Best and quickest evergreen climber

[TerraNotSoFirma]

We are just starting to plan our garden and we have a 6ft fence to be put up.
What I would like to do is grow something evergreen all over it (as fast as possible)and have little fairy lights through it as it will be right beside the (eventual) patio.

What would you recommend that would cover the fence but not have too much depth so that I can weave the lights through it?

If anyone has any recommendations for lights also, I'm thinking solar powered?

[MilkyChopsKid]

Our clematis armandii (see here) is evergreen and growing quickly. It does need to be out of cold winds in winter though so not by a windy side-passage.

[cjel]

what about a scented rose?

[TerraNotSoFirma]

Would those cover the fence? Am I needing for of a hedge type of thing?
Sorry, I know nothing about gardening :)

[MilkyChopsKid]

Clematis would cover the fence although you would need to put up a trellis or wires for it to wind around. It would take a few years or so to cover a fence and the fence needs to not be in shade most of the time. I don't know of any evergreen roses.

You could try honeysuckle, some of them are evergreen. Plug your details in this website and it will show the options.

[GinGuzzler]

Mile a minute also known as Russian ivy I think Be carefull though it takes over.

[GinGuzzler]

Sorry ignore that... Its not evergreen

[TerraNotSoFirma]

Thanks everyone.
I think I'm about to lose a couple of hours on the plant selector :)

[sis]

False jasmine is an evergreen climber. This has it 'proper' name and a picture www.rgbstock.com/photo/mkPgsX8/False+jasmine

[MilkyChopsKid]

I now spend more time on the plant selector than on mumsnet, much more peaceful apart from the gardening topic of course!

[TerraNotSoFirma]

Ooh that one looks nice sis

[Ponders]

ivy?

[sis]

It is lovely terra and flowers generously with beautifully fragrant flowers from June to October during normal years - this year, it is a bit late in flowering in my garden because of non existent spring and summer.

[TerraNotSoFirma]

Would ivy cover up the fairy lights?
I've found some solar fairy lights that are on a net (like a fishing net) and want to sort of weave them into whatever I end up growing.

Or would that look a bit silly do you think?

[Ponders]

it would look really magical I think, Terra

no idea though about weaving ivy through, any more than any of the other possibilities.

would you put the net up first or later? ivy is a clinger, you could probably uncling tendrils as they grow & poke them through the mesh. it does grow quite fast I think, & you could stop it getting too bushy with regular pruning

[cjel]

i think it would look lovely you would just have to cut any ivy that grew over lights, it might also be nice to grow something with a flower as well so that you could have some day interest?

[Liara]

I was going to say ivy too. There are some lovely variegated ones, including a very large leaved one called sulphur heart, which is quite fast growing but I think fairly easy to control.

[Solo]

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[Solo]

[TerraNotSoFirma]

I'm in two minds to put the lights up first or not.....decisions decisions.

[digerd]

The varigated ivy is prettier than the green with smaller leaves and not so rampant as the green. There is a very large leaved varigated for covering unsightly areas. Ivy needs no support as grows roots along its stems to cling on to almost everything. Needs regular pruning to keep in check.
All other climbers need a trellis to wind round. Jasmine can be rampant and also roots along its stems if touches the soil. Only the tender one is evergreen.

[digerd]

There is another evergreen climber, but needs a trellis to wind round on. Also produces jasmine type flowers in summer and in winter the leaves turn reddish, but is not a rampant grower, which has its advantages regarding the need for much pruning. I have forgotten its name as is not in my old book , but have seen a mature one grown in a pot on a trellis in a large posh garden centre < didn't look at the price>

It is beautiful. There is also a varigated form which I have too. Will try to find out its name

[digerd]

BINGO - good old Google
Trachlospernum jasmoinoides < if I've copied it down right>
No wonder I didn't remember it.!

In the RHS website for scented climbers, they have only the varigated type. It is more rampant growing than the green one. I lost my green one after 2010-11 winter, but was growing in a pot much too small for it.

[CuttedUpPear]

It's spelt Trachelospermum jasminoides

[TerraNotSoFirma]

Thanks everyone.
Do you think if I pinned the net of lights to the fence, it would act as trellis for a climber that needed one?

[TerraNotSoFirma]

Then that would solve the problem of wether to put the lights up first or not :)