Another question regarding Courtyard Villa backyard (pics)
 

Still working on the backyard.

Should we let the vines grow into each other (pic 1) or keep them trimmed (pic 2).

I don't want it too look even more 'busy' with all the flowers already out there.

I have lived in CYV's since 2007. In my opinion you are making a huge mistake having any vegetation growing up your walls (or home). Your walls and home will need to be power washed at least once a year, perhaps twice or algae will grow on them. You cannot keep your walls clean with vines growing up them. Don't forget that in Florida plants grow 365 days a year...we really don't have a winter season!

Tear it out now while it is still manageable.

A maintenance mess that does not improve the appearance at all.
Bugs and critters too.

Bingo, there's the winner

Although it looks lovely right now, it's not likely to remain lovely (as the other posters have pointed out). On top of that - if it starts growing over the fence onto your neighbor's side of the fence, they might choose to use a weedkiller to get rid of it. And that'll kill your plant.

Picture 3, remove or you’ll have a mess

Wow, I guess people don’t like it. We have not added any plants to our Villa. The back is still just grass and we currently have not plans to. This is your backyard and you can do things you like. Based on what others have said, it might be easier to stay with picture 2 and keep things trimmed up nice and neat. Good luck.

I have the white fence in back yard and I say let them grow together. I get tired of looking at that white fence.

Well, as previously stated, your neighbor may not mind looking at a white fence and have every right to remove anything that comes on their side of the fence

I actually like the look of the vine growing together, however, in FLA, the vines will grow out of control. Maintenance will be a nightmare in a year or two.

Plant your bushes close together, trees near a sprinkler line, and of course vines on the side of your home or fence...forget everything your learned from the last 50 plus years about vegetation growing out of control and causing expensive repairs and removal...as some say , " more money than brains" . I am blessed you are not my neighbor and just someone I sit next to in a bar.

If you love the greenery/hate the stark look of the fence, why not move your trellises out far enough to trim behind them as your vines grow creating a wall?

Depends what you like but my preference would be to keep them separate and have the break of the nice whit fence in between.

Vines on walls
 

I agree that the vines will make a mess when you need to power wash your walls. Why don't you consider getting some outdoor metal wall decorations that you can remove when you need to power wash the wall.

If you google outdoor metal art for walls you will find many suggetsions.

White fence will grow green and black mold especially behind the vines in the shade. It will be impossible to pressure wash and will be an eyesore and over time will degrade the plastic fencing so on removal The fence will have to be replaced. Moving thr trellis forward so as to have room to pressure wash fence is best option if you insist on keeping the vines.. With age comes wisdom (hopefully)

Wall Art
 

That is great suggestion.
The maintenance with plants will be out of control. Unless, you have a gardner who will keep it small & maintained.

Good Luck!

The way vines are able to stay up is by digging little tendrils into your fence or walk or tree ect. Do you really want that?
Also this bushy covering provides an area for pests to thrive. I would pull them out immediately

Like the idea of wall decorations, or if you want to spend the money have someone paint a scene and make sure it is treated so when you power wash it stays. Of course of you are talented paint it yourself.

Yeppp, you'll have bugs and geckos to eat them, then comes snakes to eat the geckos.

And I'm sure your neighbors don't want that scenario.
:ohdear::ohdear:

Florida is known for tumultuous growth of just about anything. There is a saying going around to be careful of what you leave for trash at the curb, it may take root.

I have seen some astonishing growth in a very short time on Hibiscus plants, Mandeville, Butterfly Bushes. If you plant it today, stand ready to trim it in a VERY short time or it will look like a jungle.

Why do you care what other people think about how you manage your property???

We have metal art on our wall and think that it looks great - and it doesn't grow nor attract critters.

Only the neighbors on the other side of the fence should care. Vines will grow under the fence as well plus through any small opening in the fence. If the fence is damaged, you will be responsible for replacement. Keep your vines off the fence or wall. If you want vines, plant them against your house. In two or three years, you will be pulling them down.

I love the look of vines that intermingle and I personally wouldn't worry about power washing the wall, but you do have to keep it trimmed and maintained. Good luck with your decision!

You have a right to cut/trim what comes over the wall if you don't like it. You do not have the right to kill the plant. If it's that much of a nuisance, go over and talk to your neighbor about the issue. It's called getting along and being respectful of others.

Power wash your walls when you have your house power washed and trim them as they attempt to grow over the wall if that's your concern.

That seems like a good compromise. Plus you could then power-wash the wall, keeping the algae away.

I would keep them trimmed or it will start to look like a jungle.

We had a villa tour in our community to get ideas on what to do with our courtyard. It was good. One woman had a rainforest, One had a desert theme with beautiful cacti. One man has a gorgeous botanical garden that he could rent for tea parties. I wish there was a picture book with ideas. PS we also share cuttings.

Add plants in planters. Then you can change up

I’ve had vines and they create a mess as well as plants that are planted to block something. I always removed vines unless they are growing on permanent stone or walls that belong to you.

There are several on-line sites -- including Amazon -- that sell "privacy fence vines" that are for the outdoors (fade resistant) made out of some sort of plastic. They come on an expandable trellis that you can just set up and move as needed. Don't know how realistic they look, but it may be an easy solution to add plant screening without the hassle.

That looks like a plastic fence. You won’t have to worry too much about plants causing a problem on a plastic fence. I have a white Mandeville growing on a black iron trellis against a grey, stucco house. I think it looks good and not too much work. I do keep it trimmed and I keep it away from the wall. Freestanding trellises are another idea if you want to keep plants off the fence. Plants are beautiful and fun. Just don’t look the other way too long or they will grow wild.

Both are beautiful. But I have to go w the majority here, your white fence will turn green, and then black in short order. In October my white fence had a few areas of pale green, by January those areas were at least 5x larger and black w mold. Power washing was the only resolution.

Very pretty! You've given me ideas.

We had a mural painted on the back wall of our villa (not the white plastic fence that divides the property) to give us some life out there. Our daughter is an excellent free-hand artist, and an even better pickleballer. I'd love to show you our mural but I'm unable to upload it.

Hi, we haves 100 foot mural inside the walls of our CYV.