Posted: Thu Apr 06, 06 9:44 am Post subject: Fragrant climber for clay
I need a pretty, not hugely rampant fragrant climber to ramble up my stock proof fencing (5ft), I don't want it to grow too dense or it'll be shading part of my veg plot, any ideas?
bernie-woman
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 7824 Location: shropshire
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 06 10:04 am Post subject:
Do you want it to be there all year as in evergreen or not?
Other than that there are plenty of climbers that will do well on clay soil but finding ones that are not too dense and with a fragrance could be difficult. Passionflower is good on clay- can be fairly vigorous but can be hacked away at without hurting it
Lonicera (honeysuckle) would do ok and is not too vigorous and can be pruned in the spring to shape and has fragrance
Hydrangea anomala petiolaris (lovely white lacy caps of flowers) no fragrance I don't think but can grow quite densely but yet again can be pruned
Clematis - loads to choose from - not too dense but not many with massive fragrance
Wisteria - has fragrance but can take ages to flower
Lathyrus latifolius (everlasting sweet pea) - has no scent but masses of pink and sometimes white flowers and you can just hack away at it if it gets too big in a season
If it were me I would go for some roses with some clematis and perhaps a bit of everlasting sweet pea
I am a fan of the everlasting peas, like sweet peas but not as vigorous and they come back yearly
No fragrance...
Bernie66
Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Posts: 13967 Location: Eastoft
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 06 10:34 am Post subject:
Doh
bernie-woman
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 7824 Location: shropshire
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 06 10:37 am Post subject:
tahir wrote:
Honeysuckle needs freer draining doesn't it?
Not according to the RHS - mine is planted in heavy soil - just chucked some rubble in the bottom of the hole and it is still with me after 6 years
David Austins do wild roses and their hybrids
Regarding function of plants you said you wanted it for screening therefore it is functional to some degree but if you can it would be worth getting fragrance as well
I have a honeysuckle in clay soil. Although it is supposed to prefer freer draining soil it is doing ok. I wouldn't say it is *thriving* but it manages and is surviving alright. As you don't want anything too thick to crowd out the veggies it might be just what you're looking for.
The clematis does very well but has gotten very thick and dense............
I'm a rose fan though, so that would be my personal preference......('Compassion' for an outstanding fragrance - imho)
Regarding function of plants you said you wanted it for screening therefore it is functional to some degree but if you can it would be worth getting fragrance as well
POint taken, but it's more aesthetics than strutcural or edible, not something I normally do, fragrance would soften the blow for me
Rosa Canina �11.25 I paid �0.29 for mine in the hedge...
bernie-woman
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 7824 Location: shropshire
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 06 10:47 am Post subject:
tahir wrote:
bernie wrote:
David Austins do wild roses and their hybrids
Rosa Canina �11.25 I paid �0.29 for mine in the hedge...
I didn't say they were cheap there has to be some difference in size of plant surely for that price - I only recommended them as the nursery is about half a mile from us and they are always being quoted on Gardeners World and I have used then to get roses for specific occasions such as a ruby wedding etc..- the Austins live in a huge mansion - I can see how now
Could you not have fanned apple trees up the side of the fences
Could you not have fanned apple trees up the side of the fences
Must be some difference in the plants offered, but obviously the place I bought from is dealing in bulk seed grown plants for hedging. Just spoke to him and he recommended Rosa canina and Lonicera japonica, he's still got stock of both too, so that's lovely and fragrant, and cheap as chips...29p for the rose �1.60 for the honeysuckle
Re apple trees I've already got 198 going in, and haven't got the time to faff around training trees (unfortunately, cos they are beatifl as cordons)