Q: My next door neighbor has put up a chain link fence which I find hideous in my garden! I really want to hide it; what do you suggest?

A: I use evergreen clematis, Clematis armandii, for this purpose and it has done very well over several years. It tolerates sun as well as shade. Severe cold has damaged it a couple of times but it sprouted back immediately and vigorously. It sports white, slightly vanilla-scented flowers in April. A yearly shearing after flowering will keep it looking its best.

Avalanche(tm) clematis has deeply cut, leathery, green leaves.

Another suggestion is cross vine, Bignonia capreolata. It is generally evergreen in Georgia. ‘Tangerine Beauty’ has red-orange flowers in late April. To further recommend it, cross vine has been selected as a Georgia Gold Medal Plant for 2003.

Clematis armandii