courtesy to reply, so I did it anyway (there's a little sign on it saying what it is and where it came from). If I get any grief it'll be "well if your maintenance people didn't ignore my attempts to communicate with them..." Anyway, it's easier to say sorry than get permission, isn't it. I can't see any harm. There's more risk of the maintenance company ripping it out when they tidy up, but judging by the amount of litter I've pulled out of there I doubt they're that thorough.

      Paint would be ok but a nice climber could provide cover for birds and flowers for insects. This is a big consideration as I don't have much cover at the moment as the garden has no real maturity.


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      The fireplace was just a bit of fun - I was helping a pal to clear her garden and this was in it, so rather than burn it I stuck it on the wall. An old grate will improve the look of the "fire" and I plan to make a picture to go above it. I quite like having somewhere to put my coffee:


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      Our England is a garden, and such gardens are not made
      By singing-'Oh how beautiful!" and sitting in the shade,
      While better men than we go out and start their working lives
      At grubbing weeds from gravel paths with broken dinner-knives. ~ Rudyard Kipling

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Nicos View Post
        Veronica creeper come to mind
        Did you mean Virginia creeper? I looked it up on the RHS website and it was looking great until I got to the "invasive non-native" part. Can't be doing with that I'm afraid.
        Our England is a garden, and such gardens are not made
        By singing-'Oh how beautiful!" and sitting in the shade,
        While better men than we go out and start their working lives
        At grubbing weeds from gravel paths with broken dinner-knives. ~ Rudyard Kipling

        Comment


        • #5
          gosh, yes....autocorrect
          invasive?...hadn't realised that...good call

          I'd love to see how you progress with your project!
          Have you seen online various simple to make , yet colourful , bird boxes?
          I bet those would look nice up there- surrounded by picture frames?

          "Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple

          Location....Normandy France

          Comment


          • #6
            Russian Vine would be another candidate, it is rather rampant though

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Nicos View Post
              gosh, yes....autocorrect
              invasive?...hadn't realised that...good call
              I did spend a short time looking at the Veronica creeper. It exists, but it's not right for the job.

              Originally posted by Nicos View Post
              Have you seen online various simple to make , yet colourful , bird boxes?
              Malt says that's a great idea.

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              The birds and I disagree. I put up warning signs and everything:

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              She killed the blue tit I had nesting on the garage last year.

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              Our England is a garden, and such gardens are not made
              By singing-'Oh how beautiful!" and sitting in the shade,
              While better men than we go out and start their working lives
              At grubbing weeds from gravel paths with broken dinner-knives. ~ Rudyard Kipling

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by burnie View Post
                Russian Vine would be another candidate, it is rather rampant though
                Rather too rampant for me I think burnie. I have just discovered it's a relative of Japanese knotweed.
                Our England is a garden, and such gardens are not made
                By singing-'Oh how beautiful!" and sitting in the shade,
                While better men than we go out and start their working lives
                At grubbing weeds from gravel paths with broken dinner-knives. ~ Rudyard Kipling

                Comment


                • #9
                  Ha ha ha!!!!
                  Malt looks just like my old cat Nubby....a bird or mouse could hop/ walk right up to her and she'd be frightened!...total opposite to Hibou- our present cat.
                  "Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple

                  Location....Normandy France

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    How about something like a good old vigourous climber/Rambler like

                    Alberic Barbier -"Small, elegant sprays of fully double, slightly scented, creamy-white flowers in June and July and glossy, dark green leaves. The foliage of this vigorous, rambling rose is virtually evergreen, making it ideal for covering unsightly buildings or walls. It will happily grow in sun or partial shade, often producing a second flush of fragrant blooms"

                    . it will hide the boring bare stems with the wall and it will just tumble over. You could grow a clematis throug it - how about

                    Clematis Triternata rubromarginata ... huge name and tiddley little flowers with a stunning scent
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                    "Masses of delicious, marzipan-scented, rosy-purple flowers fading to white at the base of the petals from July to September. This vigorous, late-flowering clematis looks lovely scrambling over a garden wall, pergola or arch in full sun or partial shade. Plant near entrances or paths, where the fragrance can be appreciated"
                    Last edited by nick the grief; 16-01-2021, 03:10 PM.
                    ntg
                    Never be afraid to try something new.
                    Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
                    A large group of professionals built the Titanic
                    ==================================================

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by nick the grief View Post
                      How about something like a good old vigourous climber/Rambler like

                      Alberic Barbier -"Small, elegant sprays of fully double, slightly scented, creamy-white flowers in June and July and glossy, dark green leaves. The foliage of this vigorous, rambling rose is virtually evergreen, making it ideal for covering unsightly buildings or walls. It will happily grow in sun or partial shade, often producing a second flush of fragrant blooms"

                      . it will hide the boring bare stems with the wall and it will just tumble over.
                      Cheers, I was having a look at this when the girlfriend came in and said "that's pretty" so we might have a winner. Being from Yorkshire, I'm never going to grumble about a white rose.

                      I already have a clematis (Polish Spirit) in a (too small) pot on the left of the fireplace. I need to build a bigger planter for it, but that could hook up with the rose one day.
                      Last edited by mrbadexample; 16-01-2021, 03:59 PM.
                      Our England is a garden, and such gardens are not made
                      By singing-'Oh how beautiful!" and sitting in the shade,
                      While better men than we go out and start their working lives
                      At grubbing weeds from gravel paths with broken dinner-knives. ~ Rudyard Kipling

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Speaking of the clematis (group 3) I believe I have to cut it back hard around this time.

                        Does that mean I chop it off at ground level or thereabouts? Seems a bit brutal and I don't know what I'm doing with flowers.
                        Our England is a garden, and such gardens are not made
                        By singing-'Oh how beautiful!" and sitting in the shade,
                        While better men than we go out and start their working lives
                        At grubbing weeds from gravel paths with broken dinner-knives. ~ Rudyard Kipling

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Group 3....

                          https://www.ashridgetrees.co.uk/gard...oup-3-clematis
                          "Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple

                          Location....Normandy France

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Cheers Nicos. Not one of the other guides I've looked at explained it that well. Cut above the lowest set of good strong buds at the end of February.

                            Why do all the others make it sound complicated?
                            Our England is a garden, and such gardens are not made
                            By singing-'Oh how beautiful!" and sitting in the shade,
                            While better men than we go out and start their working lives
                            At grubbing weeds from gravel paths with broken dinner-knives. ~ Rudyard Kipling

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Clematis Montana...Dark bronze leaves and pink flowers. Great coverage and needs little or no attention.
                              It flowers in the first part of the year.

                              And when your back stops aching,
                              And your hands begin to harden.
                              You will find yourself a partner,
                              In the glory of the garden.

                              Rudyard Kipling.sigpic

                              Comment

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