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Trellis + Concrete = Is plant cover possible?

Mark A L RobertsMark A L Roberts Posts: 8
in Garden design

Hello! I would like to cover the trellis you can see in the picture below with some plants over (climber, or whatever really!) - for privacy reasons.

Ideally, I would like to buy a mature climber (my local garden center sells honeysuckle on a trellis that is about 6ft tall) - but I have been advises this won't work as I'd need an impracticably large pot for the roots!

I'd really appreciate any suggestions image

(This picture was taken early morning - the area gets sun for most of the day)

 

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Posts

  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 37,905

    Hello Mark. Is there any soil border anywhere alongside the concrete?

    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
  • Mark A L RobertsMark A L Roberts Posts: 8

    Hi there. No I'm afraid there is not.

    I could try to get the concrete removed, if that's my only option image

  • darren636darren636 Posts: 666
    You'd need to leave the wall footings alone, that would reduce scope for planting.

    I'd get some big planters/ build a raised bed with sleepers.
  • iankellardiankellard Posts: 12

    Does the foot of the wall stay in shade for part of the day? And can you drill into the wall at all? Because if so, get some wire up, because this looks like prime territory for an evergreen clematis or two. Probably steer clear of Avalanche or Snowdrift because the white will be lost against the wall, but what about c. repens for summer flowers, and this crazy number for winter? http://www.thompson-morgan.com/flowers/all-other-seeds-and-plants/clematis-plants/clematis-cirrhosa-freckles-large-plant/t59148TM

    They'll need biggish pots, but not massive. Certainly not as big as something like a honeysuckle or a monster like a wisteria.

    I don't know – what does everyone else think?

  • geum keenbutgreengeum keenbutgreen Posts: 508
    I've just made a two metre long planter for a honeysuckle to go in, in a similar kind of spot - is that an option?
  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 37,905

    I think those are brilliant suggestions from both Darren and Ian. A raised bed with extra tall walls - say halfway up the concrete in height - planted with Ian's suggestions would be ideal. If you can afford the space you could make the raised bed more like a giant planter and underplant the clematis with either bedding plants or low growing perennials and bulbs for Spring displays. Remember that if you go down this route that the 'planter' would need lots of draining crocks at the bottom with drainage openings in the bottom of the 'planter' walls. Good luck Mark!

    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
  • Mark A L RobertsMark A L Roberts Posts: 8

    Thank you all!

    Really good ideas - I shall see what I can come up with for raised planter ideas... like the idea of sleepers! image

     

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