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climbing ivy for zone 5

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Posted by htracey none (My Page) on
Tue, May 31, 11 at 10:49

I live in a city with a very very small back yard. The previous owners removed everything living in the back yard. We are working to restore some privacy & some element of life in the backyard, and step one is a new fence. Its 8' tall, and will be completed in about two weeks. I would love to add some life with a climbing ivy on the fence. I am in a zone 5, but thats the extent of what I know about gardening. Does anybody have any suggestions on something that will climb a wooden fence, will grow/fill in fairly quickly, and turns a pretty color in the fall? Also - does allowing an ivy to grow on a wooden fance cause any damage to the fence?

Thanks!

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RE: climbing ivy for zone 5

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Hedera/ivy has little sucker roots on its stems and they can make a terrific mess of any wall at all. Plus, as they get older, any stem growing through the spaces between the planks will happily force the planks apart.

If you'd be willing to add some support to the wall you might prefer Clematis. Many are hardy in your zone and they come in a pleasant range of colours/leaf types. They're not particularly spectacular when it comes to autumn colour, though. (Dreary, describes it.)

Lonicera/Honeysuckle is also a possible - and there are some polite ones. Check at your local garden centre. The plus is the scent in some species, and some combine that with interesting foliage.

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