Have you considered getting a trellis? You could get creepers to help disguise the wall and add some greenery!

http://www.grasslands.co.ukI would definitely recommend some large "standard" potted plants, or trees, these are usually mature plants like roses or topiary which add an immediate wow factor and can be taken away with you if / when you leave.

You could add a painted trellis above the hedge line to blend them in, but go with something similar to your foliage, olive for greener shrubbery, maybe teak for redder leaves like photinia.

If you want more of a project, things like creeping roses, ivy or even wisteria can go wild, even when potted given a year or two.

Ive had some beautiful standard trees from Grasslands, search their website for examples.

is there any chance you can dig out a bit of the tarmac? If so the climbing Hydrangea (Petiolaris) would cover that wall very effectively. I've seen it grown out of a tiny gap in the pavement up a house front, it's very resilient & a bit of a thug tbh, it's deciduous but a variegated ivy growing with it with give winter interest. Here's a photo of it in my garden before it flowered, it has large white flowerheads. It's the plant right at the back.

Thanks for your replies. I am a novice at gardening and never considered a trellis. Originally, I was thinking about growing a small evegreen hedge... but your ideas have opened up new possibilities.

Im now thinking of photinia for the colour (and am I right in thinking they are evergreen?)

Wisteria is quite common where I live but I am looking for something different. There is about 1 foot of soiled area at the base of the wall (before the tarmac ground begins) so this allows the option of planting in the ground as well as in planters.

Hi sianember,

Thanks for your suggestion. You've got me interested in climbing hydrangea. But could you tell me what is the name of the plant in the front of your photo? (The one with the white flowering 'bells' ).

Thanks everyone for your help

While you are waiting for plants to grow have you thought about maybe painting it and if you have the talent painting flowers or shrubbery on it first. Are you allowed to paint the top grey bit maybe in a light blue like the sky to give the illusion of the sky. Or buy or make a very deep planter so that any plants you do end up with have a 4ft height start.

Hi. Yes hydrangea is a good way to go great flower to. Photinia will grow big and is normally a bush so needs space around to grow naturally. How about tall bamboos in pots . Some great looking plants out there. Or plant out at the top of the wall to disguise the fence and cables. Somthing evergreen.

Hi telljojo, the white plant is just some Spanish Bluebells - except they're not blue obviously!

you are being given some great ideas, with which could turn this area into an asset, rather than an eye- sore.

if you really know little about plants and gardening - look to your neighbours or the garden centre, as gardening enthusiasts are, at heart, generous positive people!

I would plant a selection of evergreen climbers in the top section, Ivy, Star jasmine, evergreen hydrangea, honeysuckle, plus other flowering climbers like Boston ivy, Akebia, Solanum etc. For the lower section I would get some deep troughs and plant up with wall shrubs, which way does the wall face?

I have just painted an outside breeze block garden wall in Magnolia and I can't believe the difference it has made so I would try that here. Then add layers using the natural different levels in the picture. There seems to be a grass level at the top of the concrete. Plant trailing plants in this. Place pots along the garage roof if it will take it. Also if you can stick to a single colour scheme this will stand out too. Consider, if you can, a laurel or Bay tree these can be bought as shrubs and trimmed to tree shape as they grow they are evergreen and grow quick. Either in the ground or in a giant tub, this would then keep it to a certain size. I agree about the creeper, rather than add curb appeal it can turn some people off. Do just a few things first and then see how you feel about the wall in a few months time when you have lived with it for a while. You can always add in as you get braver.

Have a look at the crack in the wall first to check stability. Is the wall yours or the railway's to maintain?

Don't put stuff in that will go as high as the power cables on the upper fence - the railway people can get quite upset.

As for the rest, other posts already cover it. Just remember to post photos before, during, newly finished and well established.

Thanks to all.

It is a south facing wall owned by the railway company. ...so I may need to seek their permission before painting it. But I have received some excellent ideas here on this forum and I am off to my local garden centre, armed with your suggestions.

I will definitely post my plans here for your much needed feedback.

Thanks again

If it were my wall I would paint it a lovely vibrant colour such as pale pink and then add 3 huge pots in vibrant colours such as an orange, blue and green one in front of it spaced out symmetrically and put something tall in them such as bamboo or topiary or maybe bamboo in the 2 outside ones and a topiary in the middle one. That way, if you move you can take them with you. Also, it is very easy to keep the wall nicely painted and looking neat and also easier and less work to keep the pot plants neat and tidy - climbers etc can get very out of control and also look really spindly at the bottom - we have various of them in the garden and my husband is forever out there hacking them back. Instead of trying to hide the wall, maybe make a feature and pretty it up.

Here's a blog post about covering an unsightly wall. If you can cover the wall in this way you'll be able to hang baskets from the structure and put pots in front filled with evergreen plant and annuals for seasonal colour.

Have u considered perhaps planting tall bamboo in planters to cover the wall? also trellis with climbers is also a good idea!

if you let the local youths in, they will spray paint that terrible urban canvas a nice splash of colour. The whole area looks dire. soften it with plants and life

Thanks ez for that.

.. I think I missed your suggestion on what exactly we should plant there.. But Thanks for rephrasing the original question back to me 22 MONTHS after the original question was posted. - very helpful.x