two climbers died.
By Alibongo
Bedfordshire,
United Kingdom 
I wonder if any of my friends could advise me on the sudden loss of two of my dearest friends in my garden, I was out at the weekend doing some work when i noticed i have lost two good climbers, a montana ruebens which was on a back wall facing south west, and a jasmine stepanenese which faced south east. Both had been planted in very large pots when i moved here to dunstable in august 2003. Do you think it was the very cold weather or just a disease. I planted them in very large pots because of the high chalk content in the soil here, i live close to the dunstable downs which of course is full of chalk content.The Montana ruebens covered my back wall and will be badly missed. I have no border under the back wall, just a pathway so i have to put my climbers in very large pots. Thank You dear friends i wish you all the best for spring and happy gardening. Alibongo.
30 Mar, 2009
Answers
I have C montana Elizabeth growing very vigourously in chalky soil. It only has a max of 2' of soil then its onto chalk bedrock. Its been thriving since 1997. So perhaps it is down to the frost as Moon grower says.
could you make a planting hole in the path as you clearly have had pots partly blocking it?
30 Mar, 2009
I read somewhere that pots need to be wrapped as the contents can freeze. I thought it was the actual plant that needed protecting, but it's the actual pot itself. So, it does sound as if they got frozen, I'm sorry to say...... :-(
31 Mar, 2009
If the pots got frozen for any length of time then the plants can't survive. Alternatively had you been feeding them? A C. montana which is over 6 years old would be a hefty plant frankly I don't see how you could keep in any sort of pot.
If you really want to grown one again you will need to do some serious work on your soil structure and plant in the ground - the only alternative is to plant lime loving plants :-(
30 Mar, 2009