We reported last month how a small team led by Harry erected the Fernery Welcome sign at the top of the Entrance Poles. See a Welcome Sign.
The next stage of the project to restore the Entrance Poles to their original state took a step forward on 1st December when Harry started trials to dress the poles in tree bark. This is how they would have been dressed originally, and termed ‘grotesque’.
This first experiment involved fixing battens with wire, and then nailing and gluing the bark to them . There will probably be several trials before we settle on the best method.
When that is done, we will select a final ‘live dressing’ of either ivy or some other evergreen climber which we hope will bind it all together.
See the next stage – Grotesque Welcome (2)
Trachelospermum jasminoides will also climb the entrance poles with it’s white Jasmine flowers during mid and late summer & some of it’s glossy evergreen leaves turn bronze-red in winter.
That would be my choice as ivy can have very thick mature stems.
I’d add that Ivy can spread in an unruly manner around the base too. I’m forever getting rid of some round a fir in my front garden.
Colin