By Susuffolk
United Kingdom 
Hi
I would like to put up a boundary 6ft chainlink fence around the front of our garden and grow strong perfumed climbing plants up it as pretty informal screen from the the road.
It already has trees, pine, ash, elder which I have tried without much success to under plant with bluebells, wild garlic, daffodils and snow drops. Nothing seems to grow well at all.
I was hoping for a wall of evergreen honeysuckle, clematis, jasmine and roses for an all year delight to both the eyes and nose but am I asking to much? Can anyone suggest anything that might grow up a fence under trees in shade on barren ground, make a good screen, be evergreen and look and smell beautiful all year round? Oh and cover about 40 metres along.
As you can probably tell I know absolutely nothing about plants and gardening and any help you can give would be very gratefully received.
Thank you and happy gardening.
Sue
10 Feb, 2015
Answers
Take a look at
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=430
Lots of suggestions and also advice on preparing the ground - you need to start digging in organic matter now and leave the planting until much later in the year.
You've already discovered that bulbs, with their built in food supply, won't thrive so you will need to provide lots of food for your climbers - and keep on feeding and watering while they try to establish themselves.
10 Feb, 2015
Hi
I would check with the Council 1st as some only allow 3 feet or so in front gardens.
Gg
10 Feb, 2015
A 6 foot chain link fence will take some concealing and if bulbs won't grow the plants you list won't either. if you can greatly improve the soil fertiity had you thought of infilling the spaces between the trees with some kind of thorny shrub, which you could strengthen by erecting a lower fence which would be easier to conceal? A photograph of the area would help.
10 Feb, 2015
PS Best not to introduce wild garlic anyway- once it establishes it can become uncontrollable.
11 Feb, 2015
Totally agree Stera wild garlic is fine in the wild, not in a garden... mind you it is good for pesto :)
11 Feb, 2015
And a leaf does wonders for a ham sandwich!
11 Feb, 2015
As Gnarly says check with the council - I've seen people have to retrospectively apply for permission for front garden fencing. Might be worth running it by your neighbours first as a courtesy.
12 Feb, 2015
Front garden fences are usually covered in the deeds to your property - whether you can/can't have them or what they have to be.
My last house - no demarcation of the property's front boundary was allowed other than the different coloured paviours laid be the developer. My current house - a privet hedge and iron railings had to be installed by the original purchaser (1911) within six months of occupation - I'm guessing that the iron railings were removed for the war effort and were never replaced. The privet hedge is still here, though it is on borrowed time.
13 Feb, 2015
Susuffolk, what do you think of the replies so far? Any use to you?
13 Feb, 2015
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Hi Su and welcome to GoY. I think you have already answered your own question as you describe the land a 'barren', hardly surprising as the trees will have taken all the nutriments. If you could create raised beds then you might be able to grow climbers in them but all the shrubs you listed need at least part sun to grow.
10 Feb, 2015