# covering a wall with climbing plant.  need advice



## GreenNeedle (19 Sep 2011)

Hello.  I am looking at getting a climbing plant of some sort to cover my west and south facing walls.

Problem being that the house is surrounded by 1m (wide not deep) of concrete.  This can't be removed because it surrounds the drains and water pipes etc.

So with this in mind any options or advice would be great.

I don't want Ivy for the obvious sucker/wall damage problems, maybe something that turns red in the autumn.

Are there any 'creepers/clingers that do not require ground or container planting that would cling to wires fixed into the walls?  If not how big would the container pots need to be around the bottom of the walls?

Andy


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## ghostsword (19 Sep 2011)

Last year I saw an amazing concept at the Kristenbosh Botanic Gardens in Cape town. 

Chicken wire, double laid, half coke bottles, some soil and rockery plants, made a nice wall.






http://travelblog.portfoliocollection.c ... -of-Beauty


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## dw1305 (19 Sep 2011)

Hi all,
You can always plant the plant in the ground and train it over towards the wall, this tends to work better than planting close to the wall anyway. The 2 usual red leaved clingers you see are "Boston Ivy" (_Parthenocissus tricuspidata_) and "Virginia Creeper" (_Parthenocissus quinquefolia_), most of the "Virginia Creeper" you see is actually _P. tricuspidata_.

Another 2 vines that will do are _Vitis vinifera "Brandt"_ and _Vitis coignetiae_, this goes great colours in the autumn. Another possibility is _Campsis radicans_, it does have red leaves most years, but it has a good quality flower as well in the Autumn. It survives fine in Corsham, which is quite high and cold. I've got a spare if you want it.

These are all fairly rampant growers and not really suitable for a pot.

cheers Darrel


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## GreenNeedle (19 Sep 2011)

thanks for the offer darryl.  I may have to think about boring some holes in the concrete surrounding the house I guess 

will be something for next year so maybe 'tap you up' for the spare then. lol


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## Garuf (19 Sep 2011)

Regarding Ivy, it's actually proven to not damage buildings, they merely exploit weaknesses that would normally have occurred, they actually provide a very good thermal and protective barrier, see "misconceptions of growth" Alan simson.

I agree with Darrel, most climbers are pretty thuggish as they go and non are overly pot suitable, unless they're very large pots that is. Provided they are sufficient, If you want variation mixing commoner/hardier clematis with any climber of your choice will provide brilliant contrasts and interest in the form of showy flowers. Cf. Freda and cf honey blossom are my two favourites.


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