Coverage for 100ft-long brick wall...help!

[RottenRowGal]

Entirely novice gardener here who has been bingeing the gardening boards for the last couple of nights!

DH and I have just bought our first house with a 'proper' garden. We are Making Plans for it all as it has been sadly neglected by the previous owners and is a bit of a mess atm.

However we do have a rather nice old red brick wall all along one side, which measures approx 100ft in length and about 5ft high. The thing is that on the other side of the wall is a public footpath. It doesn't bother us too much as the footpath is a bit 'lower' than the house iyswim (so most people would have to make an effort to see over into our garden), but it would be nice to increase the sense of privacy a bit, as well as having some colour and interest along the wall itself.

I have visions of a beautiful old-fashioned, fragrant rambling rose trailing along it. I know I would have to keep it under control so it doesn't interfere with the footpath at all and probably not too thorny so maybe not kiftsgate

What would you recommend? Something pretty, vigorous, smells good, doesn't need too much attention! It's a west-facing wall but I've no idea what the soil is like. We're on the east Kent coast so I'm thinking maybe chalky??

You could buy a kiftsgate rose and let it loose!

Or if there are enough cavities between the bricks grow plants in them : thrift, Stonecrop, valerian, herb Robert, thyme.sempervarian,

Avoid ivy at all cost.

What way does the inside of the wall face, sounds as though it is could be the place for espalier or fan grown fruit trees.

East Kent? A grape vine and a hop!

@BlueChampagne

East Kent? A grape vine and a hop!

@BlueChampagne fab idea! DH would love that too.

@viques, it's west-facing and there is a very spindly and sad-looking apple 'tree' (barely 3 ft high) almost up against it already. I would love some fig trees actually - would they work?

It's tempting to just buy a Kiftsgate though...

I have a very happy fig tree against a west facing wall, I love the leaves. Have a look at the David Austin website for rose inspiration. If you like them a Clematis Montana would cover a lot quickly.

I have one of these just along from my fig at the tallest stretch of the house but I should think you could grow it sideways.
www.davidaustinroses.co.uk/products/mme-alfred-carriere

Clematis Montana Elizabeth is a fast growing, scented climber that puts on a fabulous display in spring, and occasionally again later in the year if you give it a tidy after it flowers. I've had good success with it covering walls for me, simple but beautiful in flower and good foliage

@BringPizza

I have a very happy fig tree against a west facing wall, I love the leaves. Have a look at the David Austin website for rose inspiration. If you like them a Clematis Montana would cover a lot quickly.

Seriously, don’t. I prune mine with a saw. It’s 4 trees away from where it started.

You could put posts at 6 to 8 foot just inside the wall and string wires along to support plants. That in effect raises the height of the wall while not obscuring it.

If you want a rose, I suggest a sweet briar, which has apple scented foliage as well as the rose blooms.

I would avoid Clematis montana unless you’re prepared to do a lot of cutting back. Neighbours got rid of theirs when it reached the chimney pots

If you are up for the upkeep, Rambling Rector! Beautiful, but goes mental.

One plant that would cover it quickly and densely is a Passion flower - purple, triffid-looking flowers in summer and orange fruits in later summer/autumn. I once moved into a house where one had raged out of control and buried a tree and a shed, but it was beautiful and really resilient to being cut back hard.

Haha, we have a rambling rector, it's great!

My oh needs to go tie it in though. It's looming all over the show at present.

“I would avoid Clematis montana unless you’re prepared to do a lot of cutting back. Neighbours got rid of theirs when it reached the chimney pots”

Depends what you want it for, they are monstrously huge but if you a 100’ wall to cover it could be an option. Most people put them in too-small spaces. We have 3 and they’re all perfect for where they are.

I’ve got a rambling rector but am a bit disappointed as it’s single flowering. It looked lovely, then the rain turned all the flowers brown and that was that 😢

virginia creeper is beautiful in the autumn rampant loses it’s leaves though. my friend has a passion flowering with fruit and i was amazed at how stunning it is. i think 2 sorts of vines/creeper/clemitis one the flowers in the spring, one for the summer and has changing leaves.

So many great ideas, thank you!

@Autumnscene I'm just about to plant a Virginia Creeper to run up the front of the house - it's sitting in a box by the front door at the moment!

I'll have a look at Rambling Rector, although I agree single-flowering might be a bit disappointing. Will head over to the DA site for some inspiration.

I didn't think I liked clematis very much but actually some of the montana are really pretty - I like the look of 'Mayleen'

Oh god I'm going to end up spending so much money

RottonRowGal I had a Virginia creeper which grew over a 50 foot wall. It did really well. When we sold the house I noticed it had grown up the house as well. It did look pretty. I’ll probably get another one for my new house, but it’ll go over a shed that needs cheering up, and my OH loves a Virginia creeper 😁

Have a look at Vitis coignetiae aka The Crimson Glory Vine. It’s a rather rampant climber with large, heart-shaped leaves that turn beautiful shades of red and gold in autumn. It needs plenty of space and a long wall would be the ideal place for it.

@MrsBertBibby

Haha, we have a rambling rector, it's great!

My oh needs to go tie it in though. It's looming all over the show at present.

They look beautiful, I’ve just googled them. But it says they lose their leaves In autumn so I’m guessing not good for winter coverage/screening?

How about a California lilac?