just my input from experience is don't have plants growing up a house. Like others have mentioned trimming the excess is eventually more hassle than painting the pebbledash.
Not to mention it would take years to cover the area at which point it will quickly become a nuissance.
Houses that have growth growing over them might look nice to you but generally they look untidy in a neighbourhood.
I've never understood the appeal. Birds start living in the stuff, it attracts wasps, the wall foundation starts getting damp and mouldy. Buch better to paint and have a bunch of sunflowers or roses brighten up the area.
I’ve just checked back over the replies; I’ve been warned against almondii and Montana. I remember I wanted them initially because they would grow quickly. Without them I’m not sure if the front garden will look good enough in time for next summer...
I think expecting any climber to be magically covering the front of your house in less than a year is wildly ambitious at best. Even in perfect conditions, they don't grow and reach their ultimate size and spread that quickly. Even quick growing/spreading climbers like montanas take a while [ couple of years usually ] to mature. Better to plant annuals like sweet peas and Black Eyed Susan [Thunbergia] etc if you need colourful climbers of some kind .
That's exactly the appeal @mrtjforman, apart from the attractive plants themselves. A haven for all sorts of wildlife. It's also a myth about foundations getting damp.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Oh dear...thanks Fairygirl. I was really hoping that if I planted now I’d have a beautiful display by then 🙁 I’ll check out the annuals you’ve suggested; are they ok for that aspect? Do annuals grow faster then?
If you sow seed in autumn or spring, you'll have plants by June/July onwards. I don't grow Thunbergia, but sweet peas will certainly grow in that aspect. Hundreds of varieties to choose from. I would think Thunbergia would do well enough, but someone else might advise on those better. I know @Dovefromabove grows them - I'll give her a shout
There will be other plants too, but I can't think off the top of my head right now.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Youve a good memory @Fairygirl ... I grew thunbergias two or three summers ago in a container with a wigwam of canes to go by the front door ... this year we have Morning Glory (ipomea) just for a change.
I sow them indoors on s bright windowsill in little pots in mid April ... by the beginning of June they’re ready to plant out in a big container with a wigwam of 6ft canes and a month later they’re at the top of the canes and blooming.
Feed them with tomato feed every couple of weeks and don’t let the pots dry out and they’ll bloom until the frosts arrive.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Rather than buying so many different climbers, maybe invest in a huge specimen or perhaps two, which are already trained on trellises. More instant impact and less of the maintenance headache and visual messiness of multiple species growing amongst each other. I'd go for trachelospermum because it would be clothed in foliage all the way down to the bottom unlike C. montana. If any of the others think Trachelospermum won't like east facing please jump in.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
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Not to mention it would take years to cover the area at which point it will quickly become a nuissance.
Houses that have growth growing over them might look nice to you but generally they look untidy in a neighbourhood.
I've never understood the appeal. Birds start living in the stuff, it attracts wasps, the wall foundation starts getting damp and mouldy. Buch better to paint and have a bunch of sunflowers or roses brighten up the area.
Even quick growing/spreading climbers like montanas take a while [ couple of years usually ] to mature.
Better to plant annuals like sweet peas and Black Eyed Susan [Thunbergia] etc if you need colourful climbers of some kind .
That's exactly the appeal @mrtjforman, apart from the attractive plants themselves. A haven for all sorts of wildlife. It's also a myth about foundations getting damp.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I know @Dovefromabove grows them - I'll give her a shout
There will be other plants too, but I can't think off the top of my head right now.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I sow them indoors on s bright windowsill in little pots in mid April ... by the beginning of June they’re ready to plant out in a big container with a wigwam of 6ft canes and a month later they’re at the top of the canes and blooming.
Feed them with tomato feed every couple of weeks and don’t let the pots dry out and they’ll bloom until the frosts arrive.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
-willdb- yes, I'm beginning to think that's the best way forward, thanks. I'll check out some garden centres for large specimens.