Trellis Plants

Privacy is an important issue for many people. You may live on a busy street, or have neighbors who live too close to your home. Maybe you simply prefer solitude. Whatever the reason, a trellis with plants growing along it will help to separate your property from its surrounding area.

Ivy

English Ivy is the most widely known, though there are other types as well. This evergreen will grow heavily along a trellis to give you the privacy desired. Ivy can be planted anywhere, from a moderately sunny location to a shady one. As long as you keep it pruned, it will not get out of control.

Clear the area along the trellis where you wish to plant, and work the soil to about 1 foot down. Add compost to the area, and work it into the existing soil. Place ivy transplants into holes a few inches deep and at least 1/2 foot apart. Train the ivy where you want it to go and, within a couple of years, the plants will intertwine with each other to cover the trellis.

Bougainvillea

The bougainvillea vine has different colors of flowers. You can choose from red, orange and pink, as well as other colors, depending on your landscaping needs. A perennial, this plant can be trained along a trellis to add privacy to your yard. It is a thorny plant, so care will need to be taken when training and pruning.

This vine will grow quite tall, as high as 30 feet. While training it along the trellis, tie the stems in place where desired. By doing this, the vine is kept from growing too tall. Plant these 6 inches from the trellis.

Clematis

These should be planted about 6 inches from the trellis as seedlings. Mulch the area well if you live in a cold climate. When the vines are tall enough to do so, tie them to the trellis and begin training where you want it to go.

The flowers of the clematis may change color throughout their lifespan. This is an endearing quality for some people, and will add interest to the trellis. There are a wide variety of clematis plants that can be used, including bees jubilee which will grow up to 9 feet and flowers three months out of the year. This one has a pink and mauve, two-tone color.

Sources:

The American Ivy Society: The Care of Ivies - Ivy 101 http://www.ivy.org/about_bv8.htm

Yardener: Planting English Ivy http://yardener.com/YardenersPlantHelper/LandscapePlantFiles/VinesandIvy/EnglishIvy/PlantingEnglishIvy

Different Kinds of Plants: The Bougainvillea Vine http://www.different-kinds-of-plants.com/bougainvilleavine.html

Lawn and Garden Tips: A Garden Trellis Adds Just the Right Touch http://www.lawn-and-gardening-tips.com/garden-trellis.html