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Climbing a Northern Wall

winlovewinlove Posts: 5
in Garden design

Hi,

I am looking for advice on how best to cover a north-facing wall on my 18th century thatched cottage in (sometimes) sunny East Devon. There is a photo below.

I’ve tried googling and looking on here, but everyone seems to have very different answers. It is also hard to see what large expanses look like – most examples are close-ups.

I have got as far as combining two different plants, with Clematis Montana and Persian Ivy or Wisteria and Clematis Kermesina being the front runners – but am pretty overwhelmed with the amount of choice.

“Best” means:

1.       Fast-growing

Something that makes an impact this year, and looks well-established within the next two or three.

2.       Won’t savage the building.

It is made of cob, so is especially susceptible to tendrils digging into it. In terms of roots, there are French drains at the base of the wall so something which isn’t too “spreading” would be good. Perhaps even something which could grow out of pots/a raised bed.

3.       Native? Or at least traditional – older the better.

Woodbine? Ivy? This is part of a general cottage garden design, with the aim being to make it look like this could have been there for a long time.

Clematis?

4.       Beautiful!

a.       Subjective, of course! I guess flowers, colours rather than simply a mass of green. Fragrant if possible.

I guess self-supporting would be easiest, but happy to do a trellis or wires if that unlocks the best option!

Help hugely welcome!

C


Posts

  • winlovewinlove Posts: 5
    Here's the pic!
  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,841
    I wouldn't let anything self supporting anywhere near that wall. I think it would be inviting damage. I don't have any experience of the structural issues around fixing trellis or wires into a cob wall but would be surprised if anybody would recommend it. A large freestanding wooden trellis supporting something like wisteria might work.
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    On the one hand you have a French drain which you don't want to be affected by roots (and which would be inhospitable to plants), and on the other you have a beautiful traditional material which could be damaged by tendrils or climber supports. And presumably requires access to maintain?

    I wouldn't plant a climber at all! If I had to I might go for one of those purpose made free standing climber planters with built in trellis. But I think I'd just enjoy the walls unadorned.

    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
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