Can I plant a hedge against a wall?

[roberta1000]

I've a wall (not mine) around my garden which isn't very pretty - common brick, 1m high, single brick thickness with piers. I'm thinking of planting a hedge along part of it to hide it. Would a privet hedge planted right up to it (say 30cm away or so) and allowed to grow to say 1.5m high and 30cm wide or so cause it any damage? I don't want the wall to crack or fall over of course. Ground is clay.

I already have a leylandii hedge (ugh!) about 2.5m high planted along part of the wall and about 60cm away from it which doesn't seem to have done any damage, but I don't know whether privet would be different.

 

[youngroughcaster]

I don't think a privet hedge would do any harm to the wall, if its planted a good distance away from it as you said. It will certainly be nicer to look at than a old wall.

 

[Thermo]

should be fine

 

[Niall]

Hi

I have a similar problem, but a different solution. My wall is more like 1.5m high.

I'm growing ivy and other climbers up my wall. This should encourage wildlife, which I'm a big fan of.

Other suggestions include:
*espallier fruit trees on dwarf stocks, grown against the wall. You could try roses as well. This is a common solution, which as far as I know shouldn't damage the wall.
* wall baskets on the wall.

hth

Niall