Fast-growing non-invasive flowering climbing plant?

skintchick

Due to a housing association mess-up, the hedge at the bottom of our garden has been axed down to no more than 5ft, leaving us rather exposed to passers-by.

We have put some reed screening up as we can;t afford anything else right now, both in terms of time and money, but obviously it is still a bit see-through.

I'd like to plant something to grow up the screening that will offer some visual cover.

Ideally it will be fast-growing as it needs to get up to about 6ft as soon as possible, and flowering because I like pretty things.

The ground it will be in is very good soil but a bit dry as it's at the base of a hedge/fence. I don;t do a lot of gardening so it must be able to be a bit neglected and it can;t be anything too bushy because there's not a lot of space for it to grow in, width-wise.

Can anyone suggest anything?

Barneysmom

I don't think you'll find much to grow 6 feet in the first year but passion flower is very fast growing, beautiful flowers and you can eat the fruits too.

Ken68

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/howtogrow/3313447/How-to-grow-Cobaea-scandens.html

You could try this Skint, fast grower although an annual. Just as easy to sow eaxch year rather than try to keep them.

Otherwise Clematis Montana, which will grow something useful in a couple of years.

stumpycat

I've got honeysuckles growing through my hedges - they grow fast, have lovely flowers and can hold their own in competing for water with the hedge. I suppose they would be a bit bare in winter, but you could leave some of the stems up for some privacy.

alanobrien

I had a similar problem. I used bamboo to screen a building but it takes time to thicken out so i put a climber up behind it as well. I would recommend an Evergreen Honeysuckle. Specifically Lonicera japonica Halliana which is a fast grower and probably available in your local garden centre.

http://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk/ProductDetails.asp?ProductID=130
an alternative is copper beauty also a very nice evergreen fast growing plant but can on occasion suffer a bit from mildew.
http://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk/ProductDetails.asp?ProductID=154

skintchick

These are all great ideas! I do have a honeysuckle elsewhere but it's very slow growing so is either unhappy where it is or just the wrong variety.

I'll have a look at all of those. The reed screening is helping a bit but it is crying out for some green now the lovely hedge is gone. THe birds are rather confused too!

While I'm here, does anyone want to suggest some nice shrubs? I need to change my garden to a more herbaceous one now the baby is nearly here as I won;t have so much time to be out there.

I like cottagey gardens so am not the huigest herbaceous fan but I guess I could learn to love them!

Currently the garden has a lot of crocosmia, aquilegia, ornamental thistles, day lilies, valerian, lavender and irises so I'd want to keep those and add in shrubs to make it less hands-on.

IF it would be best as a new thread let me know and I'll post again. Thanks.

ixwood

You don't have to have shrubs if you don't like them. Just get either perennials or self seeding annuals.

Rosamundi

I have the same screening problem which I now use bamboo for, however the climber I also use is clematis armandii, it's evergreen and flowers early on in the season with white almond scented flowers and sometimes it'll flower again in August.

Many books say that it likes sun - mine is growing in a very dark corner of the garden and is huge ... so take it with a pinch of salt

[Deleted User]

And for something quick growing, attractive *and* useful (if you like home-brew) is the golden hop: http://the-plant-directory.co.uk/humulus-lupulus-golden-tassels-dwarf-hop-p-2063.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/394.shtml

DKLS

Would second golden hop, mine is at 12 foot so far this year.

Ken68

Good one Jool, there's your answer Skint.