Question
QUESTION: I have a wood fence that I would like to cover using some type of flowering vine.  I was hoping to plant a clinging vine so that it would be less maintenance on my part, but I have been reading that clinging vines are not recommended for wood fences because they may rot over time. Would you recommend that I install some type of support structure against the wood fence and train a climbing vine that does not cling to the surface?  Thank you.

ANSWER: If the slats of the wood are thin enough, some vines will find a way to wrap their tendrils around them. So, yes, I'd recommend installing a lattice-type trellis (powder-coated steel is good) in front of the wooden fence to keep the vine off the fence.  You'll need to trim the vine back every so often - depending on the vine, of course.  If you have a particularly sunny spot, try Clematis or Carolina Jessamine. Or native Wisteria.  The Jessamine is evergreen and bears lovely small yellow flowers after a couple of years of maturing.  I would also recommend installing the lattice/trellis about 6" out from the fence, so it should be somewhat "self supporting."  This will help ensure that when the fence "dies," the vine doesn't have to go with it.  Good luck!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you very much for your response, it was very helpful.  I have another question about planting a vine.  I can install a lattice/trellis on the side of my fence that is facing my back yard.  The other side of my fence is what neighbors see from the street.  I would like to train the vine to creep up and over the wood fence.  However on the side of the fence that faces the road, there is no space between the concrete and my fence.  Would you recommend that once the vine has crept up and grown over the fence, to install a trellis against the fence, or could we use some type of fishing line to guide the vine to grown down to the bottom of the fence?  Thank you so much for your help.  I really appreciate it.

Answer
Yes, I think that would be okay, as long as the wooden slats are wide enough and set tightly enough together that the vine has a tough time growing "into" the fence.  Depending on the vine, of course.  Vines generally use one of two methods to climb.  (1) Vines like Clematis and Wisteria use tendril-like "shoots" to wrap/coil around a support (such as a chain link fence, or the grill of a trellis).  (2) Vines like English Ivy generally use tiny "suckers" to cling to even flat surfaces like brick or concrete (hence, the "Ivy League" school reference to the ivy-covered walls of those campus buildings).  I'd be very interested to follow your progress in terms of what vine you choose and the kind of support.  Best of luck!