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subk3

How do you grow a climber on a brick/stone wall?

subk3
10 years ago

I've got a limestone chimney as well as an 8' high x 10' wide stone wall that I'm eyeing to put some climbers on. I'd love to see some pictures of climbing roses on masonry type walls!

Any suggestion as to hardware or technique?

Comments (8)

  • jerijen
    10 years ago

    Your best bet would be to run trellising up the masonry. You don't want to have the roses directly against the stone. We've had best success with latticework.

    In the book, "LANDSCAPING WITH ANTIQUE ROSES" (Druitt/Shoup) they show a technique of screwing I-hooks into the masonry, and running wire from them. But I don't know as I would want to do that to my chimney.

    Jeri

  • Campanula UK Z8
    10 years ago

    Or, you can drill holes for wires running horizontally across the masonry (you are going to have to drill to fasten trellis). If you use long vine-eyes to pass the wire through, you can keep the rose several inches away from the walls - vital to maintain good ventilation. In my opinion, trellis causes more problems than it solves as the canes invariably loop under the timber or metal trellising. It was originally known as treillage and was designed to be freestanding so plants could be worked from both sides. Simple plastic covered galvanised wire will be utterly discreet, practically invisible and is much easier to work with at pruning time.
    I can give you a more thorough explanation if you want to go down this road.

  • hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
    10 years ago

    If you go the wire route, and you want it to look as neat and tidy as possible use turnbuckles to tighten the wires so they are perfectly straight. Looks so much better and more professional that way.

  • jacqueline9CA
    10 years ago

    My DH used the screw eyes and wire idea to let this Mme Caroline Testout climb up our chimney 5 years ago. Has not caused any problems, and a white clematis and the nearby Belle Portugaise have voluntarily joined the MCT - I think they like the warmth from the bricks.

    Jackie

  • Gabrielsyme
    10 years ago

    I was worried that trellis would look a little tacky attached to our chimney but it's turned out beautifully. I think it depends on the style of the house. We got the one above at Lowes and I painted it white. My Dad's a chimney sweep so he's pretty familiar with drilling into masonry. It was not a job I could have done with my regular cordless drill, he used a masonry drill of some kind.

  • Campanula UK Z8
    10 years ago

    yep, absolutely, turnbuckles - we call them straining wires and they are essential to avoid the saggy wire look and can be tightened as the wires will be ductile and stretch a bit over time.

    I have spent too much time prising plant material off splintered timber trellis to want to take that route again - whereas a quick snip with wire cutters - sorted......and the whole horizontal support can be restrung with new (and cheap) wire.

  • deervssteve
    10 years ago

    My Galway Bay was planted against the brick wall on the front of my house. I had used concrete nails and twine to train it.
    Now it is about 8 feet tall in front of the wall with most growth away from the wall. I gave up trying to force it.

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