By Annieq
Wiltshire,
United Kingdom 
The newbie again.........
Whilst I'm on here........
Only been in the house just over a year now, so this year was re-designing and painting decking etc, I put in a good batch of mixed stuff to see how the soil was because it has been totally covered with pea shingle for I dont know how many years, not lost anything yet so fingers crossed. However I do have a problem corner !
Top of the garden we have a sun house, to the left of that a patch of grass. I believe there is a concrete base where there used to be another structure under about 12-14 inches of soil and grass. I have put in a rhubarb plant which is doing ok, I have put in two clematis that have died. One honey suckle which so far looks ok.
The area is North eastily facing (I think, I'm a woman and dont do direction!) so it is always a bit damp and dismal even in the summer, the neighbours have a large but contained leylandii hedge, which they said I can cut back but it only over hangs a foot or so.
Any way.....the question.... would the clematis died because it was too damp....or not enough soil depth...
Any suggestions what I can do with this patch.....I will post a picture tomorrow so you guys can see it
29 Oct, 2011
Answers
Hello and welcome from me too:)Enjoy
29 Oct, 2011
Welcome from me too. I think maybe rather than too wet your area was too dry for your clematis. I would try another one and ensure you keep it moist at the feet. It used to be said that clems like their feet shaded and their head in the sun. More recently it has been discovered that they don't mind their feet in the sun if they are given adequate water.
Next point were they clems which flowered before or after June. If before they were probably montana hybrids which you only need to prune to keep a decent shape. If after they were the type which need to be pruned down to 18" at the beginning of the year and then they put on new growth which flowers. My late flowering clems have all died back on my north boundary but that is not a problem because they will come back next year. I'll just remove the dead bits.
Clems can be funny and play tricks on you. You think they have died and up to as much as three years later they suddenly pop up again. The fact that your honeysuckle is surviving happily should indicate good clem ground too so don't abandon the ide yet. I agree about the hydrangea petiolaris it is a good choice on a north facing wall. Chaenomeles will also succeed there. Good luckwith your projects.
29 Oct, 2011
Welcome to GoY.
29 Oct, 2011
Welcome to GoY..
29 Oct, 2011
Yes welcome to GOY and what nice neighbours you have . I wish I could get someone to cut my hedge back.
If you do cut it for them you must give them the cuttings back as it is their hedge.
29 Oct, 2011
Welcome from me, as well.
One other point about Clematis is that it's a greedy feeder. It likes to be planted deeply in rich soil, and fed during its growing season. I'm concerned that the hedge might also have leached the nutrients out of the soil, so with too little water and food, the Clems. just gave up.
29 Oct, 2011
Welcome to GoY!
Your clematis may not have been getting enough sun and insufficient root depth.
Hydrangea Petiolaris would grow well in that patch, I think.
Yes, a pic of the site would be very helpful.
29 Oct, 2011