Softening of a close boarded fence.
By Gerald_nutt
United Kingdom 
Located in Cumbria and within 600m of the sea (Salt air & very windy), I am about to erect a close-boarded fence to enclose part of the property. The fence will run N-S so will have one West facing side and one East facing. The fence will be situated between two buildings and thus partially shaded for much of the day. Once erected, I wish to plant some shrubs and climbing plants on each side of the fence to soften its appearance. The fence will be erected in September and I would like to achieve this softening effect fairly quickly. Can you please advise on plants suitable for this project.
12 Aug, 2008
Answers
Pyracantha will do well on either side. Muehlenbeckia complexa is a wonderful, quick-growing pretty plant that will smother your fence, garden and house unless you keep it clipped - in which case it becomes a well-trained small-leaved climber. It can be clipped to any shape you please - in Madeira they use it for topiary - castles, seats, etc! My neighbours have clipped it into pillars on their pergola! Corokia cotoneaster is a shrub that can be trained to the fence. Also you could try Garrya eliptica (just the common form) with it's lovely long catkins in winter/spring. The Russian vine - Fallopia baldschuanica would also do - but again is very vigorous - so it depends on how much maintenance you want to do!!!
12 Aug, 2008
I've used a climbing roses when I lived in sw scotland not far from the coast (so similar conditions )another climber I've used very successfully has been clematis montana that will grow a good 100ft . As Hoya105 mentioned pyracantha grew successfully up there as well
13 Aug, 2008
Go to my web site type 'fence' in the search box (top right) and this should help you a lot
12 Aug, 2008