Climber advice please

[jemberelli]

We have a slatted fence at the bottom of the garden. The other side is a path that is used by the whole row of houses for access to the back gardens, to put bins out etc. The openness of the fence affords little privacy and the puppy goes beserk everytime anyone walks past.

I was thinking of growing something up the fence to give us more privacy and also as it would be cheaper than buying planks to fill the gaps! I have looked on the internet for plants that fulfil my criteria but just wondered if any of the experts down The Lane might have some good advice!

Criteria and conditions:
Fairly fast growing but not too bonkers like wisteria!
Possibility to grow in containers (long wooden trough-like planter) but can buy something more suitable if necessary(under the bark/weed surpressant appears to be hardcore)
The fence gets sun most of the day
Would prefer evergreen so that there is still privacy in the winter months
No preference re flowers/berries/scent as long as it is quite 'pretty' as there is a lot of fence!

Is it possible to find something that covers all of the above or is it pie in the sky thinking? Thank you in advance

Below is pic of the fence!

[KarenE]

Hi Jemberelli

What about honeysuckle? I'm not sure about the container part, but it would cover the fence, is evergreen and would give you lovely scented flowers. You'll need to keep it controlled but pruning doesn't seem to do too much harm. I've got 2 honeysuckles and they're both lovely

I've also got an evergreen clematis (I think it's a clematis) - a quick google shows there is quite a variety. I'm not sure what they are like in containers

There's always ivy although personally I wouldn't, it could ruin your fence and again would need very very careful controlling. It might be less aggressive in a container.

You could always go slightly bonkers and grow rasperry canes or vines up there. Again they wouldn't be much good for winter but you'd get cover and fruit over summer!

[jemberelli]

Thanks for your reply Karen! I have a honeysuckle on a different fence that was there when we moved in, worth thinking about. Ivy is a no no - like you say it can damage the fence and in a previous property it was the bane of my life! Will check out which clematis might work in containers.
Thanks again

[Grannyof4]

I love Jasmin and the perfume of some is to die for. Does it have to be climbers, what about some shrubs?

[Mo]

Clematis montana (comes in white and pink pale or dark). Not evergreen and fairly fast growing, can clog the gutters and get under the roof tiles - but not if you grow it up a fence. Small flowers, I think it's beautiful in Spring when covered in them. In winter the tangle of twigs will break up the view between the slats.
I made the mistake of reading that it didn't need to be pruned until it had reached the desired size - so I left it a few years. Then found it hard to tell what I could cut without killing bits I wanted to keep.
Winter Jasmine has yellow flowers in winter. That is another that will grow out quite a long way if you let it.

[jemberelli]

Thank you ladies! Plenty of food for thought there. I remember now why I had discounted honeysuckle - we have a puppy who likes to eat things in the garden and honeysuckle is poisonous to dogs! Yet another thing to factor in! I do like the sound of the jasmine - I bought 2 in the sale last year but they didn't get seen to and died a sad death!

[Mo]

Winter jasmine roots easily. One wall is covered by some that came from cuttings - someone brought a dozen that had rooted under her plant to playgroup - we shared them out and mine 3 spread like fury.
So if you are anywhere near Kelsall (between Chester & Northwich) give me a shout and come and grub for some. (Not looked but I bet there are some)

[jemberelli]

Thanks Mo, if ever we're up that way I shall let you know!

[KarenE]

Passionflower. I don't know if it's evergreen but as Mo says, the branches would probably still screen. Plus you get the lovely fruits.

Virginia creeper is gorgeous in the autumn and would easily cover your fence, but it does die back at winter and until its established with a good branch network it probably wouldn't cover the gaps.

[jemberelli]

Thanks Karen

[kitla]

another one is Ceanothus. Evergreen, pretty blue flowers in spring, pretty fast
growing & dense, but I dont know how well it would grow in a container.
Another alternative might be bamboo or reed screening as quick fix!

[jemberelli]

Thanks Kitla

[Grannyof4]

Whatever you plant Jem is going to take a year or two to get established and achieve what you want. The only one that would do the job at speed is the Russian Vine!!!!

[jemberelli]

Haha, that's true - it would be a full time job keeping it under control!

[KarenE]

Oooh don't go near Russian Vine! That killed off a huge Ceanothus in our garden, it completely covered it, plus the building that is now the chicken coop - we didn't even know we had it!

Ceanothus - californian lilac - is a beautiful plant. The bees adore it. We lost ours (as above) and it had grown huge, more like a tree than a bush but there are different types I think, and according to the RHS it can be grown as a climber. I'm not sure it would take well to a container though.

Good advice on climbers here:

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=380