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Best plants for covering unsightly ledge
MichaelN
Posts: 2
Hi,
I’m hoping someone can give some ideas for covering an unsightly ledge in our back garden.
Our neighbors built an extension which resulted in their builder putting a waterproof sheet over the top of and partly down our side of the dividing wall. Hard to describe -see photos attached. I‘m thinking about putting flower boxes on the top ledge with hanging plants which will grow down to cover. Also thought about fixing a trellis along the ledge and training a climber. Any suggestions for the best thing to do and best plants to use would be much appreciated!
thanks,
M
0
Posts
Perhaps a builder among us could explain why this was done? It appears to be of no purpose to me.....
Presumably the 'lower' wall is yours? If so it would be the best idea to fix trellis to it and cover with plants. A Clematis montana would easily cover that space in 2-4 years. Although not evergreen, the trellis will hide the most of that plastic. You would not need the trellis to be much higher than the plastic as the plants will grow up and over.
Looks like damp proofing to me.
I think an attractive trellis panel or 2 would be the best bet for disguising the wall, the damp proofing and even some of the new extension wall if you use 1.8m high and wide panels. I wouldn't try attaching it to the ledge tho - minefield for neighbourly relations and wall ownership and future maintenance.
It looks as though the builder is shooting water onto the neighbouring (your) side rather than dealing with it on the correct side. He has done it to stop water causing damp in the new extension. There should be a proper damp-proof course in there somewhere, and I don't think there is. Neighbourly relations be damned, this will cause problems in the future when/if you want to sell your house.
If it was me I'd just cut the plastic off!
looks like lead to me.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Either way, it seems to me it's there to prevent water from seeping in thru the top of that rather porous looking wall and into the structure next door. I wouldn't touch it but it can be hidden with some clever trellis and climbers. Doesn't have to be wood either. I've used the rusty mesh builders use for reinforcing concrete. Much cheaper than wooden trellis and will last more than your lifetime and is also unobtrusive and needs no maintenance once attached to decent supports.
I grew roses, clematis, honeysuckle on mine and, in the potager, I trained blackberries and pumpkins up it. We'll be using it in this new garden for fruit supports, beans and ornamental climbers.
Last edited: 17 January 2018 09:33:45
Don't think it's lead Nut ... lead isn't often used nowadays except in expensive restoration work ... looks more like one of the many adhesive 'lead flashing replacements' that are available. It's preventing rain that drives against that white wall from penetrating the bricks below and causing a damp problem which would damage the wall.
Does the roof have guttering along that edge? Which way does the roof fall?
If the OP is concerned they may want to get someone in to check that it's all been done in line with current Building Regs. Raisingirl may have a suggestion of who ... when I was involved in the building trade it would've been someone from the local council, but things may have changed ...
I'd put some sturdy 'window box' type containers along there and fill them with various damp-loving ferns
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I'd forgotten about that stuff Dove
Local council still had Building Inspectors when we did our roof.
In the sticks near Peterborough
I would do narrow window boxes
As much as I love my C Montanas I think they might just take off and be too vigorous there. .
Looking at it again it does not look as if there is enough soil for a Montanas roots. A more delicate climber perhaps.
'You must have some bread with it me duck!'