"Malcolm" wrote in message
...

We have a wild honeysuckle growing in a tub, c.14 inches across and 18
inches deep, which climbs up a trellis to about 12 feet high each year.
I don't cut it back, just tidy it up each winter. It must be about 7-8
years old and its two main stems are c.10 mm in diameter (excuse change
in units!).

This year, it grew as vigorously as usual and was smothered in blossom
then, about three weeks ago, we noticed the leaves were turning brown
even though the flowers, initially, didn't seem to be affected. However,
they soon were and the whole plant has now gone brown and the leaves and
flowers are falling off. It has, to all intents and purposes, apparently
died, though cutting with secateurs reveals the centre of the stems are
still green.

There's nothing contaminating the tub as the weeds in it are still
flourishing (!), so is it old age? No book I have discusses any diseases
of honeysuckle, only mentioning aphids which it didn't have.

Thoughts anyone?


Maybe the drought in the hot spell just before the rainy season (Wimbledon).
But if it's just the one plant, disappointing though it is, try to think of
it like this:

Everything that lives, dies. One of my (fit,slim) neighbours fell down dead
at age 38 from a heart attack. Sometimes it just happens.

Think of it as an opportunity to plant something new.

Steve