Can I use willow trellis to hide an ugly metal fence?

SparksAlive

I've recently bought my first house and the garden, while not awful, hasn't had much done to it for a while. It's a rectangle with patio at the kitchen door, then a long section of grass, and then more patio at the end. I'm in a terrace so it's fenced on both sides and this also means that at the bottom of my garden is a 'fire escape' pathway, which the neighbour to my left and I share.


Instead of having a fence all the way round though, there is 6ft fence on both sides of my garden but then a half-height metal chain link fence and gate along the bottom. It runs across the bottom of my garden and along part of my neighbours, where they have the same type of gate.


It's fairly unsightly, since it's rusted and old. I don't have a huge budget and will only use the gate very occasionally anyway, so I'm thinking about using willow trellis all the way along the bottom of the garden, attached to the existing 3ft metal fence and on a hook at one end so I can just detach it when I want to access the gate. But I know it's not very strong stuff, and I'm worried since it'll only be against something halfway up, that it'll bow out of shape immediately.


Does this sound doable? I've not used willow trellis before but I've seen it in other people's gardens and like the look of it. I just want something a bit more private and a bit prettier than chain link!

no1catman

Willow trellis looks good, but and it's a big but - it doesn't last very long. Two or three years, it is liable to start disintegrating - bits snapping apart.
Used them, in an archway to support clematis, gave up replacing it, changed it now to plastic coated wire trellis.

Davesnave

Why not use living willow to make a green woven fence?

Provided you can trim both sides, it's easy enough and it will be partially self supporting.

Other willow nurseries are a Google away:

http://www.thewillowbank.com/willow-cuttings-for-sale/

Kyrae

I agree with previous posters, willow trellis doesnt last long unfortunately, mine had rotted and fallen off in a couple years too Replaced it with sturdy solid wood trellis now. Could you grow self twining climbers straight up the metal fence? Maybe clematis or ivy?