Climbers for shade
 

The south west corner of my garden has 6 ft high fences which are
not mine (and one is a bit ramshackle), and there is also summer
shade from deciduous trees.

In this corner at present I have an elderly mock orange, which is
no longer flourishing, and a bamboo, of the non-invasive variety,
which is now a little too large for the location.

My plan for next spring is to remove these plants, together with
a self-seeded Hawthorn on the boundary, and install three 6 ft
trellis panels, on new posts a few inches inside my property, so
as to avoid any support issues. (1)

I would like a selection of climbers to cover the trellis, and
give interest all year.

What clematis would be happy in a shady spot? How about an
evergreen honeysuckle? What else should I consider? Might I give
myself problems if I mix plants with different pruning
requirements?

(1) Yes, I will take photos first, just to establish the history.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.

Climbers for shade
 

On 09/23/2010 01:48 PM, Chris J Dixon wrote:
[]
I would like a selection of climbers to cover the trellis, and
give interest all year.

What clematis would be happy in a shady spot? How about an
evergreen honeysuckle? What else should I consider? Might I give
myself problems if I mix plants with different pruning
requirements?
[]
Hydrangea petiolaris is a good option in shade too.

-E

Climbers for shade
 

Chris J Dixon wrote:
What clematis would be happy in a shady spot? How about an
evergreen honeysuckle? What else should I consider? Might I give
myself problems if I mix plants with different pruning
requirements?

I have to say, I have winter-flowering jasmine and summer (I think)
flowering honeysuckle, and the pruning is a nightmare!

The trouble with any climber is that they have developed the climbing habit to enable them to clamber out of the shade of the surrounding vegetation and into the light at the top. So I would expect almost any clematis or honeysuckle to try to do the same - in other words, you'd get some bare stems up the trellis and flowers on branches dangling over your neighbour's side in the sun.

The solution I think would be to go for something less vigorous, so you can demand that it flowers while still in the shade or else ;-)

You could go for a trainable shrub rather than a climber, in which case I'd be thinking about pyracantha (white flowers in spring, orange or red berries in autumn) or possible chaenomeles (japanese quince - pink or red flowers in spring, edible yellow fruits in autumn). Or a shrub rose that will tolerate shade - I have Rosa mundi flowering well on a north facing wall. If you want a clematis, try something like jouiana, which is a scrambler not a climber.

For what it's worth, we lost our C armandii last winter.

Climbers for shade
 

On 23 Sep, 12:48, Chris J Dixon wrote:
The south west corner of my garden has 6 ft high fences which are
not mine (and one is a bit ramshackle), and there is also summer
shade from deciduous trees.

In this corner at present I have an elderly mock orange, which is
no longer flourishing, and a bamboo, of the non-invasive variety,
which is now a little too large for the location.

My plan for next spring is to remove these plants, together with
a self-seeded Hawthorn on the boundary, and install three 6 ft
trellis panels, on new posts a few inches inside my property, so
as to avoid any support issues. (1)

I would like a selection of climbers to cover the trellis, and
give interest all year.

What clematis would be happy in a shady spot? How about an
evergreen honeysuckle? What else should I consider? Might I give
myself problems if I mix plants with different pruning
requirements?

(1) Yes, I will take photos first, just to establish the history.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon *Nottingham UK


Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.

Ivy springs instantly to mind. Most climbing plants are happy in the
shade, they climb up into the sunshine & flower there. They are
genetically progammed to do just this.
You can always tell shade loving plants, their leaves are a very dark
green, they need lots of chlorophyl to gather energy from low light
levels.
eg holly rhododenrums etc.

Climbers for shade
 

Sacha wrote:
On 2010-09-23 18:03:05 +0100, harry said:

On 23 Sep, 12:48, Chris J Dixon wrote:
The south west corner of my garden has 6 ft high fences which are
not mine (and one is a bit ramshackle), and there is also summer
shade from deciduous trees.

In this corner at present I have an elderly mock orange, which is
no longer flourishing, and a bamboo, of the non-invasive variety,
which is now a little too large for the location.

My plan for next spring is to remove these plants, together with
a self-seeded Hawthorn on the boundary, and install three 6 ft
trellis panels, on new posts a few inches inside my property, so
as to avoid any support issues. (1)

I would like a selection of climbers to cover the trellis, and
give interest all year.

What clematis would be happy in a shady spot? How about an
evergreen honeysuckle? What else should I consider? Might I give
myself problems if I mix plants with different pruning
requirements?

(1) Yes, I will take photos first, just to establish the history.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.

Ivy springs instantly to mind. Most climbing plants are happy in the
shade, they climb up into the sunshine & flower there. They are
genetically progammed to do just this.
You can always tell shade loving plants, their leaves are a very dark
green, they need lots of chlorophyl to gather energy from low light
levels.
eg holly rhododenrums etc.

Ivy on a trellis?

Ivy loves prising woodwork apart! I've got Vitis "Brant" together with
three clematis and the red-flowered Jasminum beesianum on one half of my
north-facing wall. The jasmine is a big disappointment: it's growing
well enough, but the flowers are pretty insignificant. The others,
though, are doing very well -- the vine, really grown for its autumn
colour, even has, in its second year, lots of small bunches of grapes.
The effect is a bit dreary in winter, though, but I try to distract the
eye with underplanted evergreen non-climbers, and a nice Green Man
plaque from Past Times.

--
Mike.

Climbers for shade
 

On 09/23/2010 03:18 PM, Sacha wrote:
On 2010-09-23 13:28:13 +0100, Emery Davis said:

On 09/23/2010 01:48 PM, Chris J Dixon wrote:
[]
I would like a selection of climbers to cover the trellis, and
give interest all year.

What clematis would be happy in a shady spot? How about an
evergreen honeysuckle? What else should I consider? Might I give
myself problems if I mix plants with different pruning
requirements?
[]
Hydrangea petiolaris is a good option in shade too.

-E

Getting it to go up a fence has always been a struggle I find. Maybe
it's because of whatever the wood's treated with?

That sounds like a good consideration to bare in mind. I've never tried
growing it up wood, just stone.

-E

Climbers for shade
 

On 23 Sep, 18:49, Sacha wrote:
On 2010-09-23 18:03:05 +0100, harry said:





On 23 Sep, 12:48, Chris J Dixon wrote:
The south west corner of my garden has 6 ft high fences which are
not mine (and one is a bit ramshackle), and there is also summer
shade from deciduous trees.

In this corner at present I have an elderly mock orange, which is
no longer flourishing, and a bamboo, of the non-invasive variety,
which is now a little too large for the location.

My plan for next spring is to remove these plants, together with
a self-seeded Hawthorn on the boundary, and install three 6 ft
trellis panels, on new posts a few inches inside my property, so
as to avoid any support issues. (1)

I would like a selection of climbers to cover the trellis, and
give interest all year.

What clematis would be happy in a shady spot? How about an
evergreen honeysuckle? What else should I consider? Might I give
myself problems if I mix plants with different pruning
requirements?

(1) Yes, I will take photos first, just to establish the history.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon *Nottingham UK


Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.

Ivy springs instantly to mind. Most climbing plants are happy in the
shade, they climb up into the sunshine & flower there. *They are
genetically progammed to do just this.
You can always tell shade loving plants, their leaves are a very dark
green, they need lots of chlorophyl to gather energy from low light
levels.
eg holly rhododenrums etc.

Ivy on a trellis?
--
Sachawww.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Why not?

Climbers for shade
 

On 23 Sep, 22:51, Sacha wrote:
On 2010-09-23 19:35:09 +0100, "Mike Lyle"
said:

Sacha wrote:
On 2010-09-23 18:03:05 +0100, harry said:
snip

Ivy on a trellis?

Ivy loves prising woodwork apart! I've got Vitis "Brant" together with
three clematis and the red-flowered Jasminum beesianum on one half of my
north-facing wall. The jasmine is a big disappointment: it's growing
well enough, but the flowers are pretty insignificant. The others,
though, are doing very well -- the vine, really grown for its autumn
colour, even has, in its second year, lots of small bunches of grapes.
The effect is a bit dreary in winter, though, but I try to distract the
eye with underplanted evergreen non-climbers, and a nice Green Man
plaque from Past Times.

I was thinking of possibile difficulties with it on a trellis, though
because it's not a twiner, it's a clinger. * *I have tried it myself
and it going up a larch lap fence - which it didn't like - onto some
trellis - which it didn't like!
--
Sachawww.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

I had a huge mass of ivy (various clours) growing up/through a panel
fence. The trunk was 4" dia. The posts had rotted off at the bottom
in some places so I had to remove it all. There was clematis too. All
of them had got between the panesl and woven it into a solid mass.
Must have been thirty or forty years old. It was a chain saw job to
remove it.
Some of the posts were in concrete, they had rotted off. Some were in
the metal spikes, they were perfect in condition (so were the spikes)

Climbers for shade
 

On 24 Sep, 09:32, Sacha wrote:
On 2010-09-24 08:42:25 +0100, harry said:





On 23 Sep, 18:49, Sacha wrote:
On 2010-09-23 18:03:05 +0100, harry said:

On 23 Sep, 12:48, Chris J Dixon wrote:
The south west corner of my garden has 6 ft high fences which are
not mine (and one is a bit ramshackle), and there is also summer
shade from deciduous trees.

In this corner at present I have an elderly mock orange, which is
no longer flourishing, and a bamboo, of the non-invasive variety,
which is now a little too large for the location.

My plan for next spring is to remove these plants, together with
a self-seeded Hawthorn on the boundary, and install three 6 ft
trellis panels, on new posts a few inches inside my property, so
as to avoid any support issues. (1)

I would like a selection of climbers to cover the trellis, and
give interest all year.

What clematis would be happy in a shady spot? How about an
evergreen honeysuckle? What else should I consider? Might I give
myself problems if I mix plants with different pruning
requirements?

(1) Yes, I will take photos first, just to establish the history.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon *Nottingham UK


Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.

Ivy springs instantly to mind. Most climbing plants are happy in the
shade, they climb up into the sunshine & flower there. *They are
genetically progammed to do just this.
You can always tell shade loving plants, their leaves are a very dark
green, they need lots of chlorophyl to gather energy from low light
levels.
eg holly rhododenrums etc.

Ivy on a trellis?
--
Sachawww.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Why not?

Because it's not a twiner but a clinger. *I think they look a bit
strange with branches looking for something to cling to and finding
nothing, whereas a twiner will fill the gaps in a trellis and then
climb round itself once it reaches the top.
--
Sachawww.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I can tell you, it clings to wood real good. I had a hell of a job
ripping that lot off.

Climbers for shade
 

harry wrote:

Ivy springs instantly to mind. Most climbing plants are happy in the
shade, they climb up into the sunshine & flower there. They are
genetically progammed to do just this.

That is the one thing I don't need to add to this location. Apart
from this corner much of rest of one boundary fence is plastic
coated chicken wire, not in the best condition, the whole thing
now being held together by ivy. I don't mind it as a backdrop,
and get the impression that my neighbours, who are not keen
gardeners, don't want to have to do any maintenance. I simply
trim my side back to the boundary. (1) I don't want it to
encroach on my borders, and whilst it is more attractive than
some of the alternative fence materials one might encounter, I
was looking for a bit more interest.

Janet wrote:

What kind of fence does the neighbour have? Whatever climber you
plant, won't distinguish between which support (a few inches apart) it
grabs hold of; and many won't just stay demurely on one side of
trellis. So something to consider, is the depth of your access behind
the trellis, to control growth so it can't scramble onto the neighbours
fence or push against it, loosening your trellis.

That is a fair point. It is also worth ensuring that their ivy
doesn't spread onto my trellis.

I have a neighbour whose shady neglected jungle boundary and decrepit
fence were an eyesore, and have found the most effective concealment is
a narrow, dense free-standing screen planting of handsome all-year
foliage (includes yellow stemmed bamboo,purple phormiums,camellias,
evergreens)

That is why I originally planted the bamboo, and mock orange. The
bamboo worked well whilst it was low, but as it now reaches 6 ft,
and arches over, it is beginning to take more space than I think
it should. Since the one thing that you can't do with bamboo is
limit its length, I don't have many options.

My theory is that, rather than simply abandoning the corner and
admitting defeat, it would be more attractive to clear the space,
put climbers at the back, and make space for other, lower,
planting in front.

(1) There is a slight change in levels between gardens, with a
few stacked stones visible on my side as a retainer. It is not
easy to be sure who planted the ivy, which grows out of the
stones, or if it just appeared. I think it was already there,
rather smaller, when I moved in 25 years ago.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.

Climbers for shade
 

On 24 Sep, 13:48, Sacha wrote:
On 2010-09-24 13:12:33 +0100, harry said:





On 24 Sep, 09:32, Sacha wrote:
On 2010-09-24 08:42:25 +0100, harry said:
snipIvy on a trellis?
--
Sachawww.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Why not?

Because it's not a twiner but a clinger. *I think they look a bit
strange with branches looking for something to cling to and finding
nothing, whereas a twiner will fill the gaps in a trellis and then
climb round itself once it reaches the top.
--
Sachawww.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I can tell you, it clings to wood real good. I had a hell of a job
ripping that lot off.

I've always found it slow to get going on fencing but maybe that's
because of the wood used. *But we're also talking trellis and I think
it looks peculiar on trellis. *Mind you, all this is a matter of
personal taste. *That just happens to be mine. *We've also found it
fussy about growing on the wall of our house. *On one side of the front
door we have a variegated ivy which is so rampant that it is trying to
get in through the door and the window above. *It has to be cut back
severely each year. *On the other side of the door we have Paddy's
Pride which has taken a long time to get going but now, in one area is
heading skywards. *In a closely adjacent part of the wall, which is the
chimney breast, it's proving *very* reluctant to get going and so we
wonder if this is because the chimney breast has 150 years worth of
soot impregnated in it, even on the exterior!

--
Sachawww.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Yep. The problem is it prevents any maintenance to the wall. Often
hides the fact it needs any. I don't think it does any damage, may
even prevent frost damage. You need to keep it off the roof where it
can lift tiles/slates etc.
There are a variety of nasties in soot. But they wash away as time
goes by if the chimney is not in use.