By Dubriechat
United Kingdom 
To hide my ugly wall I have put up a fan trellis and bought some trellis hooks that take 4 inch pots (that now I have got them look very small!)
I would like advice as to what plants (preferably trailing ones) would be ok in this size of pot and on a north facing wall? Or should I just give up and get some bigger ones?
16 Jun, 2012
Answers
Thank you for your quick reply, this is my first blog and I'm suitably impressed!!!
No I didn't see gardeners world but I'll try to catch up with it when time allows.
The wall has no border and has a path running next to it so I didn't want to clutter it with pots which is why the trellis hooks seem to be a good idea. Perhaps I should cut my losses and buy some bigger ones, do you think?
Thanks.
Dubriechat.
16 Jun, 2012
Dubriechat
Why dont you copy your ? and post in into the blogs page
And make a blog with before and after photos.
You could pot up plants for bees and butterflies.
But I do like your idea of trellis hooks.
16 Jun, 2012
I think that bigger pots would be helpful here for three reasons.
They would cover more of the trellis to have more impact
They would give new plants room to grow and spread.
They would allow you to start with bigger plants.
This is just my opinion, of course. Others may be thinking differently. And I did like that living wall on GWLive, too.
16 Jun, 2012
I'm with Ojibway on this one - Bigger pots! Apart from anything else, 4" pots will need watering every 5 minutes, and once any plant gets to an appreciable size, it will have outgrown the space.
Yes, I saw the living wall, too - it looked like a lovely idea and made a wonderful impact, but I wonder in reality how easy it will be to keep it looking that good, and unless you have some fairly expensive automatic watering system, it could be a lot of work. Also, planting on that scale and the damp compost/earth, is going to make a very heavy structure which will need a VERY robust support wall.
Having said that, I suppose ivies of varying shapes and sizes would be a good starting point, and in summer, trailing begonias would make a pretty stunning display (definitely need bigger pots for those), plus there are any number of bedding plants - trailing lobelia, nepeta, which would brighten a north wall for a few months of the year. I'm sure other members can add to this list - my mind's gone temporarily blank!
Please, do follow Scotcat's suggestion and make this question into a blog with photographs - it would be really interesting and useful to a lot of us to be able to watch your progress, and I think it will get a bigger following, too. Welcome to GOY!
16 Jun, 2012
Ifyou wanted a living wall, the construction would need to be somewhat different.
As you've got the trellis, provided its strong enough to take the weight, get the largest pots or wall hanging type pots you can find. Your problem will be what to plant - easy in summer, all that lovely trailing summer bedding available, but in the winter, having things that trail which look good is a tall order - really, its just small ivies. Do you need the wall to be 'covered' in winter as well, or does it just offend the eye when you're outside in summer because you can't see it in winter?
16 Jun, 2012
Thank you very much everyone for your really useful advice. Just to give you an idea what I mean by boring wall Ive put a picture on, sure you will all agree the pots are a bit wee!
I think I will get larger pots and start again! I iniatially had the idea of putting smaller pots on a trellis after seeing some 4" trellis hooks for sale on ebay which were very reasonable... so guess I will start again and buy some bigger trellis hooks and pots!
16 Jun, 2012
Hi, Dubriechat! I can't find your picture - did you put it on as part of a blog, or just a photo on its own? Maybe it'll pop up in a minute!
16 Jun, 2012
still trying to put it on sorry about the delay im really new at all this!!!!
16 Jun, 2012
Don't worry! I think we nearly all have problems when we start out. I can be patient. I didn't mean to hassle you. It just sounded as if you thought it should already be out there!
16 Jun, 2012
Dubriechat, you may need to resize your photographs - and if you're using an Iphone, you can't upload to this site from it.
16 Jun, 2012
thanks i keep reducing the size but the spinner keeps going around and nothing happens... sending from my P.C.........back to it!!!
16 Jun, 2012
Just thinking about that living wall...
Didn't see GW Live, but, have you seen the Musée du Quai Branly, in Paris?
It's awesome...
Cost of wool, supports, irrigation and plants for a wall 4x3m...approx €1500, from Monsieur B...needs a bit of saving up for..lol!
Things which trail...maybe vinca minor?
Some ferns, perhaps...don't trail, but look lush.
Do, do that blog! :)
Oops! Started writing...then had a visitor...things have moved on!
16 Jun, 2012
Never seen (or even heard of) the Musée du Quai Branly, Karen, so I've just googled it - that is stupendous! It may be a little over the top for your fan trellis, Dubriechat, but have a look for yourself and see what can be achieved. Wow!
16 Jun, 2012
It's on my favourite walk through Paris. It looks even more amazing in real life!
It was done by Partrick Blanc...and was the first, I think. It's part of the natural history museum.
There are a few companies doing different systems for "murs vegeteaux", now, interior and exterior...they're really catching on...but, pricey!
17 Jun, 2012
Hello and welcome to GOY Dubriechat
You could have a living wall it was on Gardeners world last night very impressive.
You do have a border beside your wall ?
A photo would be great.
As you can still have your trellis but plant clematis in the border or plant them in large pots then let them cling and climb.
Good luck.
16 Jun, 2012