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Clematis/climber advice to cover big ugly wall

Quercusrobur81Quercusrobur81 Posts: 231
in Plants
Hello, I have a large, east-facing wall I wanted to cover with something green. It’s a bit tricky as what ever it is will need to be grown in a pot (not necessarily the ones shown)

I was wondering about a clematis? I’ve just picked up a couple of  ‘avalanche’ variety at Aldi, does anyone know if they’d be suitable?
Any suggestions at all would be very welcome! Thanks
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Posts

  • YviestevieYviestevie Posts: 7,066
    I suspect that any clematis big enough to clothe that wall would be too big to put in a pot.  How high do you want it to grow.
    Hi from Kingswinford in the West Midlands
  • Quercusrobur81Quercusrobur81 Posts: 231
    It doesn’t need to cover the whole wall, up to 6ft ish would be great. Am open to any ideas! It’s pretty bleak to look at, I have a little olive tree, a camellia and some star jasmine in the greenhouse at the mo which I will add to the area to green it up too.
  • stuart.dotstuart.dot Posts: 127
    If you take up one of those slabs you could plant a Montana Rubens. I know one round here that covers an east facing wall in rather spectacular fashion.
    Whatever you grow, you'll probably need a trellis to tie it to. 6ft x 6ft would be a start
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    I had the same problem once. I just lifted a paver and dug the soil about a bit, worked in some grit and bit of slow release fertiliser, and then planted a clematis in the hole. Worked just fine! Mind you you'll need to be sure your house is on a good solid foundation :) I wired the wall of course to give the plants something to cling to.
  • Valley GardenerValley Gardener Posts: 2,851
    I think you will need Deep rather than round pots,Clemmies like their roots deep.What about an evergreen one,so you have some green in the winter. The other one worth considering is one of those big leafed variegated ivy,Some have lovely bright yellow greens running through them. A Pyracantha would do good coverage,but mine only got to 4/5 feet tall,but spread along the whole of a pebble dashed garage.
    The whole truth is an instrument that can only be played by an expert.
  • Quercusrobur81Quercusrobur81 Posts: 231
    Thanks for replying everyone. Planting in the ground had been my preference but I got told off by my other half and accused of digging up the house foundations when I started preparing the spot before we had the patio laid (to be fair it was all rubble and sand...)  

    A trellis would be a good way to break up some of the expanse of wall so will start there. I think my avalanche clematis are evergreen, just wondering if anyone had any experience with them (east-facing container-wise)? Love pyracantha, thanks for the suggestion-could mix it with another climber perhaps...
  • YviestevieYviestevie Posts: 7,066
    Hi Elspeth, I have two Avalanches.  They are not particularly hardy.  Mine are planted in with a couple of roses so that I get colour early in the year from the clems and and then again later from the roses.  The roses and the obelisks help protect them too.  I suppose it depends on how sheltered your wall is.  Take at look at Taylors Clematis website they have a great choice and lots of information.
    Hi from Kingswinford in the West Midlands
  • Mary370Mary370 Posts: 2,003
    I would imagine you would have a much longer flowering period from a rose rather than a clematis.
  • Richard HodsonRichard Hodson Posts: 790
    Many clematis flower all Summer long, July to September or October, some of the yellows are even later
  • Quercusrobur81Quercusrobur81 Posts: 231
    Just had a look at the Taylors website, thanks so much for pointing me in their direction-just brilliant! 

    I love roses too but can climbers grow in a container? Might look into that...

    thanks
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