Is anyone else growing Wisterias as standards? We have one on the big lawn
and I want to plant two more. But we have a mild argument occasionally as to
whether to just give them a stake and let them go straight up it or whether
to make a three or four spoked frame and trail branches over that, thus
forcing a broader crown eventually. What does the panel think?
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

The message k
from Sacha contains these words:

Is anyone else growing Wisterias as standards? We have one on the big lawn
and I want to plant two more. But we have a mild argument occasionally as to
whether to just give them a stake and let them go straight up it or whether
to make a three or four spoked frame and trail branches over that, thus
forcing a broader crown eventually. What does the panel think?

Three or four? How many acres are you hoping to shade?

--
Rusty
horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

On 27/11/05 15:24, in article
, "Jaques d'Alltrades"
wrote:

The message k
from Sacha contains these words:

Is anyone else growing Wisterias as standards? We have one on the big lawn
and I want to plant two more. But we have a mild argument occasionally as to
whether to just give them a stake and let them go straight up it or whether
to make a three or four spoked frame and trail branches over that, thus
forcing a broader crown eventually. What does the panel think?

Three or four? How many acres are you hoping to shade?

Not shading. Growing them on the lawn as 'trees'. I've seen it in a couple
of places with big lawns and it's wonderfully effective, especially beside
the edge of e.g. a big pond or lake. The branches curve over and down and
when the Wisteria is in flower it looks like the skirts of some wonderful
ballgown!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

I've seen it in a couple
of places with big lawns and it's wonderfully effective, especially beside
the edge of e.g. a big pond or lake. The branches curve over and down and
when the Wisteria is in flower it looks like the skirts of some wonderful
ballgown!
--

So why ask?

Mike
The truth will prevail

"Sacha" wrote...
Is anyone else growing Wisterias as standards? We have one on the big
lawn
and I want to plant two more. But we have a mild argument occasionally as
to
whether to just give them a stake and let them go straight up it or
whether
to make a three or four spoked frame and trail branches over that, thus
forcing a broader crown eventually. What does the panel think?

The couple I've seen had been grown on umbrellas as you suggest, indeed one
was on an old iron frame which was going to have to rust away. So use
wood/bamboo if you can. The stem will need a strong stake as the plant won't
have the strength to hold itself up for some years and even then can easily
be blown over by wind as the one by the river in Lower Sunbury was a few
years ago.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

On 27/11/05 16:21, in article ,
"Dave Poole" wrote:

I don't know whether they are still available, but many moons ago you
could get trainers for weeping roses - rather like very heavy duty
hanging baskets around 3 feet in diameter. I nailed one to the top of
a 7 foot oak post and ran a white Wisteria up it. Partly in the
interests of getting coverage a.s.a.p. I allowed several stems to run
up the pole, plaiting them as they went. The theory being that in
time, the resultant trunk would also provide greater strength and
aesthetic appeal when exposed in winter. Whether either of these
proved true is unknown because I moved from that garden over 25 years
ago.

However, the short term effect over the first 6 or 7 years was
extremely pleasing. There were 7 or 8 main laterals trained over and
down and from these, sub-laterals and flowering spurs, which provided
a magnificent show every year. Of course the training is a little
more fiddly compared to when you grow it on a wall, but its well worth
the extra effort. It is far simpler to train to a smaller, self
supporting head and you will be pleased with the outcome. But if you
train to a broader crown, it will yield far more flowers and much
greater impact.

Very interesting info indeed. Thanks, David and I'll talk to the
appropriate 'helpers' re that one. Next time you're here, please remind me
to get you to have a look at the one on the lawn now. You have reminded me
of something I had totally forgotten - when we were in the gardens of the
Getty Museum in LA, we saw tall (15'?) metal constructions with huge
upturned 'baskets' at the top. They had Bougainvillea growing up them and
out through the baskets. It was spectacular. I suppose this is - in a wa -
what we're both talking about achieving. The constraints of course, are
plant and climate!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

On 27/11/05 16:29, in article , "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote...
Is anyone else growing Wisterias as standards? We have one on the big
lawn
and I want to plant two more. But we have a mild argument occasionally as
to
whether to just give them a stake and let them go straight up it or
whether
to make a three or four spoked frame and trail branches over that, thus
forcing a broader crown eventually. What does the panel think?

The couple I've seen had been grown on umbrellas as you suggest, indeed one
was on an old iron frame which was going to have to rust away. So use
wood/bamboo if you can. The stem will need a strong stake as the plant won't
have the strength to hold itself up for some years and even then can easily
be blown over by wind as the one by the river in Lower Sunbury was a few
years ago.

The one and only that we have now is indeed on a sturdy stake but is
unsupported as to the umbrella. I've tried to tell Matthew what it is I'm
thinking of because my drawing abilities are nil. He's fantastically good
at working with wood, so if he has time this winter, I might be lucky.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

On 27/11/05 17:19, in article
, "Sacha"
wrote:

On 27/11/05 16:21, in article ,
"Dave Poole" wrote:

I don't know whether they are still available, but many moons ago you
could get trainers for weeping roses - rather like very heavy duty
hanging baskets around 3 feet in diameter. I nailed one to the top of
a 7 foot oak post and ran a white Wisteria up it. Partly in the
interests of getting coverage a.s.a.p. I allowed several stems to run
up the pole, plaiting them as they went. The theory being that in
time, the resultant trunk would also provide greater strength and
aesthetic appeal when exposed in winter. Whether either of these
proved true is unknown because I moved from that garden over 25 years
ago.

However, the short term effect over the first 6 or 7 years was
extremely pleasing. There were 7 or 8 main laterals trained over and
down and from these, sub-laterals and flowering spurs, which provided
a magnificent show every year. Of course the training is a little
more fiddly compared to when you grow it on a wall, but its well worth
the extra effort. It is far simpler to train to a smaller, self
supporting head and you will be pleased with the outcome. But if you
train to a broader crown, it will yield far more flowers and much
greater impact.

Very interesting info indeed. Thanks, David and I'll talk to the
appropriate 'helpers' re that one. Next time you're here, please remind me
to get you to have a look at the one on the lawn now. You have reminded me
of something I had totally forgotten - when we were in the gardens of the
Getty Museum in LA, we saw tall (15'?) metal constructions with huge
upturned 'baskets' at the top. They had Bougainvillea growing up them and
out through the baskets. It was spectacular. I suppose this is - in a wa -
what we're both talking about achieving. The constraints of course, are
plant and climate!


http://jameswagner.com/mt_archives/B...bartrellis.JPG

Sorry, I meant to append the above.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Sacha" wrote in message
.uk...
On 27/11/05 16:29, in article , "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote...
Is anyone else growing Wisterias as standards? We have one on the big
lawn
and I want to plant two more. But we have a mild argument occasionally
as
to
whether to just give them a stake and let them go straight up it or
whether
to make a three or four spoked frame and trail branches over that, thus
forcing a broader crown eventually. What does the panel think?

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)



The two in our garden have been grown on the platted stem system.
There is a thin metal stake at the core of the plat.
One has become a bit leany over but the one shown here is super.
I guess they are about 12 yr old.

http://www.geocities.com/thecanalsho...zzzzzzcopy.jpg

Regards
Pete
www.thecanalshop.com

The message
from Dave Poole contains these words:

I don't know whether they are still available, but many moons ago you
could get trainers for weeping roses - rather like very heavy duty
hanging baskets around 3 feet in diameter. I nailed one to the top of
a 7 foot oak post and ran a white Wisteria up it. Partly in the
interests of getting coverage a.s.a.p. I allowed several stems to run
up the pole, plaiting them as they went. The theory being that in
time, the resultant trunk would also provide greater strength and
aesthetic appeal when exposed in winter. Whether either of these
proved true is unknown because I moved from that garden over 25 years
ago.

In my garden I have a varigated ivy tree. For quite a while I thought it
was growing up a dead tree because the multiple stems looked like old
gnarled bark until examined carefully.

I found on examination that it was one of three old steel irrigation
pipes set upright in the ground, and the ivy had been given its head, so
to speak. It's bushed out at the top and looks for the world like a
tree.

I commend the idea to anyone who wants to plant a tree, but has nowhere
which is far enough from drainage or foundations.

However, the short term effect over the first 6 or 7 years was
extremely pleasing. There were 7 or 8 main laterals trained over and
down and from these, sub-laterals and flowering spurs, which provided
a magnificent show every year. Of course the training is a little
more fiddly compared to when you grow it on a wall, but its well worth
the extra effort. It is far simpler to train to a smaller, self
supporting head and you will be pleased with the outcome. But if you
train to a broader crown, it will yield far more flowers and much
greater impact.

Hmmm. I was thinking of getting a self-fertile Chinese gooseberry and
growing it up one of the others, and another vine which fruits for the
third.

--
Rusty
horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

In my garden I have a varigated ivy tree. For quite a while I thought it
was growing up a dead tree because the multiple stems looked like old
gnarled bark until examined carefully.

I found on examination that it was one of three old steel irrigation
pipes set upright in the ground, and the ivy had been given its head, so
to speak. It's bushed out at the top and looks for the world like a
tree.


Good job a chain saw wasn't taken to it :-((((

Mike
The truth will prevail

On 27/11/05 17:52, in article , "Peter
Stockdale" wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
.uk...
On 27/11/05 16:29, in article , "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote...
Is anyone else growing Wisterias as standards? We have one on the big
lawn
and I want to plant two more. But we have a mild argument occasionally
as
to
whether to just give them a stake and let them go straight up it or
whether
to make a three or four spoked frame and trail branches over that, thus
forcing a broader crown eventually. What does the panel think?

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)



The two in our garden have been grown on the platted stem system.
There is a thin metal stake at the core of the plat.
One has become a bit leany over but the one shown here is super.
I guess they are about 12 yr old.

This is absolutely terrific and thank you. It illustrates just what I want
to know, really which is that if you want the stems to grow outwards, and
then 'flowing' down, you probably need to train them that way. Yours
looks really lovely and gives urglers who might not have understood my
description, a chance to see what I was getting at.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Sacha" wrote in message
news:BFAFEFC5.24ABD%
--

This is absolutely terrific and thank you. It illustrates just what I
want
to know, really which is that if you want the stems to grow outwards, and
then 'flowing' down, you probably need to train them that way. Yours
looks really lovely and gives urglers who might not have understood my
description, a chance to see what I was getting at.
--
Sacha


Yes - I must attribute the credit to the previous owners who were
professional nurserypersons.
I have rather tended to let nature take it's course over the last four years
since we have moved here.
They flower twice - profusely in early summer and to on a lesser scale late
summer.
I must remember to do a piccy or two next year when they are in flower.

Regards
Pete
Nanneys Bridge Nursery

I have seenfor sale partly trained wisterias with the upturned-basket
wire frames. I think the stems were plaited.
This was at Pound Hill House, West Kington (Wilts I think), home of
Bunny Guinness's mother who is sister of David Austin.
I did not have the space or money needed. £200 - 300.

Pam in Bristol

On 28/11/05 10:52, in article ,
"Pam Moore" wrote:

I have seenfor sale partly trained wisterias with the upturned-basket
wire frames. I think the stems were plaited.
This was at Pound Hill House, West Kington (Wilts I think), home of
Bunny Guinness's mother who is sister of David Austin.
I did not have the space or money needed. £200 - 300.

Thud!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)