Creeping fig will get between the slats and grow over to your neighbor's side and ruin the fence, but as hoovb noted, wood fences don't last long anyway. If you have any sewer or septic systems nearby, do yourself a favor and pull it out now. It's real trouble if you have a crack in one of your sewer lines. Creeping fig also prefers full sun. Mine never grew at all in the shade, but the one on a south-facing fence is growing like gangbusters. It took a few years to get established. Is there any sun at all? If there is enough sun, you should plant more of them in March or April, about six feet apart, to get faster coverage. But they will not cover the fence in a year, and the 2x4s will still show when it does cover the fence.

For covering ugly fences, I am a big fan of shrubs over vines. I started with vines, but found that they grow to the top of the fence, form a big wad up there, and get bare underneath. Sometimes mine would cascade beautifully down the other side for my neighbors. Ingrates.

I don't think the Madagascar jasmine is a fast grower, and I'm not sure what the purple honeysuckle is. We'd need a botanical name to give you more info on that, probably.

The vine I am most happy with after years of gardening is star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). Evergreen, coverage from top to bottom of the vine, glossy green leaves, heavenly scent, and easy-care. It would require some attachment to the fence. I bought a big one (15 gal) so I would not have to wait for coverage and it has been fantastic. An all-around great plant.
Renee

Thanks for the help.

Hosenemesis - you're funny!

The purple honeysuckle is actually called lonicera japonica or purple leafed japanese honeysuckle.

I heard that in order to keep vines from bunching at the top, you should twine any bottom strands sideways first and then allow it to grow up from there.

I'll look into star jasmine. Thanks ;)

When I lived in Venice, I had a passion vine covering one long wooden wall, and it grew very fast, which might qualify it as a weed. We also had a trumpet vine on that wall going the other direction, and it is another fast grower/weed, but a bit easier to manage. We had a chain link back wall that supported a Golden Chalice, which grows fairly quickly and is very beautiful and only grows in climates that are very similar to that of Venice. The flowers are spectacular, and we had them all year, although more in the summer than winter.

Lars

I just planted some Sun parasol (Mandevilla) it is evergreen with pretty red flowers, drought tolerant full sun. It's not an over-aggressive climber, which I wanted to avoid (fig can get out of control).

http://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/collections/sun-parasol-mandevillas-plant-collection.php#.UE5pprXmdI1

Tinan. Which one did you plant, crimson king, the one in the large pic that pops up in your link?

I have one in a pot for years that's always covered in blooms. Not sure of the variety, but its red that fades to pink,probably one of the original kinds. I wanted it to spill over the pot more than it had, but didn't know until this year that some varieties are vining and some are more shrubby and I have the latter. I want to get a vining one for the fence.

BTW Stacian they do require some support.

Monrovia website shows a yellow one that I'd love to try but they don't sell it in SoCal for some reason. Hoping to find it from another grower, but still no luck. Anyone seen it anywhere?.
http://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/1672/yellow-mandevilla.php

island, interesting you ask that! I have actually planted several - some in pots on the balcony and along part of my fence is just called "Sun Parasol Crimson" from Summerwinds and it's like the one you describe as more shrubby, it doesn't climb at all so far. I am disappointed because I wanted it to climb this fence, I may have to swap it out for the climbing kind - but I like it in the balcony pots.

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The other one I bought at Lowes also labeled Sun Parasol Crimson, it was in a pot with a bamboo pole and was climbing with tendrils would around it. I planted that one on the trellis and within 2 days it had taken a good grip on the trellis! It looks similar to the ones I got at Summerwinds but fewer leaves, more space between them and definitely an active climber.

So maybe if you look for one sold as a climber with a pole you can be sure it will climb... it seems there are several varieties called the same thing.

Here's the climber, I don't think you can see the tendrils in the picture but it has wrapped tightly around all 5 of the trellis bars and it was only planted 2 days before this photo.

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Tinan. They look beautiful! So colorful.
The linked website said "crimson" is a "natural climber" so go figure.
I wonder if it needs something smaller to grab onto, a trellis or lattice instead of the fence. Like my star jasmine. If they're up against the fence without lattice or hanging outward from the lattice they stay short and I can keep them trimmed like ground cover or a hedge, but if I tie it to the lattice and coax the trendrils over the lattice wood they go nuts. I have to go out every few days and unwind before the soft vine stiffens. I want more vertical height and little behind the trellis so when it gets full it doesn't push the lattice away from the fence. Also easier to take a hedge clippers to the star jasmine to keep it narrow without cutting off a long vertical piece by mistake.

It's hot as hell in San diego today with hot santa anna winds and my star jasmine vines and potted mandevilla are about the only things still perky.

This strawberry lemonade mandevilla looks very pretty

http://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/2365/strawberry-lemonade-mandevilla.php

Here is a link that might be useful: Sun Parasol

I asked today at the nursery about my 2 "types" and the plant expert there said there are different hybrids being sold as Sun Parasol, some indeed really climb by wrapping around a trellis or fence and some are shrubby and just tend to flop.

But I love the foliage and the color and they seem to flower constantly.

I think I will move those "floppy" ones into a window box below the kitchen window (where they can hang over the edges) and put in either the viney type of Sun Parasol there or the more shade tolerant Star jasmine- since that fence gets shade late afternoon.

I'm a bit wary of having something too fragrant though I tend to get sneezy/headachy from strong fragrances I can't stand mock orange for example the sickly sweet smell I find nauseating. But roses I love the smell of.

ANyway sorry to sidetrack your thread, OP!

PS Honeysuckle is a very fast growing climber and is evergreen in warm climates.... but it can get out of control very easily! I considered it for my fence but decided I don't want to battle it weekly to prevent it from climbing onto the neighbor's fence or over the carport.

Good to know tinan I'll make sure to look for the ones that climb. I love the lemonade one but the foilage might look washedout agains my white fence.
The star jasmine is more fragrant at night, but not overpowering at all. Nothing heady like honeysuckle, true jasmine, magnolia or gardenias.

Here's an updated pic of the Sun Parasol climbing on the trellis, only a few weeks later...

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