Growing plants up walls.

[Manks]

Hi All

Our house is built of 11 different types of brick. Not all of it attractive. We have also just extended the house using an Ibstock brick.

We are thinking about growing some plants up the front elevation, simply to break it up a bit and make the different bricks look less obvious.

Ivy can be a bit of a problem I know. We have considered Virginia Creeper. However does anyone have any good ideas for plants that will cover well but not lift the roof off?

Many thanks

Manks

 

[Flyfisher]

A friend covered an entire gable wall with pyracantha by fixing battens and stringing garden wire. They then 'trained' the shoots of the pyracantha along the wires. The idea was to stand the plant about 3-4 inches away from the wall. It took a few years to get good coverage but looked good and provided plenty of berries for the birds. The plant didn't attach itself to the wall. like ivy etc, so I don't think there is much risk of damage (other than the batten/wire fixings). They also had two blackbirds nesting in the gap between the plant and the wall.

Be careful when pruning though - fearful thorns!

 

[Nemesis]

We have a pyracantha and I agree it's a good one, especially if it can be espaliered. Evergreen. Stays upright by itself maostly.

Avoid Virginia Creeper. Rampant and if ever it requires removal the suckers stay forever.

 

[Flyfisher]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espalier
Yes, that's exactly what they did and it worked very well.
I had no idea it had a specific name.

 

[Pford75]

What direction does the wall face and does it get much sun?

 

[Nemesis]

http://www.gardenersworld.com/talk/blogs/post/jas-pyracantha-01012008/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/main.jhtml?xml=/gardening/2007/10/09/garden-bunny-climber109.xml


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/main.jhtml?xml=/gardening/2003/01/18/gbare18.xml

(I woudn't recommend a wisteria unless you are a very keen trainer and pruner! But maybe I'm just lazy.)

 

[Flyfisher]

Informative first link, but my friend had much greater coverage than shown in the photo, pretty much 100% in fact. I guess it's flexible enough to train it how you wish.

I'd heard it was good as a burglary deterrent but I didn't know it was officially 'police approved'. Must be worth an insurance deduction surely? :wink:

 

[Nemesis]

I have a pic somewhere of one trained in a very close espalier on a cottage. Ours is just given an annual chainsaw over. No attempt at anything fancy, but it does cover well.