Can't you continue the nice wrought iron fence around the area? You could plant tall shrubs in front of it if you need a little more privacy, but it would so open up this space.

this isn't that terrible really,its very neat! I agree perhaps a little artificial in a landscape though. Ladyrob is right, nature softens everything manmade, greenery in colour or foliage will not only improve the look, but it will make you feel happier to be amongst it.
Just a suggestion here, but as you mentioned slats on the fence, this might be something you could do yourself. How about building a simple timber frame between your posts, and clad this is horizontal slats, or tea tree as mentioned above, with a rectangular opening left around a third up, plant something behind it like strelizia, giant birds of paradise which look like banana leaves, mainly behind this opening so it creates a window to a garden beyond. Later when you can afford to, plant out the entire fence line, in the meantime simply planting beyond these look outs in your screen with save money and still create a great feature. I would consider doing one on each screen of different size in different positions, so that they look more interesting. Infect the more peek a boo openings you create, the better it may look. Just make sure you plan your vantage points so you conceal what's not a feature and plant out the rest.

Lastly, I would paint the posts a charcoal, because it will help the foliage stand out against it, and the cream fence might actually help in that the screens will pop out in front of it. Keeping your patio area bright beyond the planting.
If you add one of these openings higher than plants will be visible, maybe keep it rectangular enough that you could place groups of potted herbs or succulents in them!
Good luck

Just wanted to add, bring those lovely wine barrels onto your paving in a cluster, maybe where the lawn begins, and plant varying height shrubs in them, I'm thinking something like a coastal rosemary, which is wistringea, a native that flowers tiny purple buds and is a silver grey foliage, it withstands most conditions, and it will blend into that beautiful horizon of the native bush lands beyond your fence I can see. Wistringea is affordable, around 15.00 a 9" pot, and grows fast, it is contained well, clipped beautifully, so you can trim into a ball or hedge if you wish. It's soft and not invasive. It may well be even better along that black iron fence as a wi d break too.

@designdilemmas3
As usual mydesign O401 has very constructive, practical and creative ideas and always provides suggestions about names of plants and, more importantly, respects your desires and taps into your own ideas...that's the beauty of her expertise!
As much as I appreciate her as a professional... I still think that any metal fence is confronting and wouldn't call it anything else.
Maybe if pushed...I'd agree that its neat...in a serile sort of way, for something in suburbia, and not meaning to be offensive..(in the hope that it wasn't your idea to build the fence in the first instance...and even if it were).
I would not dare say its 'nice' and would agree that it is not irredemable, not in the least. I might venture to agree that it is "not that terrible"...but only .because mydesign 0401 has come aboard your ship..... she has plenty of experience.

The whole point of HOUZZ is to find competent and experienced people who have the information and the suggestions to assist in dilemmas such as yours....I'm no interior designer or garden expert so all I have to offer are things from my own endeavours, dilemmas and how I have solved them to acceptable standard so I don't create an eyesore in my neighbourhood.

There's a current article on Houzz..somewhere here...about ways to green up a sterile fence...Lots of wonderful, mouthwatering, green suggestions...even a facsimile, on a smaller scale, of The Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
I run wild with green ideas because I have an abundance of water...then its a question of having an abundance of time, energy and enthusiasm to keep after all the vigourous growth!
Good Luck, designdillemas3, with subjugating your "dominant" and "boring" fence! I am sure you will be able to decide exactly what appeals to you and remain within your budget!

You give me far much credit ladyrob, I am not a garden expert, only that I love doing them so much, learning is a nice side benefit.
I Agree entirely with the comment on metal fences. I much prefer they are built out of things of nature', I have been off daydreaming about this beautiful reserve I found here on house, saving some lush images of expansive green gardens. Since most of us can't afford to have that expansive garden, things we all have, like transitioning from our yard or horizontal plane into our vertical one (fences or screens) become one of the most important dilemmas in the garden, particularly small suburban ones. Because you can't help but see them. They feel more like cageing you in, rather than obstructing the world outside. Forced into these outdoor rooms, luxury is not found by replicating the interior of your house outdoors, not in alfresco dining, or all year lounges, but more so in the greenery that you establish. Nature is the real wonder, not so much the way we contain it, but as a designer, I completely understand and often digress into 'decorating' our outdoor spaces rather than just building from them.
I admire the philosophies of great architects that endeavor to construct of materials from the ground from which they came, to ground a house and build it up from literal bedrock.
So where I am going, and how does this help hide your boring fence?
Well, these principles of nature over buried seem appropriate. You seem to have constructed the walls of an outdoor room, but why not let nature or at least materials of nature, ie stone, wood and plants dress it for you. The more the better.
That's why I like the idea of framing a view. Nothings more precious than what nature provides, so plant anything green and it will be an improvement.
Build upon layers, at the ground level, middle ground and top of your line of sight, also in perspective, create depth by staggering or grouping objects around structure, to soften their uniformity. Bring in some boulder rocks placed around the edge of your lawn, the bigger the better, because they can act as relaxed seating, like natures beanbags, and also, soften the artificial edging from paver to grass.
Rock can be found freely, and check your local gumtree for free plants.
Mass planting is a great way to achieve visual impact on a budget, particularly if they self multiply. Things like giant liriope which are dark green strapy blades look stunning around perimeters, and reproduce themselves ten fold. So you can split and keep getting freebies or even pot them for others.
Houzz will provide an endless inspiration.
If you only take one thing from each post, it's that we've got a collective wealth of knowledge no library could contain!

@ designdillema3...just as I was about to log off I had a horrible thought...that's a solid metal fence...and, whenever summer arrives where you live...your yard is going to be really hot....I live in Queensland Australia...and I have experience with tall metal fences...although mine .farenough away from my house to not radiate any heat and they are already covered in greenery.
I am concerned that any greenery that you plant near or up against the metal of that fence...in spots where you have not covered the fence with anything..(.like the suggested brush..or bamboo screen or anything else to absorb the heat)...those plants will not thrive...even if you have water a plenty to lavish on them....Just a consideration. beautiful plants are expensive and I am sure you would not want to see them die after all yoiur efforts.
The reason for my brush screens over my tin fence was therefore twofold, for aesthetic purposes and to absorb and deflect the heat of the sun-hot metal surface. I could also keep the brush screens wet whilst the plants were growing and it also provides, even now, a nice moist surface for my creeper hedge and encourages growth rather than stifles it..

Greenery will also lower the overall temperature that the fence radiates into your yard..especially where the fence is so close to the house.
On the opposite side of the discussion......the fence would be a good sheild from winter winds and would also contribute to the warmth of the house in winter....that depends of course on where you live.
Cheers
LR1

@ mydesign 0401 credit where credit is due! I'm not one to pay compliments dripping sweetness and light at any time...more likely to speak my mind however it comes out and then have to apologise for being out-spoken..so...you know your stuff Megan, and because you are what you call yourself, "a green terrorist"... (was that it?) going around beautifying public spaces...you've learnt heaps from just being passionate about nature. I recognise that. When I came here 32 years ago I was as ignorant as Paddy's pigs about growing anything and just as disinterested, but living in a farming/orchardist community it all rubs off and I grew to love nature. I still don't know much about the names of plants..but know enough to love those ...strappy plants that replicate themselves...and anything else of that nature. You are good at what you do!
I came across this plant in the 1980's at the local nursery...I planted it an it got covered by everything else I planted willy nilly...then ten years later I had a whole furnery covered with tangles of this and Chinese Jasmine and Honeysuckle...a veritable riot of things..but Iv'e come to love this beautiful lilac bell and do not know what it is called.
My neighbours all want cuttings, it is vigourous and frost toleranr...but does not grow from cuttings...just seeds! I do not know the name of the vine but have been told it is from Chile and should not grow here...but it does and it makes me so happy!
The seed pods are about the size of a plum and are a contorted woody shell in two parts covered with spikes. Only few are produced and I prize them. Inside each half there are little "brown paper" parcels each one containing a single seed. There's a little 'paper' blanket covering the seed-parcels...as if they are all in bed and I've called this vine "The Moses Vine" - looks every bit like a little basket-boat full of little babies asleep under their blanket!
The seeds are difficult to sprout but I don't lose many and I propagate them for neighbours and friends.
Spring and my front door and the fernery down the back are covered in lilac bells!
Would you know what their botanical name is? The local nursery has not a clue yet I bought it from there.Went on a gerdening site but nobody here or overseas knows what its called.

I love it when you set me homework Ms ladyrob.
Thank you for your compliments, they mean more coming from someone with so much knowledge and tenacity.
Guerilla gardener! Was the phrase, not a terrorist by any definition. Good for a laugh though.

I will unearth the name of that dainty purple bloom......sometime I'm sure.

Thank you for your suggestions ladyrob, rocketjcat, and mldesign! I definatley need to invest in some greenery to break it up. Your right about the heat of the fence though ladyrob.. I used to have citrus plants in those pots and they fried. Your fence sounds very pretty especially with the twinkling lights. I like your idea of the coastal Rosemary mldesign I was thinking along those lines. Your idea with the peekaboo screening is very creative. Unfortunatey I cannot continue the black fence rocketjcat because there is a house on the other side so it would be a privacy issue.. Thanks again everyone, you've got my brain ticking !

Ladyrob, I've not found this climber, but garlic vine is a contender. I like nightshade for this, but no mention of those seed pods. . .?? Will keep looking

@designdilemma...
was wondering if the garden beds or pots had ever had plants or tree in them! It did not make sense you asking Houzzers for help when you had not made use of your nice sandstone planting area or those lovely pots!...but I thought it might be a case of BBQed plants.
Today I went to put out the bin and was delighted that the overnight rain had turned my fence into a riot of pretty new fronds and little Chinese Jasmine clusters..the frangrance just hit me as I walked past.
That's another suggestion..Chinese Jasmine...its evergreen and very hardy and even when I had a 'gardner' in to trim the high parts for me and he massacred it...and I thought it was dead after 20 years of training the trailing tendrils with so much care....here it is back again more beautiful and more luscious than before! So extremely hardy if it could endure a haircut like that!
The above flowering vine would be a suggestion too...it is so very hardy despite it appears so delicate...Sadly I do not know the name of it and its not around anymore. But wouldn't you love to have a show of those blooms around your fenceline? It too, this morning, is a riot of beauty... Pity I can't pass it on here.

@ mydesign 0401....OOOPS!!! Sorry about my terminology! Quite funny when you think of it though from a benign point of view...SORRY! Thanks for trying to find the name of this vine for me...its a hard one, the plant is one of those very old species. I don't think you will find a description of the seed pods...nobody in the industry whom I have spoken to even knew that it had big woody seed pods! They are extremely intriguing and from so much vine both at the front and the rear of my yard...I only ever manage to get about five every couple of years and of course that delights me too.
Garlic Vine? I've never heard of that! Somewhere I still have the label that came with the first little plant of those bretty lilac bells. I'd love to come across it. The best I can do is to keep propagating from seed.
I hope you can find the name for me! My neighbours and I have come to call it The Chilean Vine.

Hmm, it's all the more beloved as you can't place a name I think. Like a stranger with amnesia, taken up lodgings in your yard. You've cared for it, and it rewards you with blossoms each year. my sister says I have such a strange wY of describing things. MY metaphors and similes are often bemusing.
You mentioned the Chilean vine it's been nicknamed, the garlic vine funny enough is from brazil and sth American countries. So it could be related?.. Google it to see it's characteristics.
Meanwhile, I'm working on a kitchen for someone on houzz, they called me batman again! So naturally every batman needs a robin...pop in sometime.

@ mydesign 0401...you've done really well...extremely close....but it is not it!
Mine is unruly, loves being severely cut back, tolerates frost and snow...(yes it snows here). has a deep golden- yellow throat with fine striking crimson lines from the edge of the yellow out on to the lilac blooms. It will not grow from cuttings of any description...only from the seeds in its funny contorted woody spiked seed pods...and these are few and far between. I am wondering if it is an evolved species from the Garlic Vine...unique to S.E Queensland now? That would be lovely! Something that has actually adaped itself to my yard and environment and is uniquely mine!

No part of it smells like garlic when crushed...or any other perfume. It is extremely delicate when it is a tiny plant and requires the utmost care...I raise the seeds under a green plastic bottle with holes in it for the hot house effect and it will only thrive on the northern aspect of my semi enclosed verandah. As an adult vine it is hardy and woody as is the Garlic Vine...Many similarities but this one that I have is really a different plant...it is intriguing as it is beautiful, unique and mysterious. Interesting that it is said to bring good luck to the home...mine grows around the front door and at the back gate entrance to my land...so I'm satisfied that, as a close relative, it has brought me enough luck to be safe.
THANKYOU for your research. Much appreciated...and so clever of you to find that.
I am still on the hunt. This illusive beauty must be something special.

@mydesign0401....OHHHHH.!!! Burke's Backyard at the back of my old desk drawer.
There's nothing exotic about my vine....but plenty patriotic...Its a good old Aussie long lost PODRANEA! The trumpet blooms should be pink so my soil contains something that makes them purple...otherwise...its an Aussie variety that has not been seen in our gardens for a long time! And YES...its something special! Thanks for helping me Megan

Loved the discussion. Very interesting. I keep a diary of what I plant as there is no way that I can remember . Podrenea. Sounds stunning.

Ooooohh, mystery solved. I'll add that to my Rolodex. Theone in my mind that is.
The purple flowers had thrown me, as I did see some pale pink ones online actually that had that leaf style. Good old Burke. Glad you found it. Who says keeping magazines from 1984 is hoarding? This is why you kept them. Lol. Only joking, I can't bare to throw out my mags, I re read them over again and always find new relevance in them even years later.
Your still the teacher!

So to all here so far....we have discussed what to put on a fence....This PINK/ PURPLE trumpet vine is a very hardy very old, heritage plant that has not been seen in Aussie gardens for a very long time. It is called a PODRANEA..finally I know who this plant is and I love it...and its little "moses" woody seed pods with all the little seeds wrapped individually. If anyone wants to grow this vine, you need a very strong trellis because the mature vine does get very..." posessive" of its spot and really hangs on. Unlike the trumpet vines that are found in the Amazon and the Americas in the rainforests..the Garlic Vine....it will not strangle any tree it is near but it will climb it..so give it its own space and every Autumn...cut it back and don't be afraid...it will continue to get blooms.
If anyone is interested....if this plant were availabkle in the nurseries it woul be selling for around $12-$14 per potted plant.
@designdilemma3...if you decide to cover that metal fence with brush or bamboo screen or something else natural...this vine would take to the warmth and give you so many years of absolute pleasure...especially when it gives you one or two ( and it is very jealous) so,one or two of its precious seed pods with all the little parcels under a paper-like blanket.
Hope that is an idea for the fence.

Above, not really clear, but depicts PODRANEA growing over a steel mesh arbour under which I park my car...it is dense enough for shelter. That is at the southern corner of my yard. The tall tree creates a micro climate and shelter..the southern aspect faces the creek and the icy winter air. The vine at the front is planted on the north west.Both plants grow vigourously despite being positioned at opposite aspects.....good little Aussie all-rounder!
Good gardening Houzzers! (I'm feeling very competent now I know its name aren't I ??!!!)

I would put white stone pebbles (sparkly ones) with a lovely stainless steel fountain or terracotta in the center with crispy miniature hedging and stepping tiles:)

This fence reminds me exactly of the one we had when I grew up. My mother grew a wisteria vine at one end and trained it down the whole fence and it was such a glorious sight and fragrance each summer. They are plants that like their roots in the shade and their heads in the sun so are perfect for growing in tight spots like this and give a beautiful covering on something 'boring'. Dad did end up putting up extra supports for the vine after about 10 yrs.

# tousie...where would you put the pebbels and the fountain?

@kskarrasch...wisterias are lovely when they are young. My neighbour had one on his timber fence and it demolished the fence. Do not agree about wisteria in a tight spot since they overtake and eventually invade and strangle everything. You mention your dad had to put up extra supports At some point the owner of that fence would not be able to get past to their back yard and the vigourous plant may have even tried to climb the posts supporting the roof of the outdoor space nearby.
The main discussion is about the metal fence, its not pretty, it radiates heat and it is close to the buildinng and anything previously planted there even in lovely wooden half barrel containers died due to the heat from the fence in that confined space. Do you have any other suggestions that might assist this Houzzer to solve this problem? I'm sure all appropriate ideas would be welcome.

I would remove the bark and replace it with the pebbles and also remove the timber bucket and re place it with a suitable sized fountain which are available in all shapes and sizes

@tousie...Oh, I get it, sorry I didn't quite understand. Tousie, it has already been established that the metal fence gives off anough heat to kill any plants there, so miniature hedge plants would not survive...its a real dilemma. And whilst a water fountain seems would appease the radiated heat prettied up with tiles and stepping stones and pebbles...metal and terracotta and stone also radiate heat...so not really the answer needed although sounds pretty. I think that finding a way to cool down the fence is the issue. It would be nice if the fence were not a boundary fence but on this owner's property...the idea of a waterfall fountain all along the fence...running down the fence into a trough then into the back yard to water any plants inspires some really nice ideas....but then water is a costly resource...and it could not be enough to keep the fence cool always....Its an idea that I, personally would take further, though...a waterfall! How nice! I think it would be a costly thing to set up...and really not practical on a jointly owned dividing fence.

@ tousie...Maybe I did not explain....your idea is a nice one...but the bark absorbs the heat from the metal fence. The timber "buckets" are half wine barrels, expensive and really lovely planters. They contained citrus trees in them...the heat from the fence killed the trees! As mentioned..its not about adorning the space but rather about solving an eye sore of a fence and that the fence is metal and radistes heat and kills plants..There's no need for anything else there made of metal or terra cotta or stone that will only contribute to the heat problem...it needs a solution first and maybe something decorative next, Its not about "doing up" that space but rather about solving the problem of radiated heat from a solid metal fence and makling it look nice....besides the narrow space seems to be a walkway to the back yard from the front and from the house...note the concrete step off the patio slightly visible to the left of the photo.... so there needs to be nothing in the way of getting past. The rubbish wheelie bins apparently get taken out to the kerb through that passageway...so its also a service area and needs to be uncluttered.

I would build a frame between these posts which are a good 450mm from the fence, and timber lattice it, then plant star jasmine, because it will withstand heat, infact mine loves to get sunburnt a little, and install a cheap irrigation tube along the top and at night it will mist a welcome spray of water. The flowers will perfume it all.
Or you could always go to my strelizias, they thrive in heat, they are birds of paradise, and the soil below can practically be clay even, so pebble mulch keeps the feet wet enough as they won't evaporate throughout them quickly, and won't absorb like timber mulch, so these will grow pups each year that can be planted out freely, new ones each year. If a privacy screening plant is preferred, a heat tolerant native like photinia will look like the lush green camellia hedges, but actually survive. They have small white faintly perfumed clusters that flower in spring, love a good haircut and the radiant heat is fine. Unlike Lilly illy, these leaves are larger, and they change from a red to a green, so different looks as seasons change. Evergreen, s little or no clean up.

@mydesign0401...nice cooling ideas...I think I might do something like that in a 'hot spot' in my garden...already have plenty of trellises. LOVE the misting idea. I also love strelizias and photonias but always succeed in killing them with kindness. The idea of putting a screen of plants between the patio posts is clever...all my concentration was on cooling and hiding the fence.The idea of planting and misting opposite the fence is both doable, practical and, as usual from you...one out of the box! It would be lovely! I am sure that designdilemma3 will like that one. What to do further up the back of the..."pathway" where it seems there are no posts but maybe a door to the outside...and to the bins..that need to be accesible ? Must be really hot in that closed in corner.

Always so generous ladyrob. I can imagine you spoil your plants:)
I need to have another close look at the entire picture, I have not paid attention to that bin area. Perhaps putting lockable castor wheels on those wine barrels, would make them a mobile screen if they plant something in them like that wisteria, because they would be lint and portable, so easy to move out the way on bin night.

Paint is cheap. Do you like Gaudi? He will rescue you from boredom, by spreading his humor and enchantment from post to post. Be Bold, take charge, enjoy!

@Cascio Associates.. Love Gaudi! Am in the process of making a Gaudi inspired mosaic wall in the bathroom...really crazy and beautiful....Paint does not last long on a north- west facing metal fence...in Queensland. Thanks for your input. I have solved my problem by covering the fence with brush panels and keeping it misted...( idea courtesy of mydesign 0401 time ago) Misting works for me since I have a water licence attached to my Title that costs me nothing and an historical allocation of one megalitre p.a. from the nearby creek. The brush fence and misting has encouraged the creepers to twine in and out and looks really rustic. When it flowers it is absolutely glorious! Its a jealous plant though...only grows from seed. It seeds every two years and then you only get very few pods all hidden secretively...you have to go looking. Then you need to make a mini hot house for each seed with a plastic drink bottle and coddle it along until it is about 10 cm tall..takes months of vigilance.....lots of work, but very rewarding when you have a mature vine that everyone wants a 'cutting' from. Sad to have to tell them that it won't grow like that but you give them one anyway...and a few seeds with directions if they have the patience. As yet I have not seen another property in my town with a mature Podranea vine despite I've been liberal with cuttings and seeds.

There is a saying, around the garden, that you make low plants jealous with a trellis.

• 
  The lattice backed with shadecloth is attached to the patio roof beam, it hides neighbours but was primarily to stop the cafe blinds from being 'cooked' while rolled up over summer. The wicker fence cover is 1.8m high, screwed to a treated pine frame, which is screwed to the metal fence you cannot see at all, solves the hot metal fence, but mostly the awful look of a metal fence to look at -as view from our kitchen window, and to enjoy when spending so much time outdoors all year round (cafe blinds down in cooler months. We have since put in a wicker woven leaf ceiling fan with a light, looks very tropical & helps circulate the air when it's hot. We move out the front by the pool for a swim once it gets too hot.
  1 year later..
  
  
  1 year before
  
• Our metal boundry fences completely hidden from view.. Green vertical 'waterfall of ivy' completely covers side boundry metal fence- it can be seen just peeking thru this pic - between house & cubby in both above pics (behind bamboo). The green waterfall of ivy came free, from about 10 cuttings free from a friend, who had her own green 'waterfall of ivy' on a boundry fence.. No frame needed. How we made our ugly & hot metal fence completely vanish below...

Here's what we did to cover a metal fence that surrounded us. We had an ugly (but brand new) Stratco metal fence that borders the rear house, plus down two sides of the house.

Everyday that I looked out onto this metal fence from the kitchen window (with the view of the neighbours over the top of this fence) it became more unappealing, the more we dreamt of a vertical garden instead, but we knew that would take time or a lot of expense, and I couldn't wait that long for that fence view to disappear from view. The solution was some wicker fence cladding, we bought it in 1.8m high by 3 metre rolls from Bunnings (big hardware chain in Australia for those OS) for $30 per roll, it came in a variety of sizes, but we needed that to cover our metal fences. You can do this with a brushwood fence, or to create a barrier from the heat of fence to your plants, you can even clad your fence in what my husband calls "blue-board", it's a thin fibreboard, cheap to buy, in almost any size, it can handle any harsh outdoors, & you can render over it in, paint over or colour the render in any colour you like - a light sand or cream colour will look nicer against any green living vertical garden you choose to put in.

My husband made a wooden treated-pine frame around each metal fence panel, and screwed the wicker fence covering to it, with a washer so it held on the uneven twigs that formed the wicker cladding. My husband did such a good job of this, we had a small tornado come through our suburb, winds up to 200km/hr -4 of our closest neighbours lost significant parts of their tiled rooves, but all we lost was one of the stratco metal fence panels, but not the twig fence screwed to the frame my husband made! It helped we were nestled with neighbours in rear & front strata subdivided blocks, houses beside & behind us.. but that wicker twig fence covering & the frame did survive our tornado.

Here's what we did on the ground - You can see it a little in the photo's above; as ground cover (with some stone you can get delivered or they often loan you a trailer when you buy a load or 2) we had a couple of cubic metres of ord river stone delivered (mixed sizes) brought it out the back by wheelbarrow, laid it over some weed mat on the ground, creating like a dry river bed effect beside the decked paths down the sides that connect the front and back decks. On the far wall behind the cubby and the slow growing variety of bamboo, we planted several cutting of a friends Ivy that was like a green waterfall over her boundry fence. Within a year, with mains watering (on a timer with misted sprinklers for 5mins once a day that does all our potplants and the side & rear gardens too) we had our own green waterfall, we cut it back when it's long green tendrils start growing along the gound towards the house. A fantastic effect that is very hardy, and cost us nothing! We don't have the wicker fence surround down that side of the house as we don't see the ugly metal fence at all now. In the hottest parts of our summer (up to 46-47C degrees), a few of the ivy's leaves get burnt around the edges, but it's easy just to cut these off.

We planted a smaller leaf, much slower growing ivy (on the right in the photos) in the ground on the back fence beside the wicker fence surround, and put up some wire horizontal lines for the ivy to grow along. The 2 bottom photo's are taken 1 year apart so you can see how much it's grown. If you put vines in pots, you will limit (or control) their ability to cover your fence. We cut holes in the weed mat, and planted about 4 native violet ground cover plants. The effect is quite beautiful now, in the heat of summer, the native violet wilts when it's thirsty, but always comes back when it's watered and after summer. We've also put several plants in pots along the fence line to create our garden "oasis" out beside the back deck and down the side (creating garden view from each of the bedroom windows as well as from the kitchen window out the back). We cut some lattice & this blocks out the view of the rear neighbours completely, plus with shadecloth backing on the lattice, it also protects the cafe blinds that surround our back patio from sun damage in summer when they are rolled up in summer.

So whatever you plant along the fence, you'll need to create a narrow garden bed in the ground for it to grow well from (we bordered our garden beds along the side fence with narrow 25mm wide limestone blocks or perhaps with railway sleepers or you can buy coated tin garden bed border), most plants or creepers will thrive if they room to spread their roots, even if the fence is hot. There is a small leafed creeper (planted in ground), that sticks to the vertical surface, It has completely covered our stone pillars out the front garden, next to our front gate that looks fantastic - Can't recall what it's called though?? It's taken about 5 years to cover the pillar, but we only planted one (wish we'd bought more now, I've looked but can't find any more of it).

We put 3 mid sized chinese jasmin's down the side (behind where the first photo was taken), in narrow in-ground garden beds down the other side of the house. It took a couple of years for these to take off and spread out along the fence line (length of our house), but in the beginning of spring this year they were all in bloom and it created a very fragrant as well as visually appealling cover over and through the wicker fence. The horizontal wire helped so we could wind the jasmin along it as it grew for the best coverage.

I wouldn't use those barrels as planters for any vines or creepers, just create a narrow garden bed along the fence line (& beef up the soil quality with sheep or other organic fertilizer,) and even some soil wetter or water crytsals thar will hold the water amongst the roots for up to 3 months, helping any young plants make it out of their infancy so they live and thrive. The water crystals do expand into a gel once they absorb water, so make sure they are well mixed into the soil and buried below the surface around the plants roots for their best effect. The barrels would look better painted, with as mldesign0401 suggested, those strappy leafed plants like the Strelizia's (or birds of paradise), or a tree fern in a shady spot. My hubby also put a variety of herb seedlings into one of those half barrels, put some castors on the bottom of the barrel, as a gift for his Mum, and this way she can move her herb garden about, into the sun as it moves from season to season, in & out of the rain, etc, and she loves it!!

Don't forget that a good part of the enjoyment of a garden is watching it grow over time, so beware of mass planting and consider what you plant and how much water and sunlight it gets from season to season. Some of the best advice we had, was have a look at what is thriving around your neighbourhood, ask your friends or neighbours for cuttings, don't be afraid to move plants around if they don't like the first spot you put them in, or if they don't look quite right in that spot. We were also quite ruthless with the plants we bought, chopped several into halves and quarters through the potbound roots (the native violet ground cover, the water-plants, several others), before putting them in the ground, so we spent far less that way. Cutting or chopping through the roots with a knife or shovel, cleanly instead of tearing them apart seems to traumatise the plants far less from my experience.

We have an Orange Trumpet vine that does very well here in Perth in WA, but as it can handle WA's heat and still thrive, it might be good idea for someone else out there in Houzz reader land.. ,,although, it does take up a lot of real estate when it's completely covered a fence, it needs room or regular haircuts once established. Looks very impressive in bloom though! We have Wisteria along our front wall, we have trained it along the front boundary fences, it's tendrils of new growth need regular haircuts, but even though it prefers horizontal trellis's or an arbour, over a few years, we have succeeded in taming it onto vertical green fencelines. In spring, when the flowers drape like grapes on a vines, it's just gorgeous, even when it's just the green living walls, it's so much nicer to have living walls and to be surrounded in vertical garden (& that's why for me the fences that usually contain us, transform the space to make us feel different about the spaces that surround or contain us).

Using lighting will create a different mood & effect after dark, spot lights or those bollard lights at ground level, and if you lay the wiring (or solar if it gets enough sun) when you're making the garden beds, putting in the plants at the same time, you'll be glad you did later on once everything has started to take off. Or you buy enough fairy lights to do the length of the fence line if you have outside power close by or can hide an extension cord somwhere.

I love the sharing ideas and the stories side of this site, I need some help with a structure for shading our front deck by the pool; our West Oz summer sun is scorching- I'm sure the houzz community will have some ideas & photo's that will help us...

Perhaps you could fix reo mesh or other form of wire mesh to the fence with metal tech-screws and plant star jasmine, a hardy, quick growing climber, either in pots, tubs or directly into the ground. Depending on the number of plants you put in, you should be able to cover the fence with beautifully fragrant greenery within a few growing seasons.

Look at
this as an additional place for creative projects on which you can be proud of!
First, you must define how much maintenance are you looking to uphold? For
example, adding floral decorations builds up a good atmosphere around the house
and it does not have to be much time-consuming.
This is an open-ended project, and fully
depends on the aesthetic that you’re looking for. See some inspirational ideas
here

Why is Houzz adding this very old discussion, when I'm sure the owner has long since finished this project? What would be nice is to see the before and after pics. We have a similar side garden with large timber retainers and a dark metal fence above it. There is a narrow gutter-like space running along the fence above the retainers. So, in that space, we've planted clivia, hydrangeas, bamboo and now going to add ferns. There are also a couple of jasmine vines which I'll train onto wire to trail down the timber retainers. I'll add some before and after pics. I too have not had much experience or knowkedge with regard to gardening, but I love gardens and need to get stuck into it. It's good for the soul I hear. Happy gardening everyone!!