Ideas for Creating a Flowering Garden Fence?

On the advice of several kind individuals, I'm posting this as a new thread. I'm diving in full speed this year and I have a goal to develop a beautiful flower garden along our fence line. Not to hide the fence as it's a rather nice fence, but because I tend to choose the taller type flowers that require support. I thought our split rail fence with built in mesh wire may as well earn its place in our yard! Also, being more linear in my thought processes, approaching this project in a linear fashion probably makes it a more achievable goal.

I've already begun to prepare the soil as I've quite a bit of it to do. It's coming along slowly but steadily as the snow has kept itself at bay for the most part. I've been searching for information about gardening along a fence line, but haven't found much.

This leads me to my question. Does anyone have good leads/tips/advice/pictures on planning a flowering garden fence? I've not found much at Amazon.com or the library so I'm wondering if this more uncommon or I am just not looking in the right places.

Many thanks for any advice as the sources of info seem rather scarce in this area.

Kind Regards,
Morph

Morph, I don't know if you want advice only or plants as well. I have Passiflora "Incense", which will cover as much area as you allow , probably mostly in a single summer. It produces gorgeous fragrant 5" purple blooms from spring to frost. In my area, it spreads by means of underground runners, and dies back in winter, then pops up all over in spring. Butterflies and hummingbirds find it irresistible. The fragrance wafts over the entire area. And when I think of split rail fence, I just automatically think of morning glories. In front of these two, I would plant things that would come back each year, such as larkspur, hollyhocks, asters, pavonia and lupines like Texas Bluebonnets. For less leafy substance, I would want iris, both standard and tall bearded. To keep it looking green in the winter, I think viburnum, abelia and nandina look great.

Thank you Aimmee ~ I am fingering through my perennial book now on your flower advice! The Passiflora "Incense" sounds wonderful in color, bloom and the bonus of fragrance. I hope it can thrive in my region as I had put fragrance in the back of my mind for some idiotic reason. Interesting how one sense can just take over the others & not let them speak their mind, too ;) The yard desparately needs color other than green, and purple & blue flowers are just my cup of tea. Thanks so much for the ideas! If success should shine on my plantings, I'll post for all to see.

My Grandfather will be so proud of me!
Morph

I have most of the ones I listed, and my favorites are among the list. Let me know which ones you want. The Incense will be up in early spring, and will flower in a couple of months. I have tb purple iris, forgot the name but it was patented sometime before 1930. It is delicately fragrant. Also some tb yellow iris, and a few standard white. I have plenty of larkspur seeds, a mixture of white, blue and pink. Pavonia seeds for a pink one that is almost wild, often called rock rose here. Makes a woody shrub, deciduous.
Texas Bluebonnets could be planted now if your beds aren't ready, and you could plant them in pots or baskets and harvest your seed in late spring or early summer. My viburnum is evergreen, with fragrant white blooms that bees and butterflies love. It looks like it is about to bloom now, but usually blooms in early spring. The nandina is a medium height, currently loaded with red berries for the birds. And I love the fragrance of glossy abelia, also evergreen here. I can make cuttings of these three shrubs later. All of these things will get off to a fast start, so you can have a full look this year.

I don't have much in blue but can offer the tall 3' blue ageratum, it blooms when all but a few have quit. Then there is the very tall 8-9'yellow swamp sunflower. I do have the double pink and Double white Hollyhocks too. Then there is larkspur and coneflowers and Black Eye Susan. Check my tradelist. On my fence I have pink Hyacinth beans and white moon vine, and pink Morning glories. Also Cypress vine, but this is red so you might not want it. You could use Clematis too.

Azalea, what can I trade for some ageratum seed? Our native variety stays quite low compared to yours, maybe 12" tall.

Aimee - I didn't collect seeds for this but I can send you roots. What ya got to trade? email me.

Aimee,

I am definitely going with your recommendation on the Passiflora "Incense" and the larkspur, too. Can I start these both from seed? I do have a strong Iris bed I started from diggings my grandfather gave me over five years ago. They have become my second favorite flower! What do you mean by "tb".

I was planning on adding the hollyhocks originally, but I had read that they are more prone toward pest & disease and I'm trying to stick with the extra hardy plants. Have you encountered any problems with pests or diseases with your hollyhocks?

Also, the bluebonnets are a definite!

I have some seeds from several of the RRs but not a robust enough mix from which you or Azalea would probably find very interesting. Thanks so much though to you both for offering & for your help!

Regards,
Morph

This message was edited Wednesday, Jan 23rd 5:12 PM

Morph, I have had the same problem with Hollyhocks too.
How about a butterfly bush? or is the space your working limited? you can train them to llok like trees by pruning the branches up to a certain height.
If you are interested, let me know, I have quite a few started, they are lavender.

Aimee, your description of your passiflora incense is truly quite divine. I have a couple of passifloras that I got from JCF last year, I wonder if these are the same?
If they are not, do you think that we could arrange a trade in the spring?

Morph, what are the rough dimensions of your space? And is it all sun, partial shade, or full shade? That will help us with plant recommendations.

And it sounds like you're looking for a nice "wildflower mix" look - do you want any shrub or woody perennial choices in there?

For example, in Zone 6 you can have Caryopteris (Blue Spiraea) gorgeous blue flowers on shrubby perennials. Bees go crazy for them, and they're somewhat like a butterfly bush, only not as tall.

I'm also wondering if some shrub roses would give you some different height and look interspersed along the bed.

Winter interest is important too, especially for us in zones 7 and higher, where plants really do die back. You may even want some evergreens in there to provide color all year round.

I'm kind of confused about the fence part. Do you want plants that will climb on the fence... tall plants to plant along the fence... or are you building a border with the fence as the back ground. How tall is the fence anyway? The split rail fences that I'm thinking of are genrally only 3 or 4 feet tall.

Don't mean to throw a wrench in any plans but Passifloras are pretty tender. I know they'd never over winter here - and I don't think there are many (or any) that are hardy to zone 6. You might want to investigate them further before you count on them for the project. They can be grown in containers and over wintered ... but that might be more work than you plan on.

Great questions that I should have addressed at first. 75% of the fence is full sun (yuck!) The mesh is there first & foremost to keep my best four legged friends within our yard. But, for those beautiful flowers that need support, I thought, why not leverage the mesh that's there. I am most DEFINITELY low on evergreens because the typical A-frame evergreen trees I see are so BORING! Are there evergreen bushes or other (flowering varieties -- okay just a dream) that are unique in their growth patterns?

Poppys, you're right, the fence is four feet tall. Much saddness on your insight regarding the Passifloras ~ they sound so divine. The fence is there; it encloses a long, rectangular back yard in which my DH has requested that the middle remain grassy for sport activities. I'd like the neighbors to enjoy whatever I plant so I don't really want to make the fence a background as much as a central place from which I can try to expand my love of blooms over the longest period of time possible!

Oops ~ I forgot to add the dimensions. Not really set in stone yet (tee-hee ~ I'll probably border the garden with stones in the end as they are so appealing to me :) My first thought was not TOO much depth since I have much distance around the yard to prepare. I am open to suggestions ~ actually desparate for help! But, I do know that I'd like at minimum, a two plant if not three plant stacked appearance. Does that make sense?

Thank you so much for your questions & ideas ~ it's helping to make this project take shape slowly :) If Dave doesn't already have a forum or formal recognition for members who are so helpful, I am going to suggest it to him. You are all the best!

This message was edited Wednesday, Jan 23rd 11:34 PM

Morph,
Regarding the depth of your planting bed...I attended a seminar a couple months ago and they highly recommened your beds should be 3-5 ft. deep to give it interest. Especially if you plant flows of the same type flowers, just make sure the front of the bed has some shorter flowers to show off the back flowers nicely.
Donna

The border around my retaining wall is only about 3 feet deep and the wall is about 3 feet tall. I try to keep the plants not any taller than the wall because the top of the wall is also planted. I'd guess that some plants that are taller than your fence would be Ok... but you'd also want sections where the fence will show through. I have a handicap seared into my brain ... it makes me want to have every plant out there that's growable in my zone. I'm trying desperately to get over it... but still have a heck of a time.

It's hard to get instant satisfaction when planting a large area with perennials. Especially if you plan to start with seeds. If it were me... and I had an area like you describe... I would start with perennials that are easy from seeds. I'd also try to plant in large drifts... and dedicate 4-6 foot sections (or even larger) to one plant. Also since many of the perennials won't fill out or bloom the first year, consider a few easy and colorful annuals to get you by until it does. Cosmos, marigolds, zinnias, bachelor’s buttons, and cleome would all be nice, easy and colorful.

Tall plants (3 feet or taller)- that are relatively easy from seeds might be
Yarrows (achillia) - Some don't like them cuz they can be too spready. The yellow varieties (achillea filipendulina) will stay in a clump but there are some very nice pastel & red ones out there.

Campanula pericifolia (Peachleaf Bellflower) is one of my favorites. It comes in white or lavender blue shades and is easy from seed. It has a long blooming period and will bloom a second time if cut back.

Balloon Flower (platycodon) – is easy from seed

Purple coneflower (Echinacea) – every garden need to have this

Some of the butterfly weeds are nice. Asclepias incarnata & asclepias tuberosa.

Foxgloves - they're really biennial but will re-seed if you let them. I just love foxgloves.

Bee balm - I love it. There are reds, purples, pinks and whites. They are easy from seed but getting a couple of plants is easier. They’re fragrant and hummers & butterflies love them. Go for a mildew resistant variety.

Tall garden phlox is also nice. Again I’d get a couple of plants and go for a mildew resistant variety. It blooms later in the season, which is nice.

Coreopsis gradiflora – always provides a long season of color.
Heliopsis is also a long bloomer
Anthemis tinctoria is another long season bloomer

Liatris – easy from seed
Globe thistle (echinops) is easy from seed

Malva – both malva sylvestris and malva moschata are easy and loaded with blooms. They aren’t rust prone like hollyhocks are.

Shasta daisies

Asters for late color

Mid and shorter flowers might be gold alyssum, dianthus, iberis (candytuft), nepeta (not catnip, it’s weedy but the blue catmints), columbines, veronicas, rudbeckia, hardy geraniums, coreopsis verticillata & c.rosea….

Lilies, daylilies, bearded & Siberian iris, peonies, and spring bulbs add a lot to a perennial bed and could all be considered for fall planting.

Gee Morph... I didn’t mean to get carried away here. I wish I could come over and help you plant. What I wouldn't give to have a brand new clean bed to play with!

Sue is a a very tough act to follow. She has definitely covered the bases with many good ideas for you!

I was not an evergreen fan until recently (Blue Rug Juniper and White Pine trees just don't get my heart racing, LOL!) But I have discovered some really interesting forms of evergreens, and I'm warming up to them. I'll see if I can pull together a short list (with photos) of things that would do well for you and stay small enough to not dominate the bed.

I would encourage you to make the bed around 4' deep. That's enough room to get a tiered effect, but you can still easily reach across it to weed and maintain.

You might also consider placing some bird houses (decorative and/or functional), a bird bath, gazing ball, or a few metal or wood "spire" or "pyramid" forms for sweet pea or other vines to clamber over. Not too many, but a few of these, judiciously placed throughout the bed, will add some height and texture while the new plants are getting established. And they add interest during the winter when the bed is mostly dormant.

Wow, so many good ideas! I think I need to print this thread to use on my back pasture fence.

I'm not sure how far north the passiflora is hardy, I do know it is grown in England with good results. Maybe Tim can advise you here. Incense doesn't fruit without another variety to pollinate it, and I haven't established another one. But I will have numerous plants in very early spring, and if you want to try them I will send one. They are well worth growing even if just for a season, as they will cover a 30' or more area in a season, and will cover themselves with blooms. I have cut them way back and let them stay on my enclosed greenporch in pots, for someone who wanted them the next spring. Or they can be grown inside at a well lighted window or patio door, and will even bloom in some cases. They make a great greenhouse vine.

TB means tall bearded, and mine usually reach about 48", with approximately 9 blooms on a stalk. Occasionally, they will rebloom in fall, although with fewer blooms on a stalk. The blooms are among the largest I've seen for iris.

I have seven sisters roses if you want to start. I can send you a small one, about 2 yrs old, that I have kept cut back, and it will reach about 4' in the first year. They bloom almost all year here in central Texas.

Larkspur and bluebonnet seeds should be started early. Bluebonnet can be started in pots, left there or transplanted, but larkspur doesn't transplant well so I would sow them in place. This is a type that has naturalized in Texas, and they will reseed bountifully.

When you are ready, let me know what you want of my seeds and starts.

Pebble, I sent you Incense 2 or 3 years ago, I think you sent me pink iris in trade. But if they failed, let me send them again. If you have Incense already, you will know it by the fragrance, the huge blooms, the fast growth, the large, dark leaves. And it will probably have spread far and wide. Nothing else is quite like it. If not, let me know.

Just a short note to encourage you to use native plants too. They are the most trouble free and long lasting.

So much help from everyone ~ thank you again! I've much information to enjoyably digest & use to design again & again & again! It will be hard to choose. I am excited to actually have a reason to plant a seed on Aimee's advice to start early with the bluebonnet.

I took Poppysue's advice from her thread about the catalogs and ordered some of them. They do offer such nice pictures for ideas which make this whole project seem more real.

Also, I do love the idea of including vine growing structures & bird retreats/feeders that go_vols suggested. I don't think I would have thought of these until after the planting since I'm so focused on preparing the soil. Thanks, go_vols!

Aimee, I would like to try the passiflora. I can offer Iris bulbs and some types of seeds in exchange. I thought perhaps I could help protect the passiflora over the winter with the funky tomato cone covers if they don't mind being cut back quite a bit. The sister rose sounds awesome, too & I could just toss you even more Iris. My Iris are the larger variety and are mostly purple. I also have white & yellow mixed haphazardly so you'd have to be game toward what colors happened to be in the mix. I think I can still successfully dig & send them because they are bursting to be thinned. The colors are mixed together & came from my grandfather's garden (he's 85 & still planting trees, flowers & vegetables!) If you don't already have some to replace your others, these do have a lovely fragrance and I cut some throughout their blooming period to enjoy inside as well. Not sure if your preference was for a particular size Iris. I just found the smaller kind last fall at the nursey and planted them in November. I'm anxious to see how they do this Spring.

A bit of ignorance here, but is a native plant one that is indigenous to my area, Latana?

Thanks & yippee! I feel like I'm in the clouds :)

E-mail me, and I will send some stuff right away: bluebonnet seeds, whatever else is in your list. Don't worry about a trade yet, we can work it out later. I am hoping to completely re-do my iris and bulbs this year, to fit in with my box garden and cottage garden ideas that were waylaid last year. Just make out your list and let's get you started, I'm getting excited for you!

The Sevin Sister's rose will be nice on your fence! I have that one too. It even does well here. You'll love it.

Morph, if you like the look of a "wildflower" garden, order a catalog from Wildseed Farms - they have several mixes for each region of the country (and best of all their free catalog has some gorgeous pictures so you can get an idea of how it would look :)

Yes, that's the term for native. They have adapted to the climate and critters over eons and are very strong growers and thrive in your particular climate. I had to go to more natives with our grasshopper invasion that began about 4 years ago (along with the drought). I began noticing the wildflowers and other flora around me were having no problems and decided to start growing them. I still try "exotics" and some do well (most get eaten), but the natives are the easiest and most reliable. There is probably a website of a native plant society in your state that will give you lots of information. And enjoy your gardening...you will learn a lot even from your mistakes.

Thanks Lantana... More surfing for me to dig up some info on the natives for my area! Go_Vols, I'm headed to their site right now! Thanks to all for the advice ;)

Morph, Just a quick thought as I reread your thread - What kind of four legged friends do you have? And can they reach what you are planning to plant? ie Do you have to worry about what might be edible or toxic to them. Good luck on your project and I agree with the posting of recognizing all those whom are so helpful!!!! OK so one more thought- maybe an occassional tall sunflower in the planting.

Good idea, Timothy, and a shock of ornamental grass interspersed here and there. If you use well spaced groups of small trees and remove all lower branches, it creates the effect of greater space. At one end, if surrounding area permits, a small pond could be made to appear as if it's coming from behind the fence, then disappearing again behind plants. Once this is in place, you will get more ideas for the illusion of a woodland stream meandering in and out, using rocks and plants to simulate a stream bank. Half-hidden items can be very convincing for creating illusion and impressions.

Wow, I didn't think it got any better than where we were! I do have to take into account the one year old lab/mix beast whose favorite activity is pruning the lower branches off my birches! That's his only fault if you can believe it. Other than than that, he's a GREAT companion and thus the derivation of my DG alias, Morph (his name, too, although it's actually Morphious shortened to Morph.)

Thanks for the extra thoughts/ideas. Good thing nothing is in the ground yet! I'm out to the yard to continue preparations.... It's beautiful today!

Well this is a page that I surely will print, since I want to do exactly the same thing!! What a great bunch you all are!!

I spent a good three hours doing spring cleaning around the yard and tilling (by hand & back) the back part of yard across our neighbors picket fence. Our split rail connects off of theirs on either side. It was so beautiful outside that I decided to take pictures of how it is now & I'll post pix as I progress. I'll have to develop & scan since we don't have a digital camera. Maybe the pix will be a good way to show before & after and even (perhaps?) keep the creativity juices flowing. Beware, though, the before shots are fence, grass, & dirt in January. Although a beautiful day today, a rather boring terrain.

Morph, if you don't want to have to scan in the photos, you might check out Snapfish http://www.snapfish.com or another online photo developing service. Snapfish charges about $5 to develop a roll (includes postage to mail your film in, get your pics and negatives back...AND they give you an online album of your pictures, so you can just copy them over to a forum or your journal here :)

Speaking of journal, if you don't have a journal started here, you can start an entry in your journey specifically for this project. Then you can hyperlink to it whenever you have an update or photo for us to view. And you'll have a chronicle of your progress to look back on.

We're excited for you - what a great project!!!

Morph,
I've only skimmed, but here is what we did
http://davesgarden.com/showthread/10606.html

Kathleen,

The image link is broken :( Is that something that Dave can fix?

Go_vols,

Thanks on the tip for Snapfish. I'm going to try them for developing this role of film & see how well I like it. Great idea since scanning is soooooooo slow! I think that I will beging a journal here, too!

As always, thanks!

Wildseed Farms........if ya need a catalog..just holler!

"eyes"

Morph, You can't get Kathleens's link? It works for me. It's her fence planted with gorgeous roses! Try this to see if it will work http://davesgarden.com/showforumphoto.php?imageid=260

Thanks, Poppys. Same problem, still. I just posted a message to Dave's Forum inquiring about this since it's happened to me twice now on different forum posts. When I click on the link, it takes me to the page but renders the image with the small red "X" in the window. If you can see it, it sounds like a configuration problem at my end or a trigger that Dave needs to enable for me to see images from his end. I'll send more money if needed... A little frustrating since I'm in the process of designing my plans... Thanks for the link although I still encounter the same issue. I'm hopeful that Dave will help.

Wildseed is online, and you can request a catalog. Great place. www.wildseedfarms.com

Oh, that fence is just lovely! Thanks for posting the image!

I finally figured out why I couldn't see the image with Dave, Tig's & DH's help. We do have a firewall. So, to see an image, I have to temporarily turn off the firewall, view the image, then enable the firewall again.

Thanks, Aimee & Eyes!

That picture was taken the 2nd or 3rd year the fence was in. The first year, we transplanted more than 30 roses, all whacked back to 8 - 12 inches. These are all old garden roses, so they had to put up new growth the first year to blossom the second. We moved them in a drought and I carried buckets and buckets of water. We only lost one - I don't know how, but it worked. I think you'll be surprised how quickly a fence will fill in. Also, the first year or two, you could intermix annuals to fill up the empty spaces. I've done that in the "perennial" border for years and now, some of them have become permanant residents. The thing with fences is that they are such a wonderful way to show off plants and support those that need it without being obvious that we are looking to put up number 5 this year!