Topic: something to hide an ugly concrete wall ?

[trogg]

Hi,
I have several concrete/concrete block walls in my garden.

What I want is something that will grow over the walls to hide them, the walls are between 2 ans 4 foot high.

Any idea's for a complete novice ? :-\

oh, forgot to say, must be evergreen  :)

cheers

[trogg]

Also forgot to say is 2 of the walls have no direct sunlight for at least 6 months a year.

had a look at the RHS website and came up with this, ...Hedera helix 'Spetchley',

Would like something else with it though, to give it a bit of colour  :-\

[manicscousers]

we've a variegated ivy on our fence, shaded most of the time, mind you, the honeysuckle has wound it's way through the top of it so we get some lovely flowers and some scent  ;D

[Hector]

If you want a nice Ivy, I have this
http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://th07.deviantart.com/fs42/300W/i/2009/133/a/b/Yellow_Ivy_by_amyhooton.jpg&imgrefurl=http://amyhooton.deviantart.com/art/Yellow-Ivy-122378844&usg=__9t_HTIjxyaWCVQoVkb9R7_fFCqo=&h=200&w=300&sz=16&hl=en&start=8&um=1&tbnid=VpQgtmqFtfaoUM:&tbnh=77&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dyellow%2Bivy%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26hs%3DRSr%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

[trogg]

Thank both for your replies  ;)

I was looking at ivy, but wasn't sure if it would grow down the wall rather than up it.

There is no soil at the bottom of the walls, just a path, and I don't want to put planters there because of the room they would take up.

Again, you'll have to excuse my ignorance  :-[

[caroline7758]

In my experience, ivy doesn't need much soil.

[Unwashed]

Cotoneaster horizontalis is one of my favourites.  I'm not sure it'll grow down as such, but if you can cut a small hole in the path it'll do fine.

[Digeroo]

There was a programme on TV recently in which Joe Swift investigated green walls.  They shows people growing all sorts up walls.  Flowers, veg, herbs, all sorts.  Unfortuneately the Gardeners World programme is no longer available on i player.

They basically had trays, boxes holding compost fixed to the wall with a space behind so wall does not get damp, and then plant into it.  I had though of using a tool tray system to hold compost and planting herbs and salads into it.  But I got the allotment so I do not need to go up the wall.

They got a box with sections which they covered with plastic, hung it on the wall and then cut slits in the plastic to plant  into.  There are lots of results if you google green walls.

[trogg]

Just had a brilliant idea  ;D

the above posts have given me the idea of drilling several holes into the walls and put various plants into them.

The walls are retaining walls, holding back the garden,and already have drainage holes at the bottom.

I have a 32mm (1 1/4") core drill, so I could add a few more 'drainage' holes.

Just got to decide what to plant now  :)

Thanks again for your replies.

but I would still like idea's of what to plant into the wall.

[Digeroo]

Have you seen this link
http://gardenopolis.wordpress.com/2008/06/30/growing-a-green-wall/

Looks like you can grow all sorts.

[THE MASTER]

not sure if this will work but it might be worth a try

get a bag of compost and soak it till it's soggy maybe a soil base compost might work better . propper gooye mess . add some seeds somthing like corn flowers or a fiels flower that does not need mutch soil

after you have put the seeds into the soil . paste the wall with the formentioned mix rubbing well in

im not saying its gonna work but you can see me thinking
 ;)

[trogg]

Like those green walls in that link Digeroo  8) might use that idea on the ugly render on the front of the house  ;)

And I like your idea MASTER, but I would put some of that green scaffolding screening on top on it to hold the seeds/soil in place, and also give the plants something to grip onto whilst growing .

A mini green wall.

Will posts some pictures if I do it  8)

[daileg]

this is what ive got growing on the front of my house on a northwester wall mostly in the shade http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/397.shtml