Tall pretty shrubs

[jasmine1971]

Hi - would welcome some suggestions for tallish shrubs.

My neighbours have removed the 4ft fence out the front separating our two gardens and replaced it with a (just under) 3ft wall.

That's all fine, they did it with my permission (although it is much lower than they said it was going to be) BUT ... they keep their bins and motorbikes in the front garden which I don't really want to see. So I have put trellis along the wall (with their permission) and it's really pretty and now comes up to 5ft.

I would like to screen it even more with some tallish shrubs, evergreen if possible.

The problem is that they poured concrete all along the footings of the wall so I can no longer plant anything in the ground BUT I do have five pots that I can use.

They can't be massive pots as our path (which I don't have the money to relocate) is just 22cm away from the wall!

Ideas please! I'd also thought about some climbers, like an evergreen jasmine, but not sure if they would be happy in 22cm wide pots :-)

[Modestandatinybitsexy]

Jasmin or honeysuckle would be good, you might need a couple of pots to get coverage of the trellis.

I think most tall shrubs would need a biggish pot, maybe Lupins would work, they have pretty flowers.

If it's just for screening then evergreen trees or bamboo in pots could work.

[jasmine1971]

Thanks Modestandatinybitsexy, hadn't thought of trees.
I might do a mixture of both climbers and trees instead of shrubs.

Just seen a pic of these:
Pink Oleander Standard 80-100cm, and they're beautiful

[jasmine1971]

Oh wow: Chilean Lantern Tree (Crinodendron hookerianum)

[TheBitterBoy]

How about an evergreen clematis? They would cover a trellis nicely. I have this one and it's gorgeous, nice to have flowers and scent in winter.

[florentina1]

Without much money I would go down to WILKO. There posts and plants are really good. I have been gardening for 40 years and bought a lot of cheap plants from them 2 years ago. I had a complete garden make over and purchased lots of expensive plants from Nurseries. The Wilko ones were just for fillers while the others were establishing. The Wilko ones are still doing well and now you cannot tell the difference between the specialist ones and the

I have pyracantha in a relatively small pot (tall and Narrow) and it is doing a brilliant job of hiding bins.

[florentina1]

Pots and plants not post.

[PorterBella]

A variegated ivy would do well in pots, they don't need too much looking after either. I've got some in a pot and the yellow colour in it looks like a burst of sunshine on dull days.

[jasmine1971]

Some great ideas, thank you :-) I love the clematis, spookily I was just looking at that too.

Have any of you used the vertical plant pockets that you can hang on walls/fences? There is a section right down each end by the gate that I thought I might put one of those on ... but wasn't sure if it was then going to start looking crowded.

[TreadingThePrimrosePath]

Watch out for oleander, beautiful with a lovely scent but highly toxic.

[TreadingThePrimrosePath]

Bamboo in big pots is lovely, fast and tough. Plus evergreen. I have golden, black and red bamboo, around 7’ tall at the end of my garden.

[jasmine1971]

Thanks for the warning ref Oleander, I'll give it a miss then.

I'm thinking if I stick to 2 or 3 larger tubs, the big wide black plastic ones you can get, I can probably plant evergreen clematis in those and it shouldn't disrupt the path too much.

Will try to post a pic.

[jasmine1971]

This is a pic of what is there at the moment.

[jasmine1971]

I did have some quite tallish salvia in those pots but OH chopped them down

[bodgeitandscarper]

I'd plant trachelospermum and honeysuckle/ clematis to climb through the trellis and have things like Pieris japonica in pots to help with screening. A solanum would also cover it quickly.

[jasmine1971]

Would camellia be an option?

[peridito]

I think you might get away with bigger pots and that would give whatever you choose a better environment .

I have peiris in pots and they are doing well ,more wide than tall I think ,mine are quite slow growing .

Would pittisporum work ? They are pretty ,evergreen etc .

Maybe black eyed susan/relative of www.sarahraven.com/flowers/plants/climbers/thunbergia_alata_sunny_susy_brownie.htm?gclid=CjwKCAjwqfDlBRBDEiwAigXUaEd-vleL-BH70cmGr9zjJEI3_9p4clXStIQr_Z0XHhI21gjxhQmLNRoC8qQQAvD_BwE

for now ? I think they grow really fast .

PS you sound like a lovely and tolerant neighbour ,next door are lucky!

[jasmine1971]

Thanks peridito, I bought a black-eyes susan on Friday ... I might move this out the front.

Next door are lovely, not just very 'aware', we've been here 20 years, as have they. I just want a pretty solution to keep everyone happy

I think I'm going to go with three or four black barrel type pots, a black eyed susan down one end, and a jasmine down the other end. And then taller shrubs in the middle pot(s).

But first to paint the trellis!! I think it might take some time!

[jasmine1971]

I'll post a pic in three months time!

Thanks everyone.

I can't not have a clematis.

[jasmine1971]

florentina1, i agree about Wilkos!
Woolworths used to do a lovely plant too ...

[peridito]

jasmine maybe just put clear preservative on the trellis ? Thinking it might be easier than paint ,and it's going to be covered in plants soon !

I don't think vertical planted pockets would make it look too crowded ( but I like the rampant lush look ! ) but might be hard to get stuff to thrive ? Tho......trailing geranuims and /or varieagated ivy /moss rose ?

[jasmine1971]

Thanks for saving me about three weeks work there perdito :-)

I was going to paint it vintage green like the bench and other planters the other side of the garden but you're right, it will be covered!

I'm loving the trailing geranium / fuschia for vertical pockets at the top end near the gate, it gets a lot of sun. Will try to post a pic.

[jasmine1971]

This is the bit at the gate end. Can't put a pot there as I need the access. Was also thinking of strawberries as I've got loads giving great ground cover out the back at the mo.

I've got about a month to get it all done before Exam Marking season starts.

[StrongTea]

BandQ have 20% off their outdoor plants this weekend. Also good bargains in multipacks 6 lavenders for £7. 4 larger lavenders for £10. 6 packs of small shrubs £7.

[peridito]

ooh - gutters for strawberries on that bit ?

I planted some with alpines that are doing ok to well .

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/gardening/2899860-an-experiment

I got a friend to put them up as I'm not a drill owning or using person

[mustdrinkwaternotwine]

I don't want to sound like a spoilsport, but I think you should do a bit more research before you start planting. Which way does it face? Shade or sun? Do you go away much and, if so, who can water the pots?
One thing you will have to bear in mind with a climber is that it will be impossible to re-pot it or refresh the soil as the branches will be intertwined in the trellis. This means you need to start off with a good size pot and feed it regularly.
I have several clematis in my garden. Some should be cut back completely each winter, others don't but the ones which don't need maintenance in terms of dead heading etc. Whilst that only takes a couple of hours, it is a job which hangs over me in the gap between it needing to be done and getting done and I'm not sure I'd want to be walking past it each morning & afternoon as a reminder of another job to do.
Jasmine could be good and would smell lovely. Mine require little maintenance but can go quite woody.
What about a cotoneaster? Grows easily, very tolerant of poor soil (so you may be able to plant it in the ground which will be much easier), evergreen & covered in berries which the birds love for much of the year & flowers for the bees at other times of the year. It doesn't have a "wow" factor in the way that a clematis does but is of background interest all year.