Recommendations of plants that grow tall but are spindly/flimsy please

Discussion in 'Other Plants' started by ACNorth, Jun 18, 2021.

  1. ACNorth

    ACNorth Apprentice Gardener

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    Hello! I'd like any recommendations of plants to grow in my flowerbed that grow tall, are perhaps 'grassy' with spindly/flimsy branches. Reason for wanting this is we are planning to have cat defences installed to give our house cat outside space and keep other cats out of our garden (as ours is VERY aggressive and territorial so we really don't want fights). These cat defences will be bought and are a bit fence like so any plant growing in front of it would have to be spindly so it can grow upwards beyond the height of the cat defences through the holes, and also, very importantly, even if it is reachable by another outside cat, the other cat will not be able to jump easily onto it because it will give way. Is there such a plant (that grows beyond 2m)? Many thanks! :)
     
  2. shiney

    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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    I can't picture what you mean by cat defences. Are you able to post a picture? :smile:
     
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    • Upsydaisy

      Upsydaisy Total Gardener

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      Is it the type with a curved mesh topper running along it's top length.? Do you want plants to grow through it?? It might be better to plant up clear of the fence,
       
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        Last edited: Jun 18, 2021
      • ACNorth

        ACNorth Apprentice Gardener

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        Hello! Yes, this is the product I'll be buying, it attaches to existing fencing
        [​IMG]
         
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        • ACNorth

          ACNorth Apprentice Gardener

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          Hi, yes it kind of is, have posted a pic above.
           
        • shiney

          shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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          • ricky101

            ricky101 Total Gardener

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            Anything soft and flimsy is likely to be an annual climber.

            Mature deciduous or evergreen climbers like Ivy will probably present a set of branches that cats can move around on, and plants like Ivy also attract other wildlife like birds, so it will probably bring in more cats !

            For an annual climber things like Nasturtuim may cover that height and spread for a few months of the year, but what then ?

            For something evergreen then Pyracantha with its wicked thorns will stop cats, as we have seen first hand, but, as with other such plants, would take several years to cover such an area.
             
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            • NigelJ

              NigelJ Total Gardener

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              Eccremocarpus scaber Chilean glory vine may be an annual or a perennial with you depending on how the winters are. Dactylicapnos macrocapnos (used to be Dicentra) is another climber that has soft foliage.
              Maybe perennial sweetpeas are another idea.
               
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              • JWK

                JWK Gardener Staff Member

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                Maybe Cornus (dogwood), it doesn't have to be chopped to the ground every year so could be left to do its own thing.
                 
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                • groundbeetle

                  groundbeetle Gardener

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                  Agastache grows tall and flimsy, though I never had a problem with it falling over even without staking, looks pretty and attracts bees like crazy.
                   
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