Covering a fence often stems from a need for privacy, aesthetic improvement, or blocking an undesirable view. Utilizing a living screen brings texture and life to a boundary, softening the harsh lines of wood or metal fencing. Determining the “best” plant is subjective, as the optimal choice depends on the specific environment, desired maintenance level, and intended outcome. The first step involves assessing your site conditions and personal commitment to plant care.
Defining Key Selection Criteria
The selection process begins with evaluating the long-term needs and constraints of your location. Considering the rate of growth is important; fast-growing plants offer immediate coverage but require aggressive management, while slower varieties establish controlled density over time. A plant with moderate growth is frequently the ideal compromise between quick screening and manageable upkeep.
The choice between an evergreen or a deciduous plant determines whether you will have year-round privacy or seasonal coverage. Evergreen options, such as certain hollies or ivies, maintain foliage throughout the winter, providing a permanent visual barrier. Deciduous plants lose their leaves in the autumn, resulting in a temporary loss of privacy, but often provide vibrant fall color and less debris to manage.
Maintenance needs correlate directly with the plant’s growth rate. High-maintenance vines may require frequent pruning to prevent them from overwhelming the fence structure or neighboring plants. Lower-maintenance selections typically have a more controlled growth habit, needing only occasional shaping or removal of dead material to remain healthy.
Recommended Climbing Plants
Climbing plants are the most traditional and efficient way to cover a fence, maximizing vertical space while taking up minimal ground area. The method a plant uses to attach to its support structure is important for the health of the plant and the integrity of the fence. Self-clinging vines use aerial roots or adhesive pads to attach directly to the surface, requiring little initial support on a rough fence or wall.
English Ivy and Climbing Hydrangea are examples of self-clinging plants, but their strong adhesion can potentially damage wooden fences or make future maintenance difficult. Twining or winding vines, such as Clematis, Honeysuckle, and Star Jasmine, wrap their stems around a support. These types require an installed wire, trellis, or lattice for proper guidance and growth.
Clematis is a popular choice, offering a wide range of flower colors and sizes, with some varieties providing evergreen coverage. Wisteria is another robust option, known for its rapid, heavy growth and spectacular spring flowering. However, its woody, powerful stems can eventually twist and damage flimsy supports if not aggressively pruned. The choice of climber should match the strength of the fence, favoring less aggressive twining vines for older or less robust structures.
Alternative Screening Methods
When a climbing plant is impractical, perhaps due to a weak fence or the need for immediate density, alternative screening methods can be used. Instead of growing on the fence, these plants are grown immediately in front of it to create a living wall effect. Fast-growing, columnar evergreens are excellent for this purpose because their narrow growth habit minimizes the footprint in the garden space.
Varieties of Arborvitae like ‘Emerald Green’ or ‘Green Giant’ are commonly used to create a dense, vertical screen that remains lush all year. They are planted in a staggered row several feet in front of the fence, providing a layered barrier. This barrier is more effective at blocking views and muffling sound than a single fence line, offering a softer, more natural boundary than a solid structure.
The technique of espalier offers a more formal and artistic approach, involving training a woody shrub or fruit tree to grow flat against a fence. This method is highly controlled and requires meticulous pruning to maintain the two-dimensional pattern against a system of wires. Espalier works well for certain fruit trees, like apples or pears, creating an elegant, architectural feature that provides partial coverage without the bulk of a full hedge.
Installation and Long-Term Management
The success of any fence-covering plant begins with proper installation and preparation of the planting area. When planting a vine against a solid fence, the root ball should be positioned approximately 30 to 45 centimeters away from the base. This offset placement prevents the plant from being sheltered from rainfall, avoiding the “rain shadow” effect that can lead to chronic dehydration.
Before planting twining vines, install the required support system, such as horizontal wires or a sturdy trellis, ensuring it is fixed securely to the fence. For vines that do not naturally adhere, new shoots must be regularly tied loosely to this structure to guide growth and encourage lateral spread. This initial training is necessary for the plant to cover the fence evenly and prevent it from becoming a tangled, unmanageable mass.
Long-term management requires a commitment to regular pruning, the primary method for controlling plant size and vigor. For fast-growing or aggressive species, annual pruning is necessary to prevent the plant from becoming overly heavy, which can compromise the fence structure. This also helps manage invasiveness, especially for self-clinging types, by preventing them from spreading beyond the intended coverage area.