Virginia Creeper - too vigorous?

antiskeptic

A neighbour down the road has Virginia creeper running up the front of the house. Looks quite nice even if it's only thinly covering the lower half of the facade (a matter of better training?). Even when the leaves fall, the twiggy lattice work improves the look of the grey rendered facade.

I was thinking of doing the same thing - with my next door neighbour wanting me to train it over his house too (although that might occur as a matter of course)

But it is manageable? The neighbour down the road has it up and over into the gutter at this point. Now I don't mind an annual trip up a ladder to do some trimming back but that'd be about all I'd countenance.

If too vigorous, are there alternatives that would take a North/North-West facing facade as well as VC appear to. Something that would progress in not too many years.

Thanks in advance..

paddy147

Evergreen Clematis perhaps?

Planted one in a north facing garden last month,and its absolutely flying.:)

Tulipout

You could also try a Climbing Hydrangea, It will cling to most surfaces and it loves the shade.

pwurple

If you like the look of the virginia creeper, but don't want it as vigourous... then maybe it's cousin Boston Ivy is the one for you?

Parthenocissus quinquefolia is Virginia Creeper. It has 5 pointy leaves.
Parthenocissus tricuspidata is Boston Ivy. It has a three-pointed leaf. It is a generally less vigourous, but has great autumn colour, is deciduous etc.

I have virginia creeper on a smallish 4 bed house and it's grand altogether. We cut it once in the summer to stop it getting up into the gutters, and give it another tidy up in winter when the leaves are gone.

rje66

paddy147 wrote: »

Evergreen Clematis perhaps?

this will need support ie maintenance:(


Parthenocissus is pretty much a self clinging climber. ( it has ariel roots):)

antiskeptic

pwurple wrote: »

If you like the look of the virginia creeper, but don't want it as vigourous... then maybe it's cousin Boston Ivy is the one for you?

Parthenocissus quinquefolia is Virginia Creeper. It has 5 pointy leaves.
Parthenocissus tricuspidata is Boston Ivy. It has a three-pointed leaf. It is a generally less vigourous, but has great autumn colour, is deciduous etc.

I have virginia creeper on a smallish 4 bed house and it's grand altogether. We cut it once in the summer to stop it getting up into the gutters, and give it another tidy up in winter when the leaves are gone.

A couple of questions springs to mind.

Would the North facing facade slow the growth over what you've experienced (e.g. should I go for the Virginia expecting it's vigor to be restrained by the aspect?)

I live in a terrace. Whatever the choice, it looks like I can expect spread into the neighbours property. I don't mind keeping it trimmed if there is objection to it but what's the story on this (the aforementioned neighbour down the road with VC has it spreading to properties either side with no one taking much notice.)? I gather it's easy enough to remove once you kill the section of plant concerned, but does it leave marks on the wall? I can't imagine keeping on top of it enough never ever to let it encroach on a neighbours facade .. and if it were to leave marks.

pwurple

North facing will slow the growth. I have mine on the front and back of my house, and it is about half as vigourous on the back (north-facing).

As for marks, it depends on what kind of finish is on your walls. I have redbrick on the front and grey pebble dash on the back. No marks on either of those. If I do let it get onto the white painted fascia or soffit, then the suckers stay there as brown dots when I pull it off. I'd say the same would happen on a plastered white painted wall.