Getting the backdrop right for your garden can set the whole tone for the space, creating mood and supplying a framework to the rest of the plants in your garden. The issue with most suburban residential gardens is this backdrop is often just an ugly fence, so what can you do about it?
The simplest and most cost-effective option is paint and even if you plan to plant in front of this, painting is a good thing to do to set off your immature plants before they establish and remove the fence from sight completely. Going for a dark colour such as ‘monument’ will make most greens really stand out and look sensational. For a formal garden design or coastal vibe, lighter colours such as Dulux ‘Surfmist’ and ‘Vivid White’ can bounce light around and help to complete the look.
For tight spots growing something against the fence is one way to get greenery without losing valuable floor space. Climbers on wires such as star jasmine or stephanotis are a great way to get evergreen colour and fragrant flowers in sun or partial shade. For full sun positions bougainvillea adds a real splash of colour but beware or thorns in areas of high traffic. You can even grow self-adhering climbers to a wall or fence such as the evergreen creeping fig or deciduous Boston Ivy, this cuts out the installation of wires, but you want a sturdy fence to start with. Most climbers can be grown from a pot however you’ll always get better results from planting directly into spoil if you get the opportunity and there will be no need for refreshing potting mix as your plants grow.
If you want something that is more of a feature than a backdrop, then espaliering shrubs and trees will save space and give you big impact. Training fruit trees to wires flat against a fence will not only look good but also ensure great yields as you get optimum light where it matters (assuming you have the right aspect). Evergreen magnolias such as Magnolia grandiflora “Little Gem” also make for a great espalier as do Ornamental Cherries.
If you have a tall wall on the shady side of your property mounting plants that are used to being high in the canopy of more tropical areas is a great way to give your planting scheme a multi-dimensional and out of the ordinary look. Plants such as Stag and Elk horns can be mounted to boards and displayed in prime positions. Jungle cactus such as Rhipsalis can also be planted into sphagnum moss filled pockets on boards and attached high up allowing the foliage to cascade down.
Climbers and espaliers are a god choice for a backdrop however will only ever be as high as the vertical surface they are growing upon. Sometimes you need to block the neighbours or just increase the privacy to make a space feel more intimate and for that you will need some hedging.
When selecting a hedge, you need to be realistic with the amount of space it will take up not only vertically but also horizontally. Weeping Lilly Pilly is an excellent way to screen out the neighbours, add a bright flush of lime new growth and give a designer look with its almost fish scale like weeping leaves. It can grow up to 9 meters in height and when it does this it will need at least 1-1.5 meters in depth out of your garden bed.
If you want something a little less tall then the tried and tested Murraya is a fool proof option that can get to 3 meters in height be kept as tight as 600mm wide when mature. The trick to keeping compact horizontal growth is to prune little and often making sure you prune both plains not just the top and try not to cut the base of the hedge narrower than the top – ideally the base should be slightly wider than the top.
One issue you will find when using a hedge to provide a backdrop in the garden is the change of light as your block moves from front to back and side to side. Not many plants will be happy with full sun in open areas, shade from the house down the side and then the change in light as the seasons progress and the sun is higher or lower in the sky. One plant that can do it all is Podocarpus, it seems to just keep growing no matter the light or time of year. The problem with it is the speed in which it does it – its a very slow grower!
To combat this consider using suitable hedging plants for each individual set of circumstances and planning the planting in front of the hedge according to the backdrop – for example a spot that might be great for a dark green viburnum could be a perfect backdrop for a formal garden whereas the previously mentioned Weeping Lilly Pilly is great for a resort style corner.
However you cover your fences and boundaries, use the finish to set the tone for the remainder of the space which will give you a cohesive and comfortable garden to be in.
