SOCIAL CLIMBERS
These high-flyers can give a lift to any planting scheme – and make dull patches disappear
WALLS, fences and other vertical surfaces are often ignored as most of us prefer to focus on beds, borders and features on the ground. What a pity. Big bare patches can stand out like a sore thumb and structures without any vegetation reduce the impact of the garden as a whole.
It’s also a missed opportunity to grow some fantastic climbing plants that can mix in really well with your existing display, giving it a whole extra dimension.
Climbers and wall shrubs include a host of stunning species among their ranks, while a set of parallel wires added to a wall or fence will enable you to grow trained fruit trees.
Prior to even thinking about planting, it’s a good idea to give soil some attention. The ground at the foot of uprights is often poor and dry because rain is deflected off the surface. In order to fortify the soil, dig in plenty of well-rotted manure or garden compost.
Some climbers are self-clinging, yet the majority, along with wall shrubs, will need some form of support as they grow. Trellis, plastic mesh and chicken wire are good for compact types. Taller or more robust shrubs are better trained on galvanised wires, spaced 12-45in apart, running vertically up the wall.
Fruit trees will need branches tying to a series of horizontal wires. For a rough and ready system, attach galvanised wire to vine eyes or screw bolts. If you want something that’s both practical and attractive, you can’t beat a tensioned wire trellis kit (s3i.co.uk).
There are countless different climbers available with wildly varying attributes. Some are good in shade, others full sun, while flowers can appear in spring, summer, autumn or winter, depending on variety.
Climbers with scented flowers help to transform gardens in summer. Grow honeysuckle, star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) or common jasmine (Jasminum officinale) in a sunny spot near a patio or outdoor seating area, and they will provide a heady perfume that becomes even more noticeable after dark.
Rightly known as the queen of climbers, clematis are a must-have in any garden. Summer flowering ones tend to be the most exuberant. Among my favourites are Clematis ‘Star of India’, with its large purple flowers with a carmine stripe down the centre of each petal, and mauve C. ‘Hagley Hybrid’.
It’s important to plant clematis deep, so the top of the rootball sits 2in beneath the level of the soil – this keeps roots cool, preventing stems from wilting. Add extra protection by spreading garden compost over the soil.
On the whole, wall shrubs tend to be more utilitarian, with a large number of evergreen species among their ranks. Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’ is as tough as old boots with wavy edged, slightly silvery leaves on branches that hold long, tassel-like catkins in winter, and Viburnum rhytidophyllum will cover a 10ft-square patch with its large, deeply ribbed leaves.
Some are blessed with attractive flowers. The branches of Ceanothus ‘Concha’ are transformed in late spring with clusters of bright blue flowers, while Fremontodendron ‘California Glory’ is a sun-lover that produces a succession of 3in-wide, bright yellow flowers from May to September. They’re not the sexiest group of plants, but my favourite wall shrubs are pyracantha. Their oval, dark green leaves don’t merit a second glance for eight months of the year, but they act as the perfect foil for a stunning display of glossy berries from autumn until late winter. A magnet to hungry birds, berries come in shades of yellow, orange and red, smothering plants that range in height from 6ft to 20ft, depending on variety. They will grow in just about any soil, so long as you improve it prior to planting by digging in plenty of garden compost or well-rotted manure.
As they don’t naturally climb or self-cling, wall shrubs will need tying in regularly to supports to prevent growing outwards like normal shrubs.
Another option is to pick an espalier, fan, cordon or another ready-trained form of fruit tree for planting against walls, fence and similar vertical supports – these can be grown in any size garden, but are perfect in really tiny plots as their height and width can be easily controlled by pruning.