Hello everyone! This is my first visit to the clematis forum, and I've really enjoyed the pictures! Thanks to everyone who has posted them. I had no idea that there were so many different varieties out there! I feel a new obsession coming on!
Here's my problem. I have a very nosy neighbor who decided recently to cut down her huge trees than gave me a ton of privacy. Now I want (need!) to block her view of my backyard somehow! She is always hanging over the fence and it drives me nuts!
My husband and I built a redwood fence between her yard and ours about 20 years ago, and it's at least 80 feet long. I've got one Josephine clematis growing on a 4X8 piece of lattice that is attached to the fence, and it's doing great. I just bought two more unnamed clematis to plant next to the Josephine, and would like to cover the entire fence with clematis. If I was to put up lattice along the entire length of the fence, I'd go broke since they are about $16 each for the cheap ones!
I'm looking for any suggestions on what to use instead of lattice, and I need something cheap since I have so much fence to cover, and a lot of plants to buy. I'm not all that creative when it comes to this stuff, so any suggestions would be most appreciated! I'm sure if I buy clematis that don't grow over 6 feet tall I can just use twine, but I want ones that get at least 8 feet tall to block out the neighbor some.
Thanks for any suggestions that you can offer!
Natalie
What do you grow your clematis on?
Chickenwire? We coverthe pond with a plastic netting that won't rot and can be stapled the fence -- it comes folded. I would cut long strips a few inches wide and staple in rows for the clematis to grab onto ( as opposed to completely covering the fence) Ditto with the wire...strips of wire a foot apart in rows. - saves $$
I've used chicken wire on the bottom part of the fence for my sweet peas, and it was covered so I couldn't see it. I hadn't thought about using it for the clematis! Great idea! We just found 4 X 8 cedar lattice at Lowe's for $12 each, so we bought 7 of them to go along the top of the fence to make it 4 feet taller. Saved a ton of money doing it that way since I only need 1/2 as much as I thought I did. Using the chicken wire on the bottom half will work great.
Thanks for the help!
Natalie
And if you don't like the metal you can spray/roll paint same tone as fence to blend Or, if fence is already painted a color ( as opposed to stain or naturalized ) you can hang the wire first and then roll on same fence color over it to freshen the entire side.
PS paint the backside of that new lattice a hot pink....tell your neighbor it is called
"nose(y)gaye pink. ( only kidding..,maybe she is just lonely) (smile)
missingrosie, I just about died laughing over that!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! I absolutely LOVE the pink lattice idea!!!!! She's not lonely, just nosy, so I think this is totally fitting! She just had a big shed built and had it painted super bright sky blue, and I have to see it every time I look out my kitchen window. Not that sky blue is ugly, but it sure doesn't blend in with the surroundings because it's so bright! Her roof is bright blue, so what did I expect?
Gosh, I'm going to be giggling forever over this! Thanks, because I totally needed it with all the noseyness going on!
I also love the idea of painting the chicken wire brown to match the fence, which is natural. I really do hate the looks of chicken wire, but hopefully with just using it in strips it wouldn't show much at all. And by painting it, it would show even less.
Such good ideas! Thanks!!
Natalie
Here's two pieces of trellis up! I already feel some privacy! It will only get better when plants grow enough to cover them. Especially since the neighbor has informed me that she's cutting down the last tree along the fence line, which you can see in the picture. It's a hazelnut, and it's seen better days, but I sure wish it wasn't going away. Notice her bright blue shed in the background. I think it will look lovely with the hot pink trellis (on her side anyway!), don't you?
Whoooo. Sky blue-that would take some getting used to. ' Course so did our neighbors yard art toilet bowl - he's a plumber and I guess to him it is a thing of beauty.
Don't let that pink get away from you!
I won't complain about the sky blue shed! It's way better than toilet yard art!!!!
Natalie
I use green plastic-coated chicken wire for my clematis. I think it looks better than bare wire, not so strictly utilitarian. I bought two 25 foot rolls, cut them into 5 foot sections, and stapled a section above each clematis. Never though to cut it narrower than the 3 foot width - that's a good idea, now I might have to do that, and spread the strips around the whole fence!
lisabees, I've never seen plastic coated chicken wire! I'll have to look for that! It would be easier than painting the metal stuff!
Natalie
Great idea, lisabees!
Hi, missingrosie! The thought of toilet bowl art is hideous.
Welcome to the Clematis Forum Natalie!
I use anything I can find plus purchases trellises.
This is from found pieces.Rebar and a Xmaswreath form.
I have a new clem planted there.Vagabond from Brushwoods
Hi Joanne!
Good idea with the wreath form. I have a zillion green wreaths that I purchased many moons ago when I was young and energetic. Used to put one on every single window - just about killed me. Different sizes. Now you have me thinking I wonder if I can stack them up largest to smallest - (the wreaths are outdoor) and make a big green "tree" to grow vines up and over. Off season / wintertime, the green will show through the brown vines until spring ---springs again!
This message was edited Jun 1, 2011 8:53 AM
That sounds like an interesting problem to solve.
Will you attach the wreaths at the edges and go up a TeePee if 3 rebars?
I use cable ties. Couldnt live without them. I just hated to throw the metal wreath form away. It had fresh greens on it.
I decided to paint some of the chicken wire I had until I can find the kind that is covered with green plastic. I had a large piece of cardboard so I took it outside and went to get the chicken wire. Heard the phone ringing, so I came inside to answer it. Then I thought I should check the forums here real quick (yes, I'm obsessed with the forums!), and when I got back outside, I noticed 1,000 little pieces of cardboard on the grass! Someone should have reminded me to bring Bailey the Lab puppy in with me! Looks like I'll be going to the store to look for some plastic coated chicken wire, just as soon as I catch the pup and clean up the mess! Hubby is busy building her an outside kennel at this very moment!
Natalie
Joanne
I have so many of those wreaths...I think I can stack multiple same size ( 2-4?) and then go to the next size and stack a few of that size and so on...I think that the wreaths would just stay put and be stable.... Do you think I need to tie together? These are heavy, green, plastic -- sort of frazier fur spiny looking -- ..not thick " furry white pine' type. I think they'd stack and stay put. I would need to find a topper ornament for the top most smallest wreath...maybe a mirrored bowling ball.
I will have to think about how long it would take to cover with vines and what type...wary of yard art of the plastic variety. But sure would be a great way to recycle those wreaths.
That Bailey sure looks like a keeper!
missingosey
Stacked is good.
I actually just used garden twine. It worked awesome, was cheap, and can be cut down at any time without any major loss. You could alternate twine sections and lattice sections.... Maybe Nosy Nelly will get all tied up in the twine.. give her enough rope......
Love the photo of Bailey with the cardboard!
I got really lucky! I called my neighbor to ask her if she wanted to go to the store with me to get some plastic coated wire, and she said she had a bunch of 2 X 4 pieces of trellis that she wasn't going to use, and asked if I wanted them! Of course I wanted them! Hubby put them on the bottom part of the fence, and I got all of the Clematis planted! Once I got Snow Queen up on the trellis, I found out it was almost 6 feet tall! It was so wrapped around itself that I thought it was only about 4 feet tall. Now if it will just warm up here some maybe it will all take off and cover the fence fast!
Bailey had covered most of the yard with little pieces of cardboard. I just couldn't get it all in the photo. She's such a pain in the neck! The kennel is mostly to keep her safe because she gets into everything. We'll only put her in there when we need to leave her home alone, which we've never done. She has to go everywhere with us because if she were left on her own, she'd destroy the house! I hear Labs get better by the time they are 6 or 7 years old! Great! She's only 7 months old! I wonder if I'll survive! Luckily our 8 year old Golden Retriever is an angel.
Natalie
You've done great, Natalie.
It's easy for us, reading about Bailey, to find her adorable just as my collie was when he gnawed through a wall!
Bailey is on the bottom of my list today! Yesterday morning my husband took her to the park to run. He was getting ready to put her back in her kennel in the truck, and she saw something and took off running. Her leash wrapped around his ankles and up in the air he went. When he landed, his wrist was badly broken and dislocated. It was almost more than I could stand to look at! The only thing worse would have been if there were bones sticking out. Luckily, that didn't happen! He's in a splint until the swelling goes down enough to cast it, then maybe 5 weeks in a cast if it heals okay. At least they knocked him out to reset it. I can't even imagine how much that would have hurt! I feel so sorry for him!
Can you believe he still likes her? LOL
Natalie
Sure. She's his gal. Don't be jealous.
I don't have a jealous bone in my body. She's just a terror! Hopefully by the time she's 6 or 7, she'll be easier to live with! It doesn't help that we also have a Golden Retriever who's an angel!
Natalie
Labs take a long time to grow up that is for sure, but they train well
I wish this one trained well! Sure would make things easier. Hubby works with her several hours a day, and she isn't doing well at all. She's just the most stubborn dog I've ever seen! Oh well, it's his baby, so I should just be thankful that he takes good care of her. I can't even walk her because she's way too strong, but I do take her for runs on the bike. I have an attachment for my bike that makes it really easy to take her, but keeping her below a full out run is hard to do. She thinks she's a sled dog when I hook her up to the bike, so I just tell the neighbors that we are training for the Iditarod. I only let her "jog", and never go more than a mile at a time, but I'm positive that she could go 10 miles at a full out run!
The clematis that I planted along the fence is doing fantastic! I can't wait until it's covering the fence in a few years! It's going to look amazing!
Natalie
send a photo when it is in its full glory.
You know, I just did something that might help you, and hummingbirds, too! I put double Shepherd's hooks in my garden, placed hummingbird feeders on them, and planted Clematis underneath. You can use any feeder of course, but the hummingbird feeders don't make that "seed mess" that seed feeders do. Best of luck to yu! And, buy vigorous types, like the old tried and true Jackmani (which my husband SWEARS is an artificial plant becauseof the color and amount of flowers.)
Gracye, That's a great idea! I've got a hook for my hummingbird feeders right next to where I planted the clematis, so it's welcome to climb up it if it wants. I get very few hummers here, but they never really eat from the feeders. I've got too much other stuff that they prefer! But, the feeders are always out, just in case!
I've got a Jackmanii growing on the corner of the house, and over an arch. It's my husbands favorite plant in the whole yard, and it's the one that requires the least amount of attention from me! Go figure! I finally told him his only flower related job is to make sure it stays over the arch. It gets so loaded that it tends to slip off from the weight! I'm not tall enough to reach the top of the arch, so he'd have to do it even if he hated the thing! It really is beautiful!
I didn't plant Jackmanii on the fence in the backyard, but it's only because I couldn't find one. If the ones I planted do half as well, I'll be happy. I've been running string on the fence between the 2 foot wide pieces of lattice so that I can plant Morning Glory to fill in the gaps. It should look fantastic in a couple of years, once the clematis takes off!
Here's a picture of part of the flower bed with the lattice. It's not the best picture of the lattice, but the Iris sure are pretty!
Natalie
Sure are pretty. Wow
Thanks missingrosie!
Natalie
That's beautiful, Natalie! 3 more suggestions for vigorous clems that will go up the lattice and onto the lattice on top are galore, huldine and viola. I have the same stockade fence and all 3 of those go over the fence to the other side. Huldine is pictured below.
Another vine that would work well for your situation is wisteria, as long as you get an American variety. Chinese would pull down the top lattice and possibly the fence. I have Longwood's Purple on my fence and a clem that grows up the woody bottom of the wisteria.
Sorry to hear of your husband's injury. If it's any comfort, I've had Labs for almost twenty years, they become perfect (almost) dogs around the 2 year mark. When they're young, keep them very, very, very, very, very tired!
Thanks venu209! Love your Huldine too!
I've already bought and planted the Clematis, and I'm not sure that I've got room to put in any others until I see how well these do. I've got so much stuff crammed into my flower beds that I thought I'd do things right for a change and give the clematis the correct amount of space. I'm sure that won't last forever, but for now I'm going to do my best to stick to it! I planted Asao, Carnaby, H. F. Young, Nelly Moser, Niobe and Snow Queen next to a Josephine that I planted last year. The Snow Queen is already over 6 feet tall, so I'm happy about that! All but Niobe is over 4 feet tall, and they've grown at least 6 inches in the last couple of days! On top of that, I bought a Goldflame Honeysuckle today for the far end of the fence. It's my first Honeysuckle vine, so I hope it does good, if I can figure out what to do with it!
We're hoping that Bailey slows down by the time she's 8 or 9! She was bred to be a field trial dog, so she's supposed to have a lot of energy. We really didn't expect this much energy though! She's going non-stop all day long! And stubborn as can be on top of it! I told my husband, no more field trial dogs! Many of our friends have Labs, and all of them are so calm, even the one that does field trials! Well, that one is calm at home, but not out in the field when she's retrieving the dummies that they use for the trials. I guess I just wasn't prepared for the energy. We're still looking for her off switch! Wish me luck on finding it!
Natalie
You'll like the honeysuckle!! I have a serotina that seems to need nothing from me. I clip a few errant branches once in awhile, that's it. It's blooming now and beautiful. Very different blooms than a clem, but no less beautiful.
I had no intention of buying a honeysuckle today! Or any other day for that matter! I went to the nursery to see if I could find some nice morning glory seeds, and spotted a passion fruit vine outside! I almost knocked three people down getting to it! Imagine my disappointment when I found out it was an annual in my zone! Then I noticed a "vine" area at the nursery that I hadn't seen before, and that honeysuckle grabbed me when I walked by! Seriously! I almost knocked it over! So, it had to come home with me, and luckily it is a beauty! I've got several very old honeysuckle bushes that I love, but this is my first vine. It is totally different than the clematis, but like you said, it's no less beautiful. Hopefully the rain stays away and I can get it and the morning glory seeds planted tomorrow!
Natalie
I grow clems through my spring flowering shrubs like my spirea. Once they stop flowering the clems start.
I have a weird privacy issue too. Our neighbors put in a retaining wall and took out the shrubs that divided the yards and gave privacy. They said they were going to put up a fence but they haven't. We like them but it is getting old. My fabulous garden path and border has a backdrop of their yard.
bookreader451, I have lots of spirea that hasn't started blooming yet, but all of the clematis is blooming! We're in the same zone, so maybe it's the type of plants that we have that make the difference.
My neighbor is getting worse every day. I think I made a mistake putting the trellis up. It seems to be a pest magnet! She's always trying to see through it, or go to the end and look right over the fence. It doesn't matter if I'm out there or not, she's got her nose poking in my yard! It's almost like she's peeking in my windows now, as I consider my backyard to be part of my home. I've always liked her and we've always gotten along great, but today is almost the last straw. My husband took the dogs out at 5:00 am, and there she was, looking over the fence! I feel like she's stalking us now!!
Now I want full blown winter to come back! The snow slides off her roof and she can't get out her back door!
Natalie
You got to find a beautiful "something" to grow up that lattice that blooms and STINKS like a rotten potato or a flounder left out in the sun!
That.....or is a bee magnet! That'll put a hurting on her snooping.
When you next see her smile and inquire about how she likes your new PRIVACY fence.
Use New Dawn................lots of nasty thorns and the clems climb through it beautifully. (no stink but, bees and thorns should work)