Visual screening - perhaps Sweet pea?

[Ehtyms]

I'm looking for something that can be placed in boxes (perhaps with a cane if needed) that will permit some amount of visual screening through 12 months of the year.

Say, 1.2 metres or perhaps up to 1.5 metres in height. Ideally something that is low maintenance.

Perhaps sweet pea?

Of course, I could simply plant some form of evergreen hedge, though that would require regular pruning through much of the year.

Thanks.

 

[Peace perfect peace]

Hi,
It depends on what your trying to do, ie sweetpea's wont flower all year and they are dead all winter so i'd rule that one out,
Ive three in mind and all three need little pruning but will need what i call light clipping,

(A) Hawthorn, these shrubs can be grown in containers and can be kept to the sort of size your thinking of,
This shrub keeps pets out ie cats/birds dont nest in it and its a very good wind break, its a nice red colour throughout the complete year and this shrub wont loose its leaves during winter, so very little mess from season to season (A very hardy bush )
an added advantage of this shrub is it's a good back drop for anything you want to put infront of it such as bulbs in smaller pots.

(B) The common holly bush, again this bush can be grown to size in pots etc it keeps its colour throughout the year, is winter hardy and the leaves dont shred, Ideal for christmas decorations such as outside lights to be fitted, its animal proof and again a good windbreaker / very little pruning from season to season.

(c) Phontinia red robin,
This again keeps its leaves and this bush changes colour from green to red leaves, its hardy/ a good wind breaker / Animal proof / and its only a tidy prune not the sort of shrub your spending a lot of time caring for,
I have this shrub in front of my own greenhouse planted in the ground and i keep it 3mtr high, ive also 1 in a half size wine barrel and this ones 2 metre high,
All these plants need little care "But" as always all plants shrubs are not care free and you must understand a good feeding / watering and potted shrubs will need attention at some time to changing the soil/compost used?
Or perhaps a fence with verious pots fitted and the odd shelf for the use of holding plants may be a solution to your plan?
Hope ive given you some ideas ref screening?

 

[Tetters]

Hello @Ehtyms and welcome to the forum. If you are planting into boxes, how about one of the bamboos

 

[Ehtyms]

(A) Hawthorn,

(B) The common holly bush,

(c) Phontinia red robin,

Thanks very much for the detailed reply. I should point out that I have no gardening background, so the suggestions are much appreciated.

The Hawthorn looks interesting, I'll definitely look into that.

The holly bush I might not go for in case there are children playing close to it.

I haven't heard of Phontinia red robin before. I "Imaged" it online and seen it grown in hedge form, so I'm guessing it may regularly need trimmed throughout the year.

Hello @Ehtyms and welcome to the forum. If you are planting into boxes, how about one of the bamboos

Yes, I hadn't thought of that. I'll look into that too.

What would you think of Passiflora for this purpose?

 

[alp]

You could try some light weight clematis evergreen Cirrhosa of which there are several different cultivars. They are evergreen, but unlike Armandii or Montana, won't crumble your trellis or be too much for your box. I have seen a white one wintering with flowers.

Passiflora is a very vigorous climber and will smother a whole tree and damage properties.

 

[Tetters]

@Ehtyms may I ask you what size boxes you are thinking of planting in? You cannot grow walloping great big climbers or shrubs in small boxes. If plants have no depth of soil under their roots they will only thrive for about five minutes.
Have you got a garden? Can you post a picture of your proposed planting site?

 

[Ehtyms]

You could try some light weight clematis evergreen Cirrhosa of which there are several different cultivars.

Passiflora is a very vigorous climber and will smother a whole tree and damage properties.

Thanks - I'll look into that. I didn't know that about Passiflora, so that's interesting.

@Ehtyms may I ask you what size boxes you are thinking of planting in? You cannot grow walloping great big climbers or shrubs in small boxes. If plants have no depth of soil under their roots they will only thrive for about five minutes.
Have you got a garden? Can you post a picture of your proposed planting site?

I would be planting them into boxes which would be placed directly on top of a tarmac garden path to give some visual shielding. There is a very small garden area (grass only) and I don't want the plants taking up space in this small area. So the best thing is to get them into boxes and then placed on top of the tarmac path.

I could get the boxes specially made as I won't need too many. Consequently, the boxes could potentially be whatever depth is required (within reason).

 

[alp]

You could get some advice on enhanced compost for boxes. I often wonder how a tiny 3L pot can sustain so many flowers and even enable a plant to produce viable seeds. Don't jump into it. But ask various nurseries for their best proprietary compost for your purpose. Compare and contrast and read the ingredients printed outside. Think about if you want peat based or non peat based compost. What fertiliser to add. It's do-able or my clematis Josephine wouldn't be able to produce lovely flowers non-stop.

 

[Peace perfect peace]

Greeting ,
Now here is a very very simple solution to your wanting to add some sort of background to what sounds like what i call a flat canvas,
(All gardens are like a painting and background ie grass area's / hedging / even tarmac paths are all flat canvas area's)

I would give serious thought to keeping your garden as maintainance free as poss "but" this can still have life throughout winter and added colour during the warmer weather "be it by troughs full of flowers, Handing baskets again the likes of geraniums "these dont need a lot of watering day by day as they are a plant that likes dry conditions and sun,
But the common privet hedge sounds to me ideal for your needs,
Not only can these be kept to a small size growing in pots "But" they are not a fussy plant ref soil, and if you want colour then the common privet can be bought in bright yellow/darker green,
Now you've not said how long this path is ,? ie is it a threat to heathrow's new landing strip

But here is an idea i think you can see, one pot with common yellow privet hedge in and next to it another pot with Lavender (english or french)
and then the next pot common hedge and the next Lavender and so on until your at the end of this path,
Lavender again is'nt worried about soil, infact like the privet hedge this plant prefers rough soil , And you can grow them to about the same size they'll live together,
Ive this continued yellow priet hedge on one side of my pool and an Lavender full size border on the other,
Infront of the Privet ive verious sized tubs and clay pots / and between these larger tubs the sunbeds, the waft of the Lavender when you get that breezing evening perfume just has tobe experienced to know what im saying, but so simple to provide,

So you've now got a path thats a back ground to the tarmac "but" you've two plants you just leave in place winter/summer,
the Lavender has a very carm /relaxing perfume and both these plants have few if any pest that will bother them,

Now this and the trough idea plus hanging baskets with both herbs/flowers even cherry tomatoes growing hanging over the hanging basket through the summer along with the odd storm light hanging with the frame painted a nice bright colour and the "T" candle in the light lit near your sitting area a glass of wine and the summer evening coming to an end, what more can you ask,
Ps Hope this helps