Just wondering how far apart Lady Banks should be planted for a fence that's 6 ft. high and 150 ft. long. Thank you!

One plant might be all you need - if you are not in a hurry.

Porkpal, I actually have two of them, in six inch pots I bought at an OGR plant sale, a white one and a yellow one! The tag on one says Linda Street, and the other one Pagani Valley, their origins--not even sure which is white and which is yellow, but maybe someone here knows? Wonder how long it would take them to cover the fence?! And on the other hand, minimum ft. apart, since I have another climber as well to plant--Castro Breen red climber (plus Lady Hilingdon, all in 6" pots!).

I think about a half acre a piece. You will never see the fence again - they get really tall too.

Daisy1, there are tall trees on my neighbor's side for a third of the fence and I'm sure they wouldn't care if they climbed up. I think some of them are shallow rooted, but maybe with a Lady Banks that wouldn't be a problem since they are rampant growers and shade tolerant although with a western exposure there is plenty of afternoon sunlight).

They don't climb, just form huge mounds. You will have to tie them to the fence and prune heavily. In Sacramento, I think they would be considered noxious weeds. I planted one on a wall in my Modesto yard many years ago and lost most of my yard to it.

Thanks for the warning, Daisy1! Must be why they were still there at the tail end of the plant sale.! Their thornlessness and shade-tolerance was attractive to me. And I think I was given a special deal on them..

That's funny!

You could try espaliering them on the fence but it would take constant maintenance.

I have several Lady Banks and, although they all started out growing in a big heap, when they got tall enough, they happily went up the nearest tree - unassisted. With help it definitely would happen sooner.

Oh yes, they DO climb.



You do NOT have to allow it to get this big. You CAN prune them after the spring bloom is done. But it will still want to grow big. And you DON'T prune it in the winter-to-spring, because it needs to bloom on old wood.

I don't prune it, but you can.

I should add . . . My R. banksia lutea climbed a 6-ft. wood fence. Jumped over to a ficus tree. Scrambled up that, and now blooms all through it. Then, jumped from there to another tree . . .

Of course, we allowed it to do that.

Thank you everyone for the input. How far away would you say I should plant it from the fence, does anyone think the shallow-rooted trees (Chinese privet and Mulberry) will be a problem? Maybe it won't be as rampant?

You've heard of house eaters? This rose is a PLANET EATER!