GETTING CREATIVE WITH CLIMBERS

WALLS and fences are the same height in a tiny garden as a large one so their importance increases as the ground area decreases.

They create many opportunities for privacy — even if it is only enjoyed by including a solitary seat — which I regard as essential if you are to fully relax in your personal patch.

Every inch of wall or fence should be exploited with greenery and flowers. Plant climbers at least 0.5m (1½ ft) from the fence or wall, as they will grow much better with the extra root space. But space them closely, every metre (3 ft) or so.

You can get away with the inevitable overlap by mixing their flowering seasons. So a

Clematis alpina can grow through a climbing rose early in the season with a Clematis

viticella taking over in August. Alternatively, use ivy and

Hydrangea petiolaris along

side a rose such as Souvenir du

Dr Jamain on a shady wall. Mix and mingle them to create the soft barrier you need that also excites with its colour and scent. I would invest in really strong trellis to support your climbers.

Within the garden, wigwams made of cane or metal can support annual climbers such as sweet peas, the cup and saucer vine ( Cobaea scandens), morning glory ( Ipomoea purpurea) or the Chilean glory flower ( Eccre

mocarpus scaber). These will all grow in a container, too.

Late-flowering clematis, such as C. viticella, can sprawl through shrubs or trellis and be cut hard back every year to stop them overspilling the available space. Small gardens are often sheltered, so gloriously scented jasmine, trachelospermum or

Clematis armandii can thrive when they might be too exposed in a large garden.