“Something there is that does not love a wall,” wrote poet Robert Frost. If you also have a wall you do not love, remember that you can use trailing plants to cover a wall. Not all wall covering plants are the same, however, so do your homework on what and how to plant. Read on for more information about using plants on walls.
Using Plants on Walls
If you have an unsightly wall on one border of your garden, you can enlist garden plants to help. Finding trailing plants to cover a wall isn't difficult, and many vines, deciduous and evergreen, will do the job. Climbers do more than hide an ugly wall. They can add green foliage and even blossoms to that side of the garden. You can find plants suitable to hide a wall that grow best in sun, as well as climbing plants that grow best in shade. Be sure to pick something that will work in your space.
Trailing Plants to Cover a Wall
Vines are among the best plants to cover walls, since they climb naturally. Some vines, like ivy, are true climbers that use aerial roots to hold on to surfaces. Others, like honeysuckle, twine their stems around hand holds. You’ll have to put in a support to allow these to climb. Attach wires or a trellis to the wall to provide support for the wall covering plants. Be sure the structure is solid enough to hold up the mature vine. The plants grow heavier as they establish. Plant your climbing vine in spring, if you bought it bare root. If your plant comes in a container, plant it any time when the ground is not frozen. Dig a hole for the vine about 18 inches (46 cm.) away from the base of the wall, insert the plant, and refill it with good soil.
Best Plants to Cover Walls
You’ll find many plants suitable to hide a wall, but the best plants to cover walls depend on your personal preferences. You might try flowering vines to add decorative effect, like the following:
Alternatively, you could plant fruiting vines like:
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