Hello all,

I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to plants/gardening hence any
advice appreciated.

Can any 1 out there in cyberspace recommend an evergreen, fast growing,
hardy climber. Flowers would be nice aswell - if such a plant actually
exists.

Ta

In message , Chris
writes
Hello all,

I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to plants/gardening hence any
advice appreciated.

Can any 1 out there in cyberspace recommend an evergreen, fast growing,
hardy climber. Flowers would be nice aswell - if such a plant actually
exists.

Ta



I don't know about recommend, but ivy is evergreen, fairly fast growing,
and has flowers and berries, even if they're not much to shout about
(but they're good for wildlife, or so I'm told).

I inherited some ivy with the house, and I'm finding it too aggressive.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

"Chris" wrote...

I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to plants/gardening hence any
advice appreciated.

Can any 1 out there in cyberspace recommend an evergreen, fast growing,
hardy climber. Flowers would be nice aswell - if such a plant actually
exists.

You don't say where abouts you are so some may not do well where you
are...what's hardy for me may not be for you.
Antway, a browse in my books shows.....
Jasminum polyanthum and officinale
Clianthus pumiceus (red or white available)
Trachelospermum jasminoides
Berberidopsis corallina
Mutisia decurrens (can be difficult at first)
There is also a Clematis whose name escapes me.
--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK

Bob Hobden wrote:
"Chris" wrote...

snip

There is also a Clematis whose name escapes me.

Something 'Honey' ?? I've been trying to find it.
--
ßôyþëtë
London, UK

"Chris" wrote in message
...
Hello all,

I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to plants/gardening hence any
advice appreciated.

Can any 1 out there in cyberspace recommend an evergreen, fast growing,
hardy climber. Flowers would be nice aswell - if such a plant actually
exists.

Ta


There are some honeysuckles which will fit the bill Lonicera japonica in the
form 'Acumen' has good leaves and scented flowers in summer. Lonicera henryi
has orange flowers but is a somewhat boring (if tough) plant. these two will
not be fussy about which way they face and neither would Ivy be, but if the
direction is sunny there is a lot more choice. You might then consider
Solanum laxum Album or Passiflora caerulea.
My favourite evergreens are the Holboelias and Trachelospermums but you
definitely need warmth to grow them well.

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

In article ,
"Bob Hobden" writes:
| "Chris" wrote...
|
| I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to plants/gardening hence any
| advice appreciated.
|
| Can any 1 out there in cyberspace recommend an evergreen, fast growing,
| hardy climber. Flowers would be nice aswell - if such a plant actually
| exists.
|
| You don't say where abouts you are so some may not do well where you
| are...what's hardy for me may not be for you.

Quite. In the coldest parts of the country, the answer is ivy. There
is no other. I have heard mixed reports about Hedera colchica, but
most varieties of Hedera helix are completely hardy.

| Antway, a browse in my books shows.....
| Jasminum polyanthum and officinale
| Clianthus pumiceus (red or white available)
| Trachelospermum jasminoides
| Berberidopsis corallina
| Mutisia decurrens (can be difficult at first)
| There is also a Clematis whose name escapes me.

Sorry, but it is complete nonsense, outside the warmest parts of the
UK. What books were those?

In most places, Clematis armandii is hardy with a little protection
from the wind but it gets iffy beyond that. All of the jasmines and
honeysuckles are either tender or effectively deciduous in what were
normal winters in most of England up until a decade ago. And those
winters may return. Near the south and west coasts and in London,
there is a MUCH longer list.

Sorry, Charlie, but NONE of your list is reliably hardy AND reliably
evergreen in such winters, to my certain knowledge. Except for
L. henryi, which I didn't grow then, but which is said to be slightly
tender by comparison with L. japonica.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
"Bob Hobden" writes:
| "Chris" wrote...
|
| I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to plants/gardening hence
any
| advice appreciated.
|
| Can any 1 out there in cyberspace recommend an evergreen, fast
growing,
| hardy climber. Flowers would be nice aswell - if such a plant
actually
| exists.
|
| You don't say where abouts you are so some may not do well where you
| are...what's hardy for me may not be for you.

Quite. In the coldest parts of the country, the answer is ivy. There
is no other. I have heard mixed reports about Hedera colchica, but
most varieties of Hedera helix are completely hardy.

| Antway, a browse in my books shows.....
| Jasminum polyanthum and officinale
| Clianthus pumiceus (red or white available)
| Trachelospermum jasminoides
| Berberidopsis corallina
| Mutisia decurrens (can be difficult at first)
| There is also a Clematis whose name escapes me.

Sorry, but it is complete nonsense, outside the warmest parts of the
UK. What books were those?

In most places, Clematis armandii is hardy with a little protection
from the wind but it gets iffy beyond that. All of the jasmines and
honeysuckles are either tender or effectively deciduous in what were
normal winters in most of England up until a decade ago. And those
winters may return. Near the south and west coasts and in London,
there is a MUCH longer list.

Sorry, Charlie, but NONE of your list is reliably hardy AND reliably
evergreen in such winters, to my certain knowledge. Except for
L. henryi, which I didn't grow then, but which is said to be slightly
tender by comparison with L. japonica.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In that case the only advice is to move! :~))

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

In article ,
"Charlie Pridham" writes:
|
| Sorry, Charlie, but NONE of your list is reliably hardy AND reliably
| evergreen in such winters, to my certain knowledge. Except for
| L. henryi, which I didn't grow then, but which is said to be slightly
| tender by comparison with L. japonica.
|
| In that case the only advice is to move! :~))

Well, yes, but the only real problem is wanting them evergreen;
much as with hedges, where there are just two reliably hardy and
reliably evergreen ones that make good hedges: holly and yew.
[ Yes, conifers can be used, but you can't restore them after
serious neglect. ]

I can grow many of the nominally evergreen climbers, but few are
reliably evergreen here. It's not a catastrophic loss.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote after ((SNIP))
"Bob Hobden" replied to:
| "Chris" who wrote...
|
| I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to plants/gardening hence
any
| advice appreciated.
|
| Can any 1 out there in cyberspace recommend an evergreen, fast
growing,
| hardy climber. Flowers would be nice aswell - if such a plant
actually
| exists.
|
| You don't say where abouts you are so some may not do well where you
| are...what's hardy for me may not be for you.

Quite. In the coldest parts of the country, the answer is ivy. There
is no other. I have heard mixed reports about Hedera colchica, but
most varieties of Hedera helix are completely hardy.

| Antway, a browse in my books shows.....
| Jasminum polyanthum and officinale
| Clianthus pumiceus (red or white available)
| Trachelospermum jasminoides
| Berberidopsis corallina
| Mutisia decurrens (can be difficult at first)
| There is also a Clematis whose name escapes me.

Sorry, but it is complete nonsense, outside the warmest parts of the
UK. What books were those?

That's why I mentioned about "hardy" being relative to position in the UK.
Most would probably be OK for me unless we have a very cold winter like
years ago, certainly Jasminum is rampant and completely evergreen in
sis-in-laws garden over Hampton way.

--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK

In article ,
"Bob Hobden" writes:
|
| That's why I mentioned about "hardy" being relative to position in the UK.
| Most would probably be OK for me unless we have a very cold winter like
| years ago, certainly Jasminum is rampant and completely evergreen in
| sis-in-laws garden over Hampton way.

J. officinale is definitely deciduous throughout most of England, except
for the south, west and London. Bean states that J. polyanthum must
have protection even at Kew. But note that many locations against
houses do count as protection.

You don't need a very cold winter - anything except a very mild one
will cause the effects I am referring to.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Chris wrote:
Hello all,

I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to plants/gardening hence any
advice appreciated.

Can any 1 out there in cyberspace recommend an evergreen, fast
growing, hardy climber. Flowers would be nice aswell - if such a
plant actually exists.

Ta

I recently bought a Pyracantha 'Golden Charmer' (Don't know the Latin),
which, according to the label, would suit Chris's request.
Comments?
--
ßôyþëtë
London, UK

In article ,
"BoyPete" writes:
| Chris wrote:
|
| I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to plants/gardening hence any
| advice appreciated.
|
| Can any 1 out there in cyberspace recommend an evergreen, fast
| growing, hardy climber. Flowers would be nice aswell - if such a
| plant actually exists.
|
| I recently bought a Pyracantha 'Golden Charmer' (Don't know the Latin),
| which, according to the label, would suit Chris's request.
| Comments?

It's not a climber, though it can be pruned to lie against a wall.
Given suitable conditions, it grows 6' in a season (with new stems
over 1" at the base), equipped with vicious thorns. The main reason
for treating it as a wall shrub is to restrict its root run, and so
make it grow more slowly.

It's also not reliably evergreen in the UK, outside the warmer parts.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

A bit more info.

I have just bought a garden arch which I would like the climber to cover -so
people will be walking through it to get to the back garden (climbing roses
would not be a good idea due to thorns)

I am in North Wales - the arch will be exposed to direct sunlight for most
of the day. I live on the side of a hill, so sometimes there is a gale
howling around the bungalow - so cant be anything too delicate.

Does this narrow it down?

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Chris" wrote...

I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to plants/gardening hence any
advice appreciated.

Can any 1 out there in cyberspace recommend an evergreen, fast growing,
hardy climber. Flowers would be nice aswell - if such a plant actually
exists.

You don't say where abouts you are so some may not do well where you
are...what's hardy for me may not be for you.
Antway, a browse in my books shows.....
Jasminum polyanthum and officinale
Clianthus pumiceus (red or white available)
Trachelospermum jasminoides
Berberidopsis corallina
Mutisia decurrens (can be difficult at first)
There is also a Clematis whose name escapes me.
--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK

In article ,
"Chris" writes:
| A bit more info.
|
| I have just bought a garden arch which I would like the climber to cover -so
| people will be walking through it to get to the back garden (climbing roses
| would not be a good idea due to thorns)
|
| I am in North Wales - the arch will be exposed to direct sunlight for most
| of the day. I live on the side of a hill, so sometimes there is a gale
| howling around the bungalow - so cant be anything too delicate.
|
| Does this narrow it down?

Yes. If you insist on evergreen, that means ivy. I doubt that any
of the other ones that are evergreen even with you would tolerate
a gale. And, by ivy, I mean Hedera helix.

Several of the honeysuckles will have no problem - Lonicera periclymenum
is native to the uplands of Britain, and has several cultivated
varieties.

Several of the clematis would almost certainly be happy, too (NOT
C. armandii, the evergreen one), but I don't know how well the other
good climbers (wisteria etc.) take wind.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Thanks Nick - and to everyone else who replied. Interesting reading for a
novice like myself.

Hedera helix it is.

Chris
"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
"Chris" writes:
| A bit more info.
|
| I have just bought a garden arch which I would like the climber to
cover -so
| people will be walking through it to get to the back garden (climbing
roses
| would not be a good idea due to thorns)
|
| I am in North Wales - the arch will be exposed to direct sunlight for
most
| of the day. I live on the side of a hill, so sometimes there is a gale
| howling around the bungalow - so cant be anything too delicate.
|
| Does this narrow it down?

Yes. If you insist on evergreen, that means ivy. I doubt that any
of the other ones that are evergreen even with you would tolerate
a gale. And, by ivy, I mean Hedera helix.

Several of the honeysuckles will have no problem - Lonicera periclymenum
is native to the uplands of Britain, and has several cultivated
varieties.

Several of the clematis would almost certainly be happy, too (NOT
C. armandii, the evergreen one), but I don't know how well the other
good climbers (wisteria etc.) take wind.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.