In article ,
says...
Pat Gardiner wrote:

I'm in East Anglia on clay with a good admixture of lime. So, I would
have to change the soil for Lapageria rosea and it seems that
although they would like a sheltered wall, north sounds a bit dodgy.

Not at all. If there is one thing Lapageria hates it is sun. I grow mine
(in a 40cm pot) on a north-west facing wall under a verandah, protected from
south and south-west sun by a garage wall. It only ever gets any sun for a
couple of hours or so in the afternoon/evening from late May through to late
July - and doesn't like it. It is still in flower (started early July 2007,
but usually doesn't start until mid-late August). In the 2006 - 7 flowering
season, there were around 300 flowers in total. As each one lasts in excess
of 3 weeks, that isn't bad going. It most certainly would be in my top 10
flowering plants.

The only thing I would be worried about is a bad frost. Not sure how bad it
has to be to cause severe damage (perhaps Charlie P. can advise on this),
but as Lapageria is pretty slow to establish and get going, you really don't
want to lose any of it. Also, as you have stated, you would have to change
your soil. Either that or grow it in a large pot. But although it has
fairly tough leaves, I don't think it is too keen on a dry atmosphere. And
as you live in East Anglia...

As a suggestion, and although a north-facing wall may not exactly suit it,
how about trying Decaisnea fargesii for a bit of fun? Not too difficult
from seed.


I Certainly would only use north walls for Lapageria unless walls facing
West could be provided with summer shade from trees etc. but they don't
like soil that is alkaline and do like high humidity, frost on a suitable
wall is not too much problem (I know several people growing them outside
in East Scotland) but you are correct in saying they are slow, we do not
let them go until they are 5-7 years old and even then I would grow on
for a further 3-4 years before planting out anywhere other than ideal.
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea