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Loganberry Hut
Posts: 199
in Plants
a climber, that can live in an average sized container, that will grow quickly, and cover my ridiculously ugly oil tank. On a budget. this is not a joke lol!?
living in NI, i have a 1000L oil tank in my back garden. its about 15 ft from my kitchen window, and very ugly. its also set up on a plinth so its actually about 10ft tall. I really want something that meets the above, and will help me to live with this eyesore!
Container wise, i guess i can source a bigger one if needed, but at the moment i have a few extra large window boxes that id like to use up if possible.
Thanks in advance, oh gardening gurus!
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If you're good at construction you could build a tiered support for containers, like terracing. That would give you more containers for different plants and hide the tank faster. More effective than relying on one big plant in a pot
In the sticks near Peterborough
Could be used to hide an ugly wall/fence too.
I have something similar to hide a small gas tank; will take photo to show you, but not now as it's dark.
or an ugly neighbour...
If you can do a bit of diy , a few posts with trellis, backed by marine ply (painted black) or landscape fabric, will give you a screen while plants grow. You could hang the window boxes at the top and plant them with trailing ivies etc and have a larger container at the base for the climber. You could use a large shrub like Viburnum rather than a climber if you did that.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Loganberry, having an oil tank myself you do have to be careful what you do and how.
If it's a plastic tank, they do not last that long, they have a tendancy to split despite what the manufacturers say!
If it's metal, they can last 20 years with rust proofing.
You need access for safety and maintenance reasons, so a trellis screen is the best option. This needs to be placed 2-3 ft from the edge of the tank, to allow access.
You can grow whatever you like up the trellis. Oil is expensive, don't be tempted to cover it without taking safety into account, and the soil pollution from oil is impossible to to rectify.
Mine has trellis on 2 sides (the visible ones) and there's winter jasmine, honeysuckle and variegated ivy growing up it. It's completely hidden, the oil man has to ask if he hasn't been before! I do have to keep the top clear, the ivy has a habit of growing over the filling hatch so it gets a haircut twice a year. I cut back the winter jasmine after flowering.
ok... here is the eyesore in all its glory! budget is more or less zero, (
) it needs to be in a container, as you can see, and it needs to be evergreen. please help, this bit has me completely stumped!
Edd's idea is a bigger version of what I suggested earlier Loganberry. Some posts bolted onto your paving /decking and trellis or the pallets fixed to them. If you use containers - like your window boxes - and attach them with brackets or hooks rather than screwing them on, they can be removed and so could the trellis/pallets for easy access if necessary. A more permanent raised bed will always be better than just containers, it will give you more scope for planting and make it easier for plants to thrive. The pallets could be used to make that on the side you don't need to use for access, or do you need to gain access from both sides?
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...