Hedging/wall covering plant for the front of the house

[My Angel Pie]

Hi i have a old redbrick typical bay window victorian semi, we are about to have the front garden part paved and chipped for off road parking, but the red brick area below the bay window (8ft x 3ft approx) i'd like to grow a hedge/climber pref evergreen to keep clipped/boxed topiary style to add some softness to the front of the house. Bearing in mind there will be no direct soil for planting and was thinking of using either one long or several troughs at ground level for planting, what would you suggest, pyracantha etc sort of thing? how many plants, space apart, plant type, all replies gratefully recieved. many thanks (i think the the house faces NW)

[Thunderbird+]

Hi Angel,
I'll suggest a few shrubs, for starters that I think would be suitable for your purpose.
Yas, Pyracantha is a good one but it's thorny habbit can be a pain in the proverbial when getting in and out of cars, if the space is limited.

Cottoneaster Horizontalis, I think may be ideal. It has small whitish flowers followed by red beries on herin-bone branches. Instead of planting it horizontaly, as the name would suggest, it can be planted so that it neatly covers the wall when planted verticaly.

Box (Buxus) can be easily pruned to your desired shape, B. sempervirens 'Marginata' is a nice variegated one, thats a bit more colourfull that the std green.

Lonicera nitida is also vesatile like box, the variety 'Baggesens Gold' is a lovely yellow leaved form.
Good Luck Tbird+

[My Angel Pie]

thank you Tbird, will get 'googling' to see what these shrubs look like. Can't wait!

[boingo]

I've just moved to a house where the previous owner planted shrubs directly into the soil under the window. They are lovely, but it makes cleaning the windows a bit of a struggle!