I've never seen or heard of it before, but it seems to suit the bill. My only concern would be the instructions to keep the soil evenly most. Is it finicky about soil, or is that just for "optimum" growth.

I've been looking at the retaining wall from one side mostly. They still need to bring out the gravel to fill in the gap between the driveway and the wall, and that will cover up most of an ugly side. So the guys were careful to put the prettier sides of the ties outward. I have to admit, from the other side it's not that bad.

But I still want to cover it up!

Try this link for more info. It's also called trumpet honeysuckle.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lonicera sempervirens

Have you thought about a cross vine?
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It keeps it leaves all year long. Beautiful deep green during the summer and when it starts getting cold the leaves turn a deep beautiful burgandy. Wonderful fall color.

Since these picutres in April this vine has really taken of. It would be so good on a fence. I am going to have to add to the arbor. If it hangs down on the supports I have not it will make a litte hidden area. Perfect for my grandechldren to hide under.

Honeysuckle and crossvine are lovely, but if you want to keep a criss-cross pattern they will be too loose, as will Carolina Jessamine. Please reconsider ivy...there are dozens of beautiful hybrids with variegated leaves, all leaf sizes and shapes. I LOVE ivy. If your climate would allow, creeping fig is a very neat plant, too. (I am a real vine fanatic.) You could mix several.

It's not so much of a fence as a retaining wall. 200' long and about 2' high. The criss-cross lines are just to give twiners something to hold on to, not as a proposed final shape. Basically, a cheap string trellis.

Out front I have an ivy bed that is monstrous, ugly, invasive and uncontrollable. I don't need any more. In fact, one of the days, maybe this fall, I am going to attempt to rip the whole thing out. Anyone who wants ivy, bring a shovel. And a machete! :)

I think the winters are too cold here for Carolina Jessamine, aren't they?

Creeping fig is an idea, except I am not sure it can tolerate a cold winter here either. I like that it is small. But it might be too fast of a grower? Fast growth is great, right until it's grown too much and you are pruning it.

Since, as they say, 1 picture > 1000 words...

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maybe confederate jasmine, trachelospermum jasminoides?
it is evergreen here in auburn and, once established, quite vigorous. i also have a variegated version of the plant ('variegata'?) that is slower growing with beautiful cream and pink colors in the foliage.
there is (supposedly) a more cold hardy selection of the species available named 'madison'.
the fragrant flowers are very nice for a long time but i made a mistake by planting it on a trellis attached to my house and it eventually became too large for that. out in the open area of your site, this would not be a problem and i would figure on pruning a couple of times during the year.
this vine is commonly found at garden centers during the growing season.
comments from others who have tried this vine in a zone north of me would be good information for you.

Here is a link that might be useful: floridata

Hmmm. I have a confederate jasmine in a protected area and I do like it although I've seen no growth at all since I planted it months ago.

Since I am getting over the "ugly" factor on the retaining wall, I might loosen up on the evergreen requirement. If I got that way, Passiflora incarnata might be an option. It would bloom when not much else I have planted is blooming, which would be nice. Although where it is, I wouldn't get to enjoy the butterflies much.

Have you thought of just planting a row of shrubs? That would really open up your options for color, texture and form.

Unfortunately, the land on the other side of the wall isn't mine, so planting something that takes up vertical space isn't an option.

Why can't you take up vertical space? I just don't understand . Looks like you could plant a screen anywhere you wanted to. It sure would expand your options to use shrubs.

Because the land on the other side of the wall (the side I am talking about covering with a climbing plant) isn't mine, it's my neighbor's. The wall is right on the property line.

Bougainvillea, honeysuckle, morning glory, clematis (my favorite), wisteria (though it would take some minor trimming a couple times per season). Some vegetables you could plant include sweet potato, running butter bean.

But honeysuckle, morning glory and clematis would be perennial, although would die back in winter.

Also, have you considered replacing the gravel at the top with dirt? Then you could plant cascading plants, such as spider plant and the such.

ok, now that I've seen a picture, why not just plant azaleas? Encore azaleas bloom spring, sumer and fall, and as far as I've seen only grow to about 4 feet tall.

I don't understand why you can't have vertical heaight as long as they're planted on your side of the wall. Anywho... try juniper. It's squatty and evergreen, and its rustic look will go great against the wall.

OK, I lied, some species of clematis ARE indeed evergreen ( I thought the one my mom has is evergreen), are climbers and would totally cover the wall thingie. They are extremely hardy plants in region 9 of Alabama (South and coastal). My mom hasn't killed hers yet and it's going on 9 years. It also is maintenance free except for occasional training and in a drought like we've had this year where it will need occasional watering.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clematis

However, you may have a hard time keeping anything alive on the other side of the wall being so close to the gravel driveway. They generate alot of heat and can burn plants.

Here is a link that might be useful: Clematis (Wikipedia)

Perhaps I am not being clear. My side of the wall is the gravel side. That's my driveway; the gravel is 12" deep there on top of about another 12" of old concrete and asphalt. The grass you see is my neighbor's. I own about 6" of land there on the grassy side of the wall. So something that creeps flat along the wall is okay. Something that is round and bushy and spreads into their yard is not. I agree that a nice row of bushes or small trees would look good there, but they don't want them.

An evergreen clematis might be a nice choice. I like clematis but wasn't aware any of them were evergreen.

Maybe alabamanicole is talking about horizontal (not vertical) space (like out into the neighbor's yard)?

Well, both, kinda! Well, I guess I have until spring to think about it anyway, unless I pick something that fall sows.

Problem with many perennial vines that are native to the south is that they are "hard wired" to grow fast and take advantage of forest openings. Trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans), Alabama supplejack (Berchemia scandens) and confederate jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) are my favorites. Maypops are considered a pest by most landowners that I deal with... but they bear a truly beautiful flower.

I would suggest you stay away from honeysuckle if you are in an area of our state with a high deer population. Particularly if you water and fertilize it, as it turns into a very high quality deer browse indeed when that happens. I own some land in Macon County where I cannot show you a single honeysuckle plant on the entire 80 acre tract. It is considered deer "ice cream". Planted 3 acres of cowpeas for deer browse a few years ago on that same tract. Never did it again as the entire 3 acre wildlife opening was obliterated by deer when they got about 3 inches tall (kinda the intent, but not that early that hard) Oh, and don't think a deer will stay out of your yard, because they will not hesitate to come in and eat every plant you have if they discover a fully watered and fertilized banquet.

I would steer clear of wisteria, as it can be quite invasive (worse than ivy) unless you REALLY keep it trimmed back. Oh yea, and you're gonna need to use some herbicide on the ivy if you want it taken out completely. Nothing soil active, if you have trees or other plants nearby.

good luck

We do have deer nearby, but they have more attractive forage in safer spots in nearby open pasture and very, very rarely come up to the street and our houses. I am sure some day I will wake up and find my garden mowed over, but I would rather not deliberately tempt them in, so thanks for the advice on honeysuckle.

Ripping the ivy out will be a huge project some day. It will be interesting to learn what those odd shapes are under the dense coat of foliage. Probably little metal topiary figures! I avoid herbicides and such, but no doubt I will have to resort to them here.

Regarding the wisteria, I have some I have to take a chainsaw to if I want to trim it. It is busy tearing down a fence. I have no desire for more! That mess is on my list of things to attempt to kill some day, but the trained wisteria "trees" I inherited with the property are rather nice if you keep them chopped back.

Looking at the picture, don't you want something to hang DOWN, not grow up? Florida Jasmine would grow up about 3ft.
and drape over the wall too...its cold hardy, evergreen and easy to grow. Its a "lax shrub", not a vine. Has pretty yellow flowers, but no scent.

Can't hang down, although I agree that would look nice and would be preferable. There's 2 feet deep of gravel on the other side for about a foot, and then the driveway. (Which the weeds have no trouble growing in, but...)

At the moment, I have decided to try and hold out for shrubs or trees with the neighbors. A row of short crepe myrtle would look nice there, I think, or any number of other shrubs.

Confederate Jasmine takes a while to get started but once it does, it is a lovely plant to have. I had it growing up pine trees at one house and I got so many compliments on it even when it was not blooming.

Border grass would probably be just what you're looking for. It grows about 2 feet tall, totally maintenance free, doesn't spread, grows kinda slow, blooms for a little color, cheap, easy to plant, green all year, helps with erosion. Instead of buying some, see if family or friends have any, it transplants real easy.

You mean liriope? Hmmm, I have some of that, and while I hear it like part shade, mine seems to be taking full afternoon sun just fine. I suspect it would tolerate part shade as well if I eventually get those small trees I really want there.

Great idea, thanks!