Advice for Growing a 'Creeper' on Wall

[ColdoRS]

I won't lie, a neighbour up the street has a lovely ivy looking thing growing from ground level, up over his front door under his upstairs windows and it looks great. We're in an area of historical interest and it's relatively leafy, so this is in keeping with the rest of the growth around our area.

That said, I'm not at all green fingered so need some pointers.

Do I need to worry about it taking root between the bricks and pulling my house down in 10 years?
What's the best plant to use - I recognise ivy but believe this is a bit of a generic term for these type of plants?
I'd like it to be relatively fast growing.
I'd like it to flower seasonally.
I'd like it to be easy to maintain - don't mind pruning it every so often.
Ideally free of sap or sticky pollen etc...

What are my options?

[Hoofy]

If you're not green fingered (and assuming this means you have no interest in it), I would avoid it. I've just spent a big wad of cash getting a gardener to hack down all of mine as it was just being annoying.

[PositronicRay]

We've a couple of ivies on the back and a mile-a-minute on the front.

Climbers that make keen gardeners shudder and tutt. TBH they do grow quickly, so, once established be prepared to trim mercilessly twice a year.

Another well established ivy climbing around a large ash in the back garden. Getting rid involved cutting the vines around the base, then keeping an eye on any more encroaching. Doesn't take long.

It's now being encouraged as ground cover on a scruffy area under the tree @ at the bottom of the garden. A couple of years ago I pulled loads up, big mistake, it turned into a messy weedy patch. It was my "middle east" moment, when I realised the replacement "filling the void", was worse than the original!

I'd say if you do it you won't need green fingers, just some secateurs, a small saw, and a couple of hours twice a year.

Have you considered a clematis? It won't take hold on the mortar, or bricks, so you'll need some support wires.

While climbers can be a right pest they can also protect the wall from weather.

This is my pals place




Takes a bit more work than mine, but the cats love it for hunting and climbing.

Edited by PositronicRay on Friday 24th February 07:12

[moles]

Wisteria looks great is quick growing and pretty indestructible.

[Pheo]

Wisteria is a nice option but is deciduous. Lovely flowers though. It's a bit of a thug so you have to lee it under control. Ivy can look nice. Won't destroy brickwork which is in good condition but will do if it's not. Also it's fly pollinated so they tend to get attracted to it a bit in my experience. Similarly needs to be kept under control.

[hyphen]

ivy won't destroy your brickwork if it is in good condition, however if you ever decide to take it off, it may leave behind unsightly marks on the bricks requiring you to then paint/render.

[Simpo Two]

Ivy is invasive and best avoided IMHO. Wisteria is lovely but needs pruning and is deciduous. Clematis can be fussy and difficult. I have Virginia creeper - deciduous but self-clinging, non-damaging and with beautiful autumn colours. Another you could consider is honeysuclke - there's an evergreen variety - you'll get a lovely scent but they need help to climb.

[pterodroma]

Simpo Two said:

I Virginia creeper - deciduous but self-clinging, non-damaging and with beautiful autumn colours. Another you could consider is honeysuclke - there's an evergreen variety - you'll get a lovely scent but they need help to climb.

Have to disagree with the "non damaging" having needed a chimney repointing and roof repairs (it was lifting slates) due to Virginia creeper. Also holds a lot of moisture against your walls and gets pretty heavy.

It's not too bad if you don't let it get to the gutter line I suppose. Needs cutting back very frequently in the summer. If you ever want to get rid it is a nightmare. Does look lovely though.

Honeysuckle is a much better idea, put up some wire/trellis and it'll pretty much sort itself out, smells great, luscious green all year, nice flowers.

[8-P]

I would personally avoid ivy at all costs. Lost about 3 days of my life removing a very old one from my walls, it got so big it pulled a brick wall over(prior to my ownership) never again. How about a climbing hydrangea, my parents neighbour has one its stunning. Plenty of other friendly things out there.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RTzg-ugxABs/VV5zSn8hvxI/...

[kurt535]

8-P said:

I would personally avoid ivy at all costs. Lost about 3 days of my life removing a very old one from my walls, it got so big it pulled a brick wall over(prior to my ownership) never again. How about a climbing hydrangea, my parents neighbour has one its stunning. Plenty of other friendly things out there.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RTzg-ugxABs/VV5zSn8hvxI/...

anything growing up brickwork will shag it and be invasive, especially if lime mortar plaster

[SAB888]

I would also avoid anything that grows on or up against a building.

[Simpo Two]

pterodroma said:

Have to disagree with the "non damaging" having needed a chimney repointing and roof repairs (it was lifting slates) due to Virginia creeper. Also holds a lot of moisture against your walls and gets pretty heavy.

It's not too bad if you don't let it get to the gutter line I suppose. Needs cutting back very frequently in the summer. If you ever want to get rid it is a nightmare. Does look lovely though.

Well, that's not my experience in 20+ years of having a VC on each side of the house. Every few years I chop it across 7-8 feet up, roll the excess into giant armfuls and tip them. Was yours a different variety or are you thinking of Russian Vine?

[Q Car]

Hydrangea petiolaris is a useful thing on a north facing wall. What's the aspect?

[pterodroma]

Simpo Two said:

Well, that's not my experience in 20+ years of having a VC on each side of the house. Every few years I chop it across 7-8 feet up, roll the excess into giant armfuls and tip them. Was yours a different variety or are you thinking of Russian Vine?

Definitely Virginia creeper. Possibly a different variety? Ours needed a lot of maintenance (cut every few weeks rather than years!) and would get everywhere given half a chance. Into the sash windows, under slates, etc.

[Simpo Two]

pterodroma said:

Simpo Two said:

Well, that's not my experience in 20+ years of having a VC on each side of the house. Every few years I chop it across 7-8 feet up, roll the excess into giant armfuls and tip them. Was yours a different variety or are you thinking of Russian Vine?

Definitely Virginia creeper. Possibly a different variety? Ours needed a lot of maintenance (cut every few weeks rather than years!) and would get everywhere given half a chance. Into the sash windows, under slates, etc.

Agreed mine does try to come in the upstairs windows; I trim off any pesky bits as required.

I also have an ivy - which started as a tiny £1 reject from B&Q and now has turned a long metal railing into a dense hedge (good windbreak and screen). It has enormous glossy leaves and when cut it smells a bit like gin and tonic! It suits the railing well as the railing gives it support and it can't harm the metal - but I'm careful to keep it from attacking the garage which it has an eye on.

[Marvtec]

Q Car said:

Hydrangea petiolaris is a useful thing on a north facing wall. What's the aspect?

Can you explain why it's useful on a north facing wall?

When I moved in my house had wisteria growing up the house (north facing wall). I removed it as it was all around the guttering and downpipe and rooted directly next to the downpipe.

However since then, that wall has got damp, would the vegetation on the outside have helped in some way or is it just a coincidence?

[thebraketester]

"Advice for Growing a 'Creeper' on Wall"


Dont.

[ColdoRS]

Thanks guys, lots of good info for me to read more into. Also taking onboard the 'don't' advice.

The wall is north facing and just a bit bare - needs something on it in my opinion but reluctant to take on a labour intensive piece of greenery as I'm not particularly passionate about gardening!

[Hoofy]

ColdoRS said:

Thanks guys, lots of good info for me to read more into. Also taking onboard the 'don't' advice.

The wall is north facing and just a bit bare - needs something on it in my opinion but reluctant to take on a labour intensive piece of greenery as I'm not particularly passionate about gardening!

As a non-gardener (actually, my idea of gardening involves Weedol or a chainsaw...), I'd put up one of those trellises or bamboo fence things if the wall looks boring and maybe a shrub that would take 5 minutes to maintain (remember I mentioned the chainsaw?).

[Sticks.]

SWMBO1 was keen to keep the ivy we had on the back wall. But then she didn't have to dig out and replace the drain it fecked. Took forever to get the marks off the walls too.

Never again (either )