Quick Flowering Climbers

[scrivomcdivo]

Hey guys. We live opposite a set of metal railings (similar to those that run alongside railway lines to stop people crossing them. They are slatted railings about 3m high. They span the length of our road (approximately 100m).

There is a soil embankment a few foot wide in front of the railings with a few established trees lining them. Nonetheless, the metal railings are still obvious and so I'd like to cover them with some fast growing, flowering plants.

Any suggestions? The plants get good sunlight although this shaded when the trees are in full bloom and have good leaf overage. I'm looking for something that climbs up high and not out too much into the roadway.

 

[Thermo]

russian vine

 

[oompah]

As Thermo says, also called mile a minute vine for good reason.

This is a rampant and potentially vast climber, useful if you have a few acres of wall to cover! It looks good on a tree, large and sturdy enough to take it, but is wildly unsuitable for small gardens. It should really be sold with a machete. Russian vine has small green leaves and quite pretty frothy white flower plumes, on reddish stalks. It grows at the rate of a foot or so a day and intrudes itself everywhere. This climber must be used with care, it comes into its own in large scale landscaping and has been used to great effect on some of the screen fencing round London Heathrow Airport where it has colonised by the mile. It is one of those plants where you should stop and think, before introducing it to the suburban patio! It does provide excellent nesting cover for birds

 

[scrivomcdivo]

Thanks guys.

I've had a look for suppliers in the UK and they only seem to sell it in 3-litre pots. Are people aware of whether you can buy bulbs for this plant as trying to dig a whole in the enbankment to plant a 3-litre plant will be a nightmare so I'm looking for either smaller sizes of russian vine or bulbs

 

[seco services]

mile a minute is good but won't give cover all yr round when it dies off in winter.

 

[Thermo]

a 3 litre pot is very small and will be easy to plant. they dont come as bulbs. most evergreens are slow growing unless you go for ivy. russian vine will still provide covering, although it wont be too green!