Suggestions please

[Elaine]

I need some suggestions for some nice clinging climbing plants. Want to make a start on getting the back garden sorted out this week, weather permitting.
Want to put some climbing plants against the boundary wall and make it attractive for birds.

[Kazz]

We need pictures before we suggest anything. ;)

[Tanya]

Climbing honeysuckle - they look beautiful.

Where I am living at uni, there is a honeysuckle plant that goes over the arch of the gate. It looks and smells lovely. ;)

[dandysmom]

What exposure does the garden get...lots of sun, shady, or a mix of both? Annual climbers: cardinal vine, cathedral bells, morning glories, moonvine (night blooming); all of these are fairly easy. Perennials: clematis (touchy, hard to establish but stunning in bloom), wistaria. Non flowering vines: English ivy, Boston creeper (stunning scarlet foliage in Autumn. Honeysuckle vine is lovely but will take over the premises if it gets half a chance ... Can think of others if you want ......

[Kazz]

I need pictures ;)

[Elaine]

I need pictures ;)

I hear you first time:lol:
Will take some pics later today.
The garden is north facing so quite shady, the boundary wall, where i want to put climers gets most of the sun and is at the moment full of weeds and nettles. Will be cutting those back but I know they will be back with a vengence in no time. I am not too bothered about that, I like the wild look. I am no gardener by any stretch of the imagination, I just want to encourage some wild life back into my garden and hide the ugly wall. It may encourage Bernie to want to stay in our garden instead of trying to get into other gardens if I can make ours more interesting for him.
We do also plan to get some cat fencing too.

[mable1718]

can we have some pictures then we can all suggest something to help you

[Elaine]

Ok here are a few piccies of the erm,,,,, garden:oops:
The back wall isnt actually mine to do anything with but since no body else goes out there or does anything, I thought there wouldnt be any complaints if I did. My property is actually the strip of grass infront of the tumbling down sheds:roll:
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a398/ElainePirie/Misc/Garden006.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a398/ElainePirie/Misc/Garden003.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a398/ElainePirie/Misc/Garden001.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a398/ElainePirie/Misc/Garden002.jpg

Oh and look what else has apeared out there..... Eva is not at all impressed about this one.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a398/ElainePirie/Misc/Garden005.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a398/ElainePirie/Misc/Garden004.jpg
Poor baby was shivering. I think he lives in that building, is friendly and looks well fed and cared for but Eva and Bernie wont want to share the garden with him:( ;)

[Tom]

Awwwww such a cute wee kitty!!!!!!

[Elaine]

Isnt he just;) Not so much wee though. Ofcourse i was compelled to go over and chat with him and give a cuddle.
Think his owners must have gone out to work and left the poor thing outside:( Just hope he doesnt get over the wall like Bernie did, very busy streets.

[wooly wonka]

hi elaine, hope this might help you,, http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r90/woolywonka1/theclimbingcollection.jpg they are all good climbers and fill out very well to ... good luck ,ian

[Elaine]

Thanx Ian, they look lovely:D

[dandysmom]

Here's a link to vines for shady spots ...........
http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/climbing-vines-for-shade.html

[Elaine]

Thanx Eileen:D

[Kazz]

Hiya Elaine.
Ta for the piccies:) Icould suggest maybe IVY, IRISH (Hedera hibernica).

(http://www.bucknur.com/acatalog/Index_Climbers_15.html#top)
Dense vigorous evergreen which rapidly carpets the ground
with large dark glossy green leaves. Round clusters of light
green flowers, which are very attractive to bees
and other insects, appear in early spring and these are
followed by black fruits in autumn, which provide
a good source of bird food.
Tolerant of dry conditions and heavy shade.
Excellent self-clinging wall cover plant growing
rapidly to 20ft (6m) or more.

[dandysmom]

Another question: how is the soil in that garden? It may need some amending with top soil..... and do you have any idea if it's an acidic or limey soil? Could affect what you want to plant........

[Kazz]

IVY, GOLDHEART (Hedera helix Goldheart,
Hedera helix Oro di Bogliasco).
http://www.bucknur.com/acatalog/images/buttons/backtotop.gif (http://www.bucknur.com/acatalog/Index_Climbers_15.html#top)
Dense vigorous evergreen. Attractive rich green foliage
with large central splash of buttercup yellow.
Tolerant of dry conditions and heavy shade, but
colour will be better in sun or semi-shade.
Excellent self-clinging wall cover plant reaching 20ft

If you planted one of each of the Ivies you could use those
as almost ladders to support other climbers.

[Kazz]

Maybe if you planted this with the Ivies you would really get the benefit especially as it says on winter days Nov to April there is nothing nicer than seeing yellow outside.:-D
With the Ivies you may get birds nesting in there too as they are evergreen.

JASMINE, WINTER-FLOWERING (Jasminum nudiflorum).


(http://www.bucknur.com/acatalog/Index_Climbers_15.html#top)
Hardy climber which thrives in any position even on
a cold sunless north wall. A profusion of bright yellow flowers bespangle the green stems from November to April
offering cheer on dreary winter days.
Can also be grown as a shrub, and is tolerant of poor soil,
both acid and alkaline. Height up to 10ft.

[dandysmom]

Very interesting, Karen! I have a Winter jasmine grown as a shrub; had no idea it could be trained as a climber!!

[Kazz]

Mine is becoming a climber Eileen, I just sort of feed it through the honeysuckle :)

[Kazz]

And the good point is it can be have a nic scent. In fact if planted alongside the summer jasmine with the lovely white flowers that would be good as that too has a heavenly scent in mid summer. The odd honeysuckle thrown in too would be good, you can almost smell the rich scent on the evening breeze it would throw out in summer. Plus being woody honeysuckle would be brilliant to attract birds.

[dandysmom]

You don't have trouble with the honeysuckle taking over the garden? It's worse than the bamboo in my yard; can't keep ahead of it! Love the scent, but it's so invasive....:( But isn't the Winter jasmine cheerful when nothing else is in bloom...I love it!

[Elaine]

Awww thanx ladies, you have given me quite a few ideas to go on and I can almost smell them:D
I have no idea what the condition of the soil is, Graham might but if I ask I will get an hours long lecture on soil etc:roll:

[Elaine]

Off to garden centre.
Should I just plant these along the wall? No real planning?
Or should they be planted in some sort of order?
Sorry but have never done any sort of gardening other than house plants and cut the bloody grass:lol:

[Kazz]

If you are going for the Ivy then seperate them with something else, so Ivy, Winter Jasmine, Ivy,....like that.

[Elaine]

Thanx again for your helpful tips xxx

[Elaine]

Ok, it was raining this morning so after i had cleaned the house and litter boxes etc, my sister and I set off to the Happy Plant. I bought 2 ivy's, 2 honey suckles and 2 clematis.
This afternoon was overcast with some sunny spells so I came home and set about work in the garden. Cut the grass, pulled out all the thistles (ouch) and dug up around the side of the shed and half of the wall.
Plants are in, bird feeders are up so fingers crossed it will all take shape.
Sorry no pictures, I dropped the camera and think I have broken it:oops: :roll: .

[Kazz]

Sounding very good Elaine, sure it will all do brilliantly. You;l soon get birds I bet you. Karen

[Elaine]

Thanx Karen xxx

[dandysmom]

Sounds good to me too, chum! Were the clematis in flower? Those at our garden centre are. Speak sharply to the camera and tell it to start working, cause we want pics!

[Elaine]

:lol: :lol: :lol:
No the clematis wasnt flowering but the honey suckle is.
Graham has come home with some catmint seeds for me too:D
I didnt dig up the whole of that area coz its alot of hard work so i am hoping that if the wee bit that I have done takes off, then I will do the other half of the wall. Serously though you should see the size of these bloody thistles that are out there:shock:
The birds are already visiting the food stores that I have hung out so thats gotta be a good sign.

[dandysmom]

Well, Scotland is known for its bonny thistles, isn't it....:-D. Amazing how fast the birds can find a feeder...they're fun to watch. Is your honeysuckle the one with the cream colored flowers or the pinkish ones...both very fragrant! It sounds as if it's going to be a nice improvement to the yard!

[Elaine]

I got one of each:D
Those thistle were far from bonny, thorny, huge and a ****** to get out:lol:
There is a place near Huntly called Leith Hall which has lovely gardens and THE most enormous thistle ever, but it is pretty not like the ones in our back garden.

[Mags]

Sounds good Elaine, it'll be nice waiting to see what it is like when it is flowering :D

[dandysmom]

I got one of each:D
Those thistle were far from bonny, thorny, huge and a ****** to get out:lol:
There is a place near Huntly called Leith Hall which has lovely gardens and THE most enormous thistle ever, but it is pretty not like the ones in our back garden.\This is utterly off the subject, but you mentioning Leith reminds me of a tongue twister that one of my former bosses used to say: "The Leith police dismisseth us" ...bet you can't say that three times rapidly!

[Tanya]

\This is utterly off the subject, but you mentioning Leith reminds me of a tongue twister that one of my former bosses used to say: "The Leith police dismisseth us" ...bet you can't say that three times rapidly!

I can't even say it once without stumbling over my words!! ;)

[dandysmom]

It's a nasty one, isn't it? I can't say it either: harder than "Sister Susie's selling seashells by the seashore" ....

[Kazz]

Heathers would be good too Elaine given you are in Scotland :) and they are good ground cover stopping weeds when they matt together and don't forget to plant some bulbs in the autumn. :) easy but oh so colourful in the Spring.

[Elaine]

Brilliant, thanx again all xxx

[alexgirl73]

have you not got that camera fixed yet lol!

[Elaine]

have you not got that camera fixed yet lol!

Lets not even talk about that one:roll: