Climbing hydrangea as a shade privacy screen

[anitje]

Hi.

I have a row of trees (mostly scraggly evergreens, plus a heptocodium and a few others) approx. 3 ft. apart from each other forming an east border between my back yard and my neighbor's (messy) back yard. The area is quite shady. I want to create a privacy screen (especially within the lower 6-8 feet from the ground), avoiding artificial fences if possible.

If I planted a climbing hydrangea midway between each pair of trees (thus approx. 1 1/2 feet from a tree trunk on either side), would the plants fill in the area as it climbed to create summer privacy (at least at lower altitudes)? I realize they may not optimally flower because of the shade.

Also, would they need additional support? And if so do you have any ideas for support structures that would work for my purposes? I want things to look as natural as possible, since the hydrangeas will likely take quite a while to establish. Plus a continuous fence would not work- I would have to cut down trees.

Thanks in advance,

anitje

[luis_pr]

The various types of climbing hydrangeas & theiur relatives tend to twist and turn around the trunk of the tree. If you need to block the view, I do not think that will work well.

You could place an iron structure in between the trees and plant the c/h in the middle so it will gobble up the structure. I guess that would look like a fence too. Be aware that c/h is deciduous so it will loose leaves during parts of the the fall and winter.

One area of concern is that you said that it is quite shady. This may cause the plant to grow slowly and-or produce few blooms in the shadier areas.

[anitje]

The various types of climbing hydrangeas & theiur relatives tend to twist and turn around the trunk of the tree. If you need to block the view, I do not think that will work well.

You could place an iron structure in between the trees and plant the c/h in the middle so it will gobble up the structure. I guess that would look like a fence too. Be aware that c/h is deciduous so it will loose leaves during parts of the the fall and winter.

One area of concern is that you said that it is quite shady. This may cause the plant to grow slowly and-or produce few blooms in the shadier areas.

Thanks, green thumb. You echoed my concerns. I would LOVE to go with the climbing hydrangeeas but it probably won't work. An ugly iron pole 7-8 months per year is probably worse to look at than the neighbor's yard! I can't figure out a good solution....if I could buy large enough rhododendrons , that might work.

That said, there IS an ugly iron pole on the edge of my yard (old permanent clothesline of a previous owner) that gets more sun. Perhaps I will plant a climbing hydrangea there.

Thanks again.....

[applestar]

You didn't say where you are located, so it's a bit difficult to make a recommendation, but have you considered elderberries? They naturally grow in the understory of other trees, are fast growing and will grow to about 10ft in height. And they have umbels of white flowers in early summer. plus if you don't care for the berries, wildbirds surely will.

Only caveat is that they spread and will try to grow into the more sunnier areas.

[anitje]

Sorry....I live in MA....zon3 5b, or perhaps 6.

I haven't looked into elderberries, but I will. Thanks.