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evergreen climber recommendations for tubs?

Joy

By Joy

North East Lincolnshire, United Kingdom Gb

Can any one suggest a not too vigourous evergreen climber that will grow happily in a big tub? We are having a pergola built over the back door and decking.




Answers

 

hi joy, i can recommend 2 which i have myself - so if you want to see pictures of them i do have pictures in 'my garden' but i have'nt got pictures of the flowers on there yet as i have only joined GOY quite recently. the first is Trachelospermum jasminoides - which is a type of jasmine which is evergreen, it has really unusual white star like flowers in the spring/summer and a beautiful scent, the foliege turns a lovely bronze colour in the winter. the second would be clematis 'pixie' which has lime green flowers in the spring, it is quite fast growing but it can be cut right back to the size you want it. hope this helps both are easy to grow and i got both off ebay in the spring.

15 Nov, 2007

 

Passiflora caerulea or the blue passion flower is a resiliant plant. I have grown one in a pot now for 5 years and it is half way up my house. The large buds, beautiful scented flowers and the large bulbous orange fruit( which can be eaten) looks fantastic. It responds well to vigorous pruning in Autumn and Spring and doesn't need much support as it clings with tendrills. They will self seed if the fruit is left to rot on the ground, but I have given several away now.
Another suggestion is Solanum (related to the potato) This is evergreen with longlasting clusters of flowers, crispum " Glasnevin" is a purple variety and Alba aureum us the white. If your area is shady there is Clematis Armandii which has long dark green waxy leaves and delicate white flowers.

15 Nov, 2007

Joy
Joy
 

Thanks for the suggestions, the jasminoides sounds rather nice, will investigate that one and the armandii clematis. will pass on the passion flower though...lol Had one at last house and it turned out to be such a thug, couldn't get rid of it, kept coming up under the shed, the decking ...everywhere

15 Nov, 2007

 

Tracheleospermum is a bit on the tender side - you'd need a sunny sheltered spot for it. How tall do you want this climber to grow?

15 Nov, 2007

 

Next question - when do you want it to flower? If you want something for a long flowering period, try Eccremocarpus scaber. You could team it with annual Ipomoea lobata.
By the way, I agree with Andrew about the Trachelospermum. mine is againnst a warm sheltered wall, if you have chilly winds it probably won't survive.

15 Nov, 2007

Joy
Joy
 

the back garden is east facing so will be too chilly then for the jasmin..to flower in summer I think would be best, something fragrant as we sit out under it...lol

16 Nov, 2007

 

yes i do agree with Andrew and Spritz, i did'nt think of that. i live in south east, on the boarders of essex and london so i do get away with all sorts outside that others in different parts of the country don't - and it is in a very sunny sheltered spot. if you want something that is scented i think the clematis i reccomended does have a light lemon scent if i remeber rightly. or alternatively you could go along with spritzs' idea and double up, something robust that will stay green through the winter, maybe that does'nt flower but gives you the autumn/winter interest that you want. and then you could always go for another variety of jasmine - that is more hardy but looses it leaves - i have three varieties in my garden, and the scent is beautiful, if it is scent that you want you cant get much better than jasmine in my opionon.

16 Nov, 2007

 

Although they are not evergreen, honeysuckles would do well as they thrive in part shade. If you planted two - Early Dutch and Late Dutch - you would get flowers from June to September in an average year

16 Nov, 2007

 

yes honeysuckles are lovely - beautiful scent another favorite of mine i have three of them. not sure on the varieties but they can be thugs proberly depending on the type i would imagine 2 of the ones i have need constant cutting back but the other is quite slow growing and really easy.

17 Nov, 2007

 

There is a type of honeysuckle which is evergreen and varigated, not too sure of the variety as I lost the label but it could be 'Harlequin'. I'm not sure if you've researched Clematis armandii yet but the scent is a cross between jasmine and vanilla and it comes in pink ('Farquhariana'.) as well as white. You will have, evergreen, flowers, shady area and scent all covered LOL :)

20 Nov, 2007

 

A warning note - Clematis armandii is vigorous and can climb to about 20 feet or more once it gets going. I don't really think it's suitable for a tub.

20 Nov, 2007

 

Re Clematis Armandii - If you don't pay any attention to it, yes it will grow away, but in a tub the root growth will be restricted and if it is pruned it can be controlled and the foliage will stay dense.

21 Nov, 2007

Joy
Joy
 

Post script...... my husband has change dhis mind! typical. Insteda of a pergola over the top of the decking he would rather have a 'hedge'..ie, big plant pots with evergreen shrubs in such as hebe and lavendar. Now that is much simpler, and cheaper to do. Thank you for all the tips,have written them down and will use some of the suggetsions anyway as a climber in a tub up the back wall instead of over a pergola.

21 Nov, 2007

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