North facing concrete brick wall

jgalvin

I moved into this house recently and there's shaded section with a bit of land (attached in photo) that has gone to waste and I'm looking to do something with it.

The main thing is the wall itself, which I think looks ugly with the concrete bricks. I'm looking for some options on how to make it look better? I was wondering if I could use lime render or something, but seems that is expensive, even if I were to do it by myself. A rustic finish would be OK, it doesn't need to be smooth or even. Maybe just whitewash it or paint it white?

Then when it comes to planting in the area, it's heavily shaded as the wall is north facing, and there's also shade from that big yew tree and the neighbours house. Thinking of putting up a couple of trellises of climbing plants that tolerate shade; and then some raised beds for vegetables (carrots, kale, lettuce) a couple of metres out from the wall.

I appreciate any suggestions or advice!

looksee

What a nice area! Yes, paint the wall, it will still look like a concrete wall but it will look fresher. The paint will wear off but by that time you should have some plants growing up it. There looks to be too much ivy for what looks like a fairly poorly built wall, wind could catch it and act like a sail, pulling the wall over (happened to a very similar set up I had). Just take some of the weight off the top.

It all looks a bit shaded for veg, but you may get away with it, it would need a bit more study of where the sun gets through to know. I personally would plant some under-story bushes - maybe hazelnuts, gooseberries, blackberries; rhubarb doesn't mind shade, as well as holly, honeysuckle and other woodland type shrubs.

There isn't much growth there at the moment, has it recently been cleared or is that how you found it? It might have been cleared for the sale, but it rather looks as though it has been sitting there for a good while. The soil would need some improvement - a bit of exploratory digging to see what is there at least.

jgalvin

looksee wrote: »

What a nice area! Yes, paint the wall, it will still look like a concrete wall but it will look fresher. The paint will wear off but by that time you should have some plants growing up it. There looks to be too much ivy for what looks like a fairly poorly built wall, wind could catch it and act like a sail, pulling the wall over (happened to a very similar set up I had). Just take some of the weight off the top.

It all looks a bit shaded for veg, but you may get away with it, it would need a bit more study of where the sun gets through to know. I personally would plant some under-story bushes - maybe hazelnuts, gooseberries, blackberries; rhubarb doesn't mind shade, as well as holly, honeysuckle and other woodland type shrubs.

There isn't much growth there at the moment, has it recently been cleared or is that how you found it? It might have been cleared for the sale, but it rather looks as though it has been sitting there for a good while. The soil would need some improvement - a bit of exploratory digging to see what is there at least.

That's very helpful, thanks very much. Great idea to plant understory bushes, I wasn't familiar with that term and it makes my search easier. I'll definitely plan for some berry bushes, rhubarb, maybe some ferns and foxgloves and stuff. The rest of the place has been taken over by holly and Japanese laurel.

The site wasn't really cleared as far as I'm aware, they did lay underground cables so they would have cleared a bit in the middle half of the photo, and there's a lot of mulch around from some tree cutting... but left of those palm trees is probably the exact same as it has been for years, so I suppose that means the soil needs to be improved. Maybe I could pile a couple of tonnes of top soil along the wall and make it into a kind of an embankment with a path.

I wouldn't paint a north facing wall white as it will turn green in no time and will look terrible. Go for a dark colour if you are painting and make sure you use good paint and a bonding agent (Owatrol EB) or it will flake and peel. Use an algae removal product and power wash before painting. Do it right the first time and it will save you a lot of heartache.

For what it's worth, I have a similar wall at home that was covered in ivy which had to go and is now bare. I'm plastering it and painting it a very dark blue.

com1

The palm trees look like cordyline australias (spelling?) . I have 3 of them in my front garden really like them but beware they start sprouting from the roots and they grow quickly in the summer you'll have a clump of them before you know it.

I have a similar northfacing wall in my garden. Painted it and planted a raised bed - went to local garden centre and got brilliant advice. They even sent out one of their gardeners to help plant everything. (Granted we spent a fair few quid, but still, they did not have to do that, we did not ask)

Edit I would recommend plastering the wall if you can makes everything easier and neater

jgalvin

Deleted User wrote: »

I wouldn't paint a north facing wall white as it will turn green in no time and will look terrible. Go for a dark colour if you are painting and make sure you use good paint and a bonding agent (Owatrol EB) or it will flake and peel. Use an algae removal product and power wash before painting. Do it right the first time and it will save you a lot of heartache.

For what it's worth, I have a similar wall at home that was covered in ivy which had to go and is now bare. I'm plastering it and painting it a very dark blue.

Some good suggestions there, thanks for that!
What kind of plaster are you using? Are you doing it yourself or getting someone in?

com1 wrote:

The palm trees look like cordyline australias (spelling?) . I have 3 of them in my front garden really like them but beware they start sprouting from the roots and they grow quickly in the summer you'll have a clump of them before you know it.

I have a similar northfacing wall in my garden. Painted it and planted a raised bed - went to local garden centre and got brilliant advice. They even sent out one of their gardeners to help plant everything. (Granted we spent a fair few quid, but still, they did not have to do that, we did not ask)

Edit I would recommend plastering the wall if you can makes everything easier and neater

Some great suggestions there, thanks very much. I think you're right, it looks like Cordyline australis "Cabbage Tree"; but doesn't look like it was planted there, maybe blew over from the neighbour's tree that's visible over the wall? That would confirm your point that they tend to spread quickly.

jgalvin

jgalvin wrote: »

Some good suggestions there, thanks for that!
What kind of plaster are you using? Are you doing it yourself or getting someone in?

Sand and cement. No, I won't plaster it myself as it's a skilled trade and has to be done right. I know a guy in the trade and he'll do it for me for a decent price. Good luck with it!

Turbulent Bill

I think I'd power wash the walls to clean them up a bit, add wires or trellis and plant some climbers. Keeping a north-facing wall looking clean takes work, and if you're going to plant anyway you could just start now.

0lddog

WRT wall : Couple of miles from sea, I have north facing wall ( probably a meter taller than OP ). With trellis ( or other support helper ), a mix of clematis and camellia love it there

jgalvin

0lddog wrote: »

WRT wall : Couple of miles from sea, I have north facing wall ( probably a meter taller than OP ). With trellis ( or other support helper ), a mix of clematis and camellia love it there

Was planning on doing clematis; thanks for the suggestion of camellia. Have you tried star jasmine?

robebocc

I have a six foot north facing concrete block wall. Obviously ivy grows well so why not grow a variegated ivy like mine. It gives all year round cover and can be trimmed as needed. I also put training wires all along so as to tie in tall things you grow as they tend to grow outwards to find more light. I also grow a nice rose Albertene that does well.

0lddog

jgalvin wrote: »

... Have you tried star jasmine?

No I havn't but would seem like a good choice.

I do have some 'bands' of variegated ivy going up the wall. It thrives and really needs yearly 'supervision' ( which I failed to do for some years )

macraignil

jgalvin wrote: »

Was planning on doing clematis; thanks for the suggestion of camellia. Have you tried star jasmine?

My star jasmine plant died last year without getting growing properly and I have read somewhere that it likes warmth which might be the reason it failed in my own garden which is on a north facing slope in north county Cork. The RHS page about the star jasmine says it is recommended for south east or west facing aspect which might make a north facing wall less suitable. It has really nice winter leaf colour so I'm disappointed I failed to get it growing.