I stuck a Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) on the front corner of my garage and three years later its looking great.
Lazy gardeners will bemoan the speed at which it grows but i've never spent more than a few minutes clipping off the growing tips as they approach my fascias. This is especially easy on garages where no ladder is required.
The texture and colour of the leaves is unsurpassed amongst the climbers in my opinion.
I think everyone's forgetting that there's a climbing hydrangea already planted. Becaussse that will take a little while to get going, I don't think it's worth doing anything other than annuals. Anythiing else will just become compromised once the hydrangea gets going. Sweet peas will be perfectly fine in that aspect. They don't need as much sun as is often touted. There will be others too. You would need some supports - wire on vine eyes would suffice. I certainly wouldn't use alpina clematis - completely wrong conditions. They aren't like the larger flowered later ones. They like poorer conditions, and drier soil. It's also a myth about the 'shade at their feet' for clematis. What they need [the Group 2s and 3s] is a cool, deep root run. That isn't the same as being shaded.
One thing I would do though, regardless of what space you make for plants, is to create a gap between the grass and the garage. It would be very easy for the grass to spread and get into the garage base, and more importantly - for it to become damp with water ingress. That may not be a problem , depending on how you use the garage, but if you want to store anything there that could be affected, it's quite important. The gap also makes it easier for cutting/edging the grass. It can be filled with gravel or paving or whatever suits.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Bear in mind the fatsia will grow up to and above the roof of the shed eventually. It will also bush out into the garden space. With the hydrangea as well I don't think it would be worth trying to grow anything behind the fatsia as the soil will be very dry, dark, and starved. As others have suggested, climbing annuals to tide you over the next few years seems best, a trellis would definitely give them a helping hand.
It looks a lot better already, but I would paint it dark grey, as this will set off the foliage and flowers of any climbers, particularly those with white flowers. (If you hate it you can always change it back but I bet you won't!) It seems counterintuitive, but any garden structure you paint dark grey / black becomes much less noticeable so I would also paint that concrete edging. Trellis would help break up the wall but I would also paint any trellis in a similar way.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
I think there is room for a clematis between the window and the door. The climbing hydrangea is near the fatsia at the other end on the left and the climbing hydrangea could be kept pruned to its space when it grows big. I think that @Rubytoo's suggestion of a group 3 clematis, such as Etoile Violette could work. It is OK with shade, hardy, it will flower later than the hydrangea and it should grow quite quickly. I had a climbing rose planted about 2m from a climbing hydrangea and it was OK but north east facing and shady isn't so good for roses. Group 3 clematis are easy, just cut them down to a foot tall in late winter and they romp away.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Bear in mind the fatsia will grow up to and above the roof of the shed eventually. It will also bush out into the garden space. With the hydrangea as well I don't think it would be worth trying to grow anything behind the fatsia as the soil will be very dry, dark, and starved. As others have suggested, climbing annuals to tide you over the next few years seems best, a trellis would definitely give them a helping hand.
Thanks Joyce. Would you suggest I move the Fatisa?
I think given the garage roof is a burnt red I’d want a flowering plant to be complimentary and not clash too much.
Oh yes, funny I had not really noticed At least with Clematis you have a good colour range to choose from. Do check the heights they can reach. Some modern cultivars are quite short.
Climbing roses? We have a honeysuckle in almost full shade and a clematis montana ,both of which are growing away nicely. Good luck , you’ve made a tremendous difference already.🙂
That is a good idea too Roses are generally very good in clay soil. Have fun picking
I think given the garage roof is a burnt red I’d want a flowering plant to be complimentary and not clash too much.
Oh yes, funny I had not really noticed At least with Clematis you have a good colour range to choose from. Do check the heights they can reach. Some modern cultivars are quite short.
Climbing roses? We have a honeysuckle in almost full shade and a clematis montana ,both of which are growing away nicely. Good luck , you’ve made a tremendous difference already.🙂
That is a good idea too Roses are generally very good in clay soil. Have fun picking
I’ve planted two climbing roses (Generous Gardener and Gertrude J) on the border opposite which gets a little more sun. I’m planning to pair these with some Clematis varieties, such as Diana’s Delight, the President or Madame Julia Correvon.
Do you think it’s worth moving the Fatisa? I’m wondering if it’s too shaded for the climbing hydrangea to flourish. Here’s another look at the hydrangea now..
I would move either the hydrangea or the fatsia because planted together how they are the fatsia will create a rain shadow and stunt or kill the hydrangea. You could move the hydrangea to the middle because that way when it takes off you will be able to train the branches in both directions and cover the space quicker than if you have it to one side where it can only go one way. Your aspect will be fine for the hydrangea because they do well in a shady spot. We have one on the same aspect and it covers most of the front of our house. The one thing I would say, and why I'd move the hydrangea, is to plant it further out from the wall. If you plant it directly up to the wall it is easier to train but the soil is drier due to the rain shielding effect. Group 3 clematis would be nice as complimentary planting as they look good growing through mature climbing hydrangea or you could move it later on.
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Becaussse that will take a little while to get going, I don't think it's worth doing anything other than annuals. Anythiing else will just become compromised once the hydrangea gets going. Sweet peas will be perfectly fine in that aspect. They don't need as much sun as is often touted. There will be others too. You would need some supports - wire on vine eyes would suffice.
I certainly wouldn't use alpina clematis - completely wrong conditions. They aren't like the larger flowered later ones. They like poorer conditions, and drier soil. It's also a myth about the 'shade at their feet' for clematis. What they need [the Group 2s and 3s] is a cool, deep root run. That isn't the same as being shaded.
One thing I would do though, regardless of what space you make for plants, is to create a gap between the grass and the garage. It would be very easy for the grass to spread and get into the garage base, and more importantly - for it to become damp with water ingress. That may not be a problem , depending on how you use the garage, but if you want to store anything there that could be affected, it's quite important. The gap also makes it easier for cutting/edging the grass. It can be filled with gravel or paving or whatever suits.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
At least with Clematis you have a good colour range to choose from.
Do check the heights they can reach.
Some modern cultivars are quite short.
Songbird-2 said: That is a good idea too Roses are generally very good in clay soil.
Have fun picking
Do you think it’s worth moving the Fatisa? I’m wondering if it’s too shaded for the climbing hydrangea to flourish. Here’s another look at the hydrangea now..
Your aspect will be fine for the hydrangea because they do well in a shady spot. We have one on the same aspect and it covers most of the front of our house. The one thing I would say, and why I'd move the hydrangea, is to plant it further out from the wall. If you plant it directly up to the wall it is easier to train but the soil is drier due to the rain shielding effect.
Group 3 clematis would be nice as complimentary planting as they look good growing through mature climbing hydrangea or you could move it later on.