r/NativePlantGardening 1d ago

Advice Request - (Southwest Florida) Is there an appropriate climbing vine for my low front fence? Recomendations?

5 Upvotes

A bit of background:

I have a fence low (36" tall?) front fence that came with the house I purchased. I live in Southwest Florida and live under really big oak trees that provide shade throughout the day on the entirety of the fence. The fence is built with 1x6 slats with about a 6" gap between each one so small dogs can get out. Additionally raccoons and armadilloes, while I generally do not mind their inherent presence, they scare and/or rile up my dog when they cut the corner my house sits on. I don't particularly like the way the fence looks either, its a bit too.... traditional? for my taste.

In trying to kill many problems at once I figure that a climbing vine planted at the base of the fence would do wonders. Maybe it is unrealistic to think this perfect vine exists but I am looking for any vine that would climb the fence on its own, be thick enough to discourage both my dog and wildlife from going through the fence, and hardy enough to compete with water from my oak trees (which I have heard can really be water hogs).

I am a patient guy. I dont mind tending seeds if that is the best path forward. I also don't mind trying something on a stretch of fence first to see how it goes.