"Jon Connell" wrote in message
ups.com...
Does anyone have a success story growing lapageria rosea in
Cambridgeshire (or similar climate)? I have a north-facing (well, more
north-east really) wall that is reasonably sheltered to the east and
west, but would get the full brunt of any northerly winds. I expect
that the house casts a rainshadow, but the waterbutt sits just around
the corner, so I can easily irrigate it. Am I going to get away with
it?

Jon

Assuming you soil is already on the acid side, increase humus and drainage.
You may find the plant would suffer less damage to its long lived evergreen
leaves if you grow it up another plant such as a wall trained Camelia or
euonymous.
As regards frost damage, adult growth is hardy to around -10c and on a wall
is not likely to suffer much damage, but young growth starts in January
(depending on mildness of the winter to date and is very frost sensitive (as
well as suffering from mechanical damage) so some fleece kept on standby may
prove a good investment.
I know people are growing them in your part of the world because I have sent
plants there but as I have never seen the plants in situ, not sure how they
are going about it!

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collections of Clematis viticella (cvs) and
Lapageria rosea