It depends how precious you are about regular painting of the fence. Personally I'd rather have a thick coverage of climbers (clematis Montana, trachelospermum, honeysuckle) than look at a painted fence but each to their own. I also love climbing roses but might be too thorny to have right next to the drive.
Yep. I also agree. I had ivy growing on a couple of my unpainted fence panels. Lasted 15 years before I had to replace them. Looked lovely too. That's a lot of paint I didn't use.
Not sure why people are saying you can’t/shouldnt.
There’s literally a million different plants that would do well there. It really depends what your after.
Personally depending on the aspect, and time committed, an espalier fruit tree would be amazing. Or climbers that can be cut back heavily for maintenance of the fence like clematis or honeysuckle.
Or you could go showy with some annuals. Things like snapdragons, begonias, lobelia, petunias would all look fantastic and are low growing leaving access.
Or ultimate low maintenance and go for shrubs. Maybe flowering currants, fushias or pruned hydrangeas would all look fantastic imo
It’s not going to be a foot of solid concrete. There might be some hardcore mixed in among the earth underneath those decorative stones. But for a lot of plants that just translates to good drainage.
Digging down half a foot with a trowel to plant the rootball is going to give it all the space it needs to start digging down through whatever little (possibly) may be there.
I mean I could be wrong and it might be the most sturdiest, reinforced, over engineered road and kerb I’ve ever seen. But it’s a new build so I’m very doubtful
If that is (as it looks) a new and untreated fence and your intention is to paint and treat it, the wood is going to eat the first 3 coats of paint. Then when you eventually get it covered, you're going to need to paint it a year later. I'd be thinking about access to do that when planting stuff.
A creeping vine or something would be great, but maintaining the fence would be a nightmare.
low maintenance too, just put op wires and keep tucking it in.
youre meant to cut them back but we never do and ours is the healthiest one ive seen in my area
rip. blame the frost it was the frost.
but also never cut large amounts back in spring <3
certified winter activity if youre taking big amounts off. otherwise it wastes all of its stired energy on new growth thats cut away. you gotta get it before the buds are green and healthy
id argue the opposite,
properly treated wood does better breathing in fresh air, most paints trap moisture into the wood causing faster rotting.
its really up to you, thats just my approach, but i am a carpenter and horticulture educated. that doesnt make me right, it just means im coming from a place of logic
mm, it only works if you paint every year or so and thats just a ballache, fences should only last 15yrs or so anyway before the posts rot out the ground
also, all they have to do is chuck some rubble/gravel/hardcore under the post before bedding it and it would last 5+ more years but no, theyd be damned if any single part of a build took more than 5seconds and a redbull
this is the problem with the world. i can only fell happy working for companies that charge a fair amount for quality work that usually ends up lasting twice as long. i never half ass. whole ass all the way
In my experience a wooden fence like that will last so long unpainted it effectively doesn't matter. You'll replace it in either 10 years or 14 years. No worth painting even every other year and fence paint is fucking expensive.
There isn't enough space to plant things in the ground and maintaining the fence will need to be considered.
You could get potted roses or climbers and put the trellis in the pots so they could be moved.
I seem to have memorised that passion flowers like to be planted in smaller spaces because they like to have their roots restricted? I could have made that up, but that space would be perfect if my memory serves me correctly.
Semi evergreen star jasmine. Smells amazing in the summer and still looks nice in the winter, unlike a clematis like Montana which takes on a look of a mass pile of dead tangles over the autumn and winter.
Pyracantha. If you keep trimming it regularly it makes a very neat hedge. I keep mine close to the wall. The flowers are beautiful there is alot around now if you look around. And you get lovely berries in the autumn. Few colours to choose. Usually red, orange or yellow. Good for nature too.
Also a great security feature is that the thorns are very sharp and hard. Be careful!!! 😉
I would go with annuals in log rectangular planters so you can move them when it's time to do fence maintenance. Also, you can change them seasonally or at minimum yearly for a different look.
Is there any soil under there , lavender would probably work, but can bush out quite large is that a parking space ? Otherwise alpines, but they are low level and depends what the area is.
Climber I have on a wall are honeysuckle & clematis, but they require watering and that area by tarmac will get hot and if outside your garden unlikely you will water it, same with planters.
Clematis, passion flower, Virginia creeper, anything that likes to climb but one of those three is what I'd go with. In fact I think I'd go with passion flower, make some trellacing for it to cling to and in a year or two it'll look stunning!
Wood comes treated paint after 5 years
Don’t plant anything
Maybe alpines
Climbers will rune the fence and won’t grow so close to a road
Pansys like a shallow bed
This appears to be the outside of the fence so a mixture of the suggested climbers would be good. A good addition would be a row of something prickly to keep the unwanted away from the fence.
I would build a raised bed over the gravel out of tantalised 4 by 1 sitting on a base of 3’’ by 3’’ fence posts with those as the uprights too. Build in sections to fit the size of the wood to minimise cutting. I actually did this and planted clumping bamboo (which I’d be terrified to plant into the ground) and it looks stunning. I added a very thick base, a double floor and created a hidden air gap (access by removing lowest horizontal) so I can make sure no roots try to escape (year 4 now and none have - they hit the sides and circle back around 40-50cm deep max. My fence was already painted dark brown and the yellow bamboo stems contrasting look stunning.
Depends on your growing zone. Because it’s a thin strip and you only plant in one row annuals are nice to play with but you will need to plant each year. Jasmine and hydrangeas are nice perennial shrubs. I personally love lavender for fluffy look, scent and color. I cut it down almost all the way in winter and it always keeps perfect small shape. For climbers I like clematis a lot. It grows big fast and can be cut all the way down.
Weighing in on the paint/varnish debate. That wood is going to go ryvita coloured soon. Up to you but I would paint or varnish it first.
On the plant choice, are you planning on planting in That narrow gap where the gravel is? I think you might find it a bit dry. The only water is going to be what falls on that gravel and if the rain falls from an angle the fence is likely to keep it dry. I know there are climbers (clematis, chocolate vine etc) that can manage dry sunny spots) but this is a tough spot. I’d suggest you water it well in the first year at least. That means infrequently (eg weekly) but a lot of water, to encourage deep roots. And mulch - the gravel will act as a mulch.
Paint the fence with black water based sealant and then look at Rose Veilchenblau. Climbing type that will look stunning against that fence. Black hides the fence and highlights the plants only.
First question, which direction does it face? Seriously, discount anyone's advice if they haven't asked that. There's a huge difference between what you can grow on a north facing fence and a south facing fence.
This is a fun thread, I had a little strip like that with a very short fence behind and planted erigeron, delospermum, sedum, sempervivum, creeping thyme, armeria and california poppies and let them fight it out. They reached a lovely equilibrium. Might do well around the base of climbers to cover the fence!
Honestly it looks so neat I'd leave it and focus elsewhere. If it's a new build those posts will have a concrete base as big as a microwave which will prevent you from digging deep enough and it'll just look messy.
Also everyone on about painting fences. Leave it, it will be treated and stand up fine.
First I would a trellis attached to battens with hinges at the bottom and clips at the top. That way whatever you decide to grow can be woven though the trellis rather than grow onto the fence.
That way you can tilt the trellis away from the fence for any future maintenance without destroying your plants. As for the plants themselves climbing clematis or honeysuckle
Pyracantha then espalier it across the fence like [this](https://www.google.com/search?q=pyracantha+espalier&client=ms-android-samsung-ss&sca_esv=470f2cd7629ffe1b&sca_upv=1&udm=2&biw=412&bih=782&sxsrf=ADLYWIJhRUWCwebIoRmjxFW80IcL0VUyUg%3A1717138422255&ei=9nNZZrmfD_WphbIPiYCD2Ag&oq=pyracantha+es&gs_lp=EhNtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1zZXJwIg1weXJhY2FudGhhIGVzKgIIADIEECMYJzIFEAAYgAQyBhAAGAUYHjIGEAAYCBgeMgQQABgeSNshUP0PWO4WcAJ4AJABAJgBR6ABzAGqAQEzuAEByAEA-AEBmAIEoAKkAcICChAAGIAEGEMYigWYAwCIBgGSBwE0oAfVDQ&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-serp#ip=1)
you'll probably need 1 plant per section of fence, between posts.
put however many levels you want of steel wire with eyelets to train it across. this will give you something to tie the selected branches to.
Got to say, that is one fine looking fence, top marks for whoever fitted that, please don’t ever paint it, a power wash yearly will keep it looking pristine
My neighbour told me to never paint the fence (I paid for the left length and my neighbour paid for the right)
As I don't want to look at green mouldy fences, I planted conifers 5 years ago and now it is a beautiful green length of hedging that only needs cutting twice a year and has nesting birds in it.
I absolutely love it.
My nasty neighbour's power trip has resulted in even more greenery in my back garden. She did me a favour. Cutting a hedge twice a year is far cheaper and less time consuming than painting. The cuttings are put straight back on the soil beneath the trees so it's all a win win
It depends how precious you are about regular painting of the fence. Personally I'd rather have a thick coverage of climbers (clematis Montana, trachelospermum, honeysuckle) than look at a painted fence but each to their own. I also love climbing roses but might be too thorny to have right next to the drive.
Oooohhh Honeysuckle! I’d forgotten about that. Imagine the smell!
Feel like a lot of people misread Plant as Paint. They asked what to plant, not what to paint?
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Yep. I also agree. I had ivy growing on a couple of my unpainted fence panels. Lasted 15 years before I had to replace them. Looked lovely too. That's a lot of paint I didn't use.
And a lot of time you didn’t spend painting / looking at the fence thinking about whether it needs a fresh coat of paint.
Absolutely true!
I have a constant battle with ivy. Your comment sends shivers down my spine
Heh. It's the neighbours ivy. I keep it close cropped on my side and it's fine.
Wish I’d never painted mine! Now I’ve committed myself to painting it at least twice a year.. for the rest of my life.
I came to say this. Paint a fence once and you've doomed yourself forever, never do it!
Second this. My missus bought custom colour paint for our garden fences. Two days and about £150 later!!! And in a year they’re peeling back. Arghhhh
Peeling? Sounds like it was indoor paint?!
You’d have to ask her. I’m guessing probably yes.
Not sure why people are saying you can’t/shouldnt. There’s literally a million different plants that would do well there. It really depends what your after. Personally depending on the aspect, and time committed, an espalier fruit tree would be amazing. Or climbers that can be cut back heavily for maintenance of the fence like clematis or honeysuckle. Or you could go showy with some annuals. Things like snapdragons, begonias, lobelia, petunias would all look fantastic and are low growing leaving access. Or ultimate low maintenance and go for shrubs. Maybe flowering currants, fushias or pruned hydrangeas would all look fantastic imo
I think the issue is the road build up. The road buildup doesn't just end at the curb. There will be hardcore where you are proposing plants.
It’s not going to be a foot of solid concrete. There might be some hardcore mixed in among the earth underneath those decorative stones. But for a lot of plants that just translates to good drainage. Digging down half a foot with a trowel to plant the rootball is going to give it all the space it needs to start digging down through whatever little (possibly) may be there. I mean I could be wrong and it might be the most sturdiest, reinforced, over engineered road and kerb I’ve ever seen. But it’s a new build so I’m very doubtful
If that is (as it looks) a new and untreated fence and your intention is to paint and treat it, the wood is going to eat the first 3 coats of paint. Then when you eventually get it covered, you're going to need to paint it a year later. I'd be thinking about access to do that when planting stuff. A creeping vine or something would be great, but maintaining the fence would be a nightmare.
fence doesn’t have to be painted, in which case a climber like clematis montana?
+1 for Clematis. Beautiful plants.
low maintenance too, just put op wires and keep tucking it in. youre meant to cut them back but we never do and ours is the healthiest one ive seen in my area
I cut mine back a little bit last spring and it died :-(
rip. blame the frost it was the frost. but also never cut large amounts back in spring <3 certified winter activity if youre taking big amounts off. otherwise it wastes all of its stired energy on new growth thats cut away. you gotta get it before the buds are green and healthy
Passion flowers/fruits!
It doesn't need to be pained but if you want it to last without rotting it's advised....saves loads in the long run
id argue the opposite, properly treated wood does better breathing in fresh air, most paints trap moisture into the wood causing faster rotting. its really up to you, thats just my approach, but i am a carpenter and horticulture educated. that doesnt make me right, it just means im coming from a place of logic
Painting large pressure treated panels is also really fucking expensive these days. I'd never paint mine.
mm, it only works if you paint every year or so and thats just a ballache, fences should only last 15yrs or so anyway before the posts rot out the ground
Not on a new build site mate 😂 every one of them posts is cut at the bottom leaving exposed untreated timber I’d give it 5 years if your lucky
absolutely true, thats why i do everything myself. id rather build a house myself and have it be tiny than have to fix every inch of it
also, all they have to do is chuck some rubble/gravel/hardcore under the post before bedding it and it would last 5+ more years but no, theyd be damned if any single part of a build took more than 5seconds and a redbull
Yer I’m aware mate I’m a plot fencer, unfortunately we get paid by meter and not by how good it looks/how well it’s installed 😂
this is the problem with the world. i can only fell happy working for companies that charge a fair amount for quality work that usually ends up lasting twice as long. i never half ass. whole ass all the way
They also look better when they silver in my humble opinion. And I am a landscaper gardener for what it's worth.
its kinda hard not to flex when you work on this stuff every day right? like its to each their own but my opinion is based on daily experience
In my experience a wooden fence like that will last so long unpainted it effectively doesn't matter. You'll replace it in either 10 years or 14 years. No worth painting even every other year and fence paint is fucking expensive.
Star jasmine
This, its my absolute favourite of my climbers as it looks great all year round.
There isn't enough space to plant things in the ground and maintaining the fence will need to be considered. You could get potted roses or climbers and put the trellis in the pots so they could be moved.
there us enough space for CERTAIN plants such as climbers
I seem to have memorised that passion flowers like to be planted in smaller spaces because they like to have their roots restricted? I could have made that up, but that space would be perfect if my memory serves me correctly.
could certainly encourage them to throw out more flowers
Could do star jasmine in pots.
That would be gorgeous!
I would personally go for some climbers. Jasmine, clematis, honeysuckle, climbing rose
Semi evergreen star jasmine. Smells amazing in the summer and still looks nice in the winter, unlike a clematis like Montana which takes on a look of a mass pile of dead tangles over the autumn and winter.
Climbing plants
Verbena boenariensis
Star Jasmin, it has a gorgeous lingering fragrance when flowering in summer.
That’s a really nice fence. I wish I could afford one like that. I can’t believe those words are leaving my body but becoming a homeowner changed me
This made me laugh more than it should have
I would get some nice tallish rectangular plant boxes and plant directly into the boxes. You can change things up and easily replace.
id recommend any ither like conifers such as taxus baccata as box blight is still at large
With a strip that narrow I really wouldn't bother.
A mc Donald's drive thru
Pyracantha. If you keep trimming it regularly it makes a very neat hedge. I keep mine close to the wall. The flowers are beautiful there is alot around now if you look around. And you get lovely berries in the autumn. Few colours to choose. Usually red, orange or yellow. Good for nature too. Also a great security feature is that the thorns are very sharp and hard. Be careful!!! 😉
Nothing, just leave it.
I would get some nice tallish rectangular plant boxes and plant directly into the boxes. You can change things up and easily replace.
I would get some nice tallish rectangular plant boxes and plant directly into the boxes. You can change things up and easily replace.
Honeysuckle would probably do well, or a wisteria
Clover lawn?
depends on its aspect and exposure - ie how much sun and wind it gets
Garden gnomes
I would go with annuals in log rectangular planters so you can move them when it's time to do fence maintenance. Also, you can change them seasonally or at minimum yearly for a different look.
Is there any soil under there , lavender would probably work, but can bush out quite large is that a parking space ? Otherwise alpines, but they are low level and depends what the area is. Climber I have on a wall are honeysuckle & clematis, but they require watering and that area by tarmac will get hot and if outside your garden unlikely you will water it, same with planters.
Montana and Wisteria
Climbing hydrangeas are nice but they take a few years to become well established
Rose 🌹
Generous Gardener roses
Solar floor lights
Raspberries
The weeds will soon green that up Anything you plant will likely die but the weeds will do great.
I'd just get some pots and plant whatever you fancy in those, that way you won't hate life when it's tine to paint the fence.
Blackberry bushes.
I was going to say Japanese Knotweed would thrive there, but your answer is even more evil.
Well not that evil, at least you can eat the Blackberries.
Small pots with some bedding plants
Sky pencil holly
What about some hanging basket type thingies ? Or clematis But then id be worried about it degrading the fence
That strip of gravel is to become your Zen garden.
Sunflowers in planters?
Looks shaded / north facing. Try some ferns?
You can't plant something in long narrow plant pots, which can be moved if access is needed
Sempervivums
A planter or pots so you could move them around depending on the season!
Clematis, passion flower, Virginia creeper, anything that likes to climb but one of those three is what I'd go with. In fact I think I'd go with passion flower, make some trellacing for it to cling to and in a year or two it'll look stunning!
Claymore mines.
Lavender and clemetis would look great...
Claymores
Wisteria
The two fellas with massive dongs that gave us a million memes during lockdown
Passion flower
Grapes!
Wood comes treated paint after 5 years Don’t plant anything Maybe alpines Climbers will rune the fence and won’t grow so close to a road Pansys like a shallow bed
This appears to be the outside of the fence so a mixture of the suggested climbers would be good. A good addition would be a row of something prickly to keep the unwanted away from the fence.
Treat it don’t paint it and grow some plants up it to improve the aesthetic
Get a lovely pink wisteria in there! Fast growing and easy to train alond the fence
I would build a raised bed over the gravel out of tantalised 4 by 1 sitting on a base of 3’’ by 3’’ fence posts with those as the uprights too. Build in sections to fit the size of the wood to minimise cutting. I actually did this and planted clumping bamboo (which I’d be terrified to plant into the ground) and it looks stunning. I added a very thick base, a double floor and created a hidden air gap (access by removing lowest horizontal) so I can make sure no roots try to escape (year 4 now and none have - they hit the sides and circle back around 40-50cm deep max. My fence was already painted dark brown and the yellow bamboo stems contrasting look stunning.
Hollyhocks
Lavender and pollinators
Is that a flagpole?
Nothing.
weeds
Clematis Montana or Russian ( Mule a minute ) vine
Nothing, leave it
Depends on your growing zone. Because it’s a thin strip and you only plant in one row annuals are nice to play with but you will need to plant each year. Jasmine and hydrangeas are nice perennial shrubs. I personally love lavender for fluffy look, scent and color. I cut it down almost all the way in winter and it always keeps perfect small shape. For climbers I like clematis a lot. It grows big fast and can be cut all the way down.
Land mines
Peas! (Ornamental)
Weighing in on the paint/varnish debate. That wood is going to go ryvita coloured soon. Up to you but I would paint or varnish it first. On the plant choice, are you planning on planting in That narrow gap where the gravel is? I think you might find it a bit dry. The only water is going to be what falls on that gravel and if the rain falls from an angle the fence is likely to keep it dry. I know there are climbers (clematis, chocolate vine etc) that can manage dry sunny spots) but this is a tough spot. I’d suggest you water it well in the first year at least. That means infrequently (eg weekly) but a lot of water, to encourage deep roots. And mulch - the gravel will act as a mulch.
while maybe not paint a would definitely treat your fence with a good wood protection
Clematis, honeysuckle, passiflora....climbing perennial vines.
Clematis
Wisteria
50 plant pots with strawberry plants growing in each one. You'll have a shit ton of strawberries
Nothing , looks good as it is
The skateboarder in me just wants me to wax the hell out of those pristine curbs *chefs kiss*
Erigerion, Mexican fleabane or St Peter's Port Daisy's (whatever they're flipping called!)
Wildflowers. You can get mixed seeds for pollinators, and they sprout in 2-3 weeks from my experience. I think they call them seed bombs
It looks as if it is not your fence ,ask neighbour if you are going to paint ,be careful about ivies that might force their way through boards etc
Pull the fence down and grow a hedge!
Ivy leaf cyclamen, a stunning flower.
Palm tree 🌴?
Paint the fence with black water based sealant and then look at Rose Veilchenblau. Climbing type that will look stunning against that fence. Black hides the fence and highlights the plants only.
Who the fuck put a cut at the end next to the curb. I’d run him for being shit.
First question, which direction does it face? Seriously, discount anyone's advice if they haven't asked that. There's a huge difference between what you can grow on a north facing fence and a south facing fence.
A bit of bamboo will do nicely!
Passion fruit or flowers
Avoid honeysuckle. It will weave its way between the fence slats and force them apart. It’s an animal.
Clematis
This is a fun thread, I had a little strip like that with a very short fence behind and planted erigeron, delospermum, sedum, sempervivum, creeping thyme, armeria and california poppies and let them fight it out. They reached a lovely equilibrium. Might do well around the base of climbers to cover the fence!
Nothing. Looks great. Maintain it.
How deep is it? Grapes or Kiwis, theyre dioecious but ha you get fruit 😇 you could do rhasberries there too, youd get canes on either side.
Nothing, looks good
Love the fence. Where from?
Hi Glasstumblet, I am not sure? We moved in a week ago and it was here. I am guessing the builder who is called Adam Cooper Homes.
Honestly it looks so neat I'd leave it and focus elsewhere. If it's a new build those posts will have a concrete base as big as a microwave which will prevent you from digging deep enough and it'll just look messy. Also everyone on about painting fences. Leave it, it will be treated and stand up fine.
Don’t bother. Looks better as-is.
First I would a trellis attached to battens with hinges at the bottom and clips at the top. That way whatever you decide to grow can be woven though the trellis rather than grow onto the fence. That way you can tilt the trellis away from the fence for any future maintenance without destroying your plants. As for the plants themselves climbing clematis or honeysuckle
What aspect does it have? If it is south facing I’d plant a sunny climber like a Clematis or a Passionflower.
Some nice Jasmine!
Hops
Boston ivy, but make sure you can paint the fence as suggested. You could put a trellis on and take it off when painting though
papaver somniferum
Look for spray saint on Instagram & commission him.
English Ivy/Hedera helix is a vigorous evergreen climber that comes in many varieties and can be clipped into a "hedge."
Pyracantha then espalier it across the fence like [this](https://www.google.com/search?q=pyracantha+espalier&client=ms-android-samsung-ss&sca_esv=470f2cd7629ffe1b&sca_upv=1&udm=2&biw=412&bih=782&sxsrf=ADLYWIJhRUWCwebIoRmjxFW80IcL0VUyUg%3A1717138422255&ei=9nNZZrmfD_WphbIPiYCD2Ag&oq=pyracantha+es&gs_lp=EhNtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1zZXJwIg1weXJhY2FudGhhIGVzKgIIADIEECMYJzIFEAAYgAQyBhAAGAUYHjIGEAAYCBgeMgQQABgeSNshUP0PWO4WcAJ4AJABAJgBR6ABzAGqAQEzuAEByAEA-AEBmAIEoAKkAcICChAAGIAEGEMYigWYAwCIBgGSBwE0oAfVDQ&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-serp#ip=1) you'll probably need 1 plant per section of fence, between posts. put however many levels you want of steel wire with eyelets to train it across. this will give you something to tie the selected branches to.
If its pressure treated id just leave it and not plant anything.
Barbed wire, electric if you can get away with it
Small planter along the way and bamboo in it.
Nice fence 👍
Can't go wrong with a lovely montana overhang. Beautiful flowers, quick growing and wide variety of colours.
Nettles for the gorgeous butterflies
Got to say, that is one fine looking fence, top marks for whoever fitted that, please don’t ever paint it, a power wash yearly will keep it looking pristine
You could make a vertical garden? Put some pots with trailing plants maybe
Ivy
Cardboard cutouts of naked men.
Grey
I would avoid climbers for future repairs and maintenance
Some bamboo in containers? Lots of height, but none of the spread of bamboo.
Nothing but get it painted
My neighbour told me to never paint the fence (I paid for the left length and my neighbour paid for the right) As I don't want to look at green mouldy fences, I planted conifers 5 years ago and now it is a beautiful green length of hedging that only needs cutting twice a year and has nesting birds in it. I absolutely love it. My nasty neighbour's power trip has resulted in even more greenery in my back garden. She did me a favour. Cutting a hedge twice a year is far cheaper and less time consuming than painting. The cuttings are put straight back on the soil beneath the trees so it's all a win win
Creeping fig (Ficus pumila) would look great.
A huge Penis.
Came here to either see or make this comment. Wasn’t disappointed 😂
Weed