Vines and Shrubs For Fast-growing Camouflage in the Garden

For gardeners, there is always an element in the landscape they’d like to camouflage. Perhaps it’s an unsightly shed or an unattractive view of the garden next door. For easy coverage, consider fast-growing vines and shrubs. Add privacy and beautify the space within two or three seasons. Some plants grow faster than trees and will do the job of camouflaging perfectly.

Some plants cling by suckers or tendrils and others will need to be tied in to a structure. Consider the plant’s needs when purchasing. Labels will show all the pertinent information needed.

Climbing Roses

Climbing Roses hide all sorts of untidiness. Pick one that will work in your location. Ask yourself how tall it needs to be. Most nursery catalogs will state the rose’s eventual height as well as other important details. For color and scent alone, climbing roses are a good pick. The long canes will need to be tied in to a trellis. There are both hardy and half-hardy climbing roses. So it’s a good idea to know your garden Zone number before purchasing. There are many that are hardy to Zone 3.

Rambling Roses

Rambling Roses are grown more horizontally than climbing roses and can be easily tied in to fences or trellises for quick coverage. There are so many to choose from. Consider American Pillar or Dorothy Perkins. These are vigorous and fill in nicely, flowering in clusters for fullness. Rambling roses have hardy and half-hardy varieties. The two mentioned above are hardy to Zone 4.

Silver Lace Vine

Silver Lace Vine is a pretty vine with masses of white flowers usually grown along fences or up trellises. The gardener will have very fast and thick coverage as it is a vigorous grower up to 20′ or more. Silver Lace Vine is hardy to garden zone 4.

Emerald Cedar

Emerald Cedar is a fast growing evergreen. It’s a perfect choice for privacy and for hiding unsightly views. You can buy them as 2 foot seedlings or 5 feet high for instant privacy. Even the larger sizes transplant well for a dark green screen. They are the fastest growing ornamental cedars. Very hardy to zone 3.

Boston Ivy

Boston Ivy does a great job of covering ugly walls. It clings by suckers and quickly spreads, offering a lovely dark green background for any brightly colored plants placed in front of it. Hardy to zone 4.

Clematis Vines

Clematis is a wonderful vine most gardeners can’t do without. There are numerous varieties to choose from with big, bold flowers or tiny, delicate flowers. It can cover a pillar or trellis in one season in the right environment. Most varieties are very hardy to zone 4. Some will grow in Zone 3.

Virgina Creeper

Virginia Creeper is a terrific vine for quick coverage. It offers the added bonus of bright red fall color. Spreads outward and upward. Hardy to zone 3.

Climbing Hydrangea

Climbing Hydrangea is a favorite for gardeners to plant against a wall. It clings by suckers and has beautiful large white flowers in the summer. It offers a quick cover and over a few years in the right environment can cover one wall of a bungalow. It needs to be pruned away from windows and screens. Hardy to Zone 5.

Hop vine

Hop Vine, humulus lupulusis, is a hardy vine with duel purpose. It makes a great fast camouflage and the scented hop flowers can be used for making homemade beer. Hardy to zone 4

There are hundreds of plants to consider if the gardener need to camouflage an area in her garden. This list includes the most popular plants for this purpose. Once the plants have done there job, the gardener will have a visually appealing private oasis with all the less-than-interesting areas hidden from view, at least through the growing season.

Further Reference

• Adding Vines to the Garden Design With Purpose
• Annual Vines for Rapid Growth and Coverage
• The Best Design Elements for a Romantic Garden