All right, it is not THAT bad, but it is in the rain shadow of the
house and gets no direct rain at all. Cyclamen coum LOVE the location
and it is underplanted with them. It faces north east and there is a
paving block drive that gets rain and it can reach with its roots.

I had a Clematis henryi, which was spectacular for 2 years, OK for
one and then dropped dead. I have a Lonicera japonica, but it has
never really looked good because of the summer drought effect. I am
thinking of trying a passion flower, but am not sure whether it will
be happy with so little sun.

It is fairly sheltered by my standards, but nothing that can't take
an air frost of -5 Celcius has a hope, and it really needs to be
able to take -10 Celcius. I really want something evergreen, too,
if possible, which passion flowers aren't really (here).

Any other ideas?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

All right, it is not THAT bad, but it is in the rain shadow of the
house and gets no direct rain at all. Cyclamen coum LOVE the location
and it is underplanted with them. It faces north east and there is a
paving block drive that gets rain and it can reach with its roots.

I had a Clematis henryi, which was spectacular for 2 years, OK for
one and then dropped dead. I have a Lonicera japonica, but it has
never really looked good because of the summer drought effect. I am
thinking of trying a passion flower, but am not sure whether it will
be happy with so little sun.

It is fairly sheltered by my standards, but nothing that can't take
an air frost of -5 Celcius has a hope, and it really needs to be
able to take -10 Celcius. I really want something evergreen, too,
if possible, which passion flowers aren't really (here).

Any other ideas?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
You could try Ercilla volubilis, Roger Van loon got on ok with it in Begium,
its a thug here in the shade and very scented in February-march when it
flowers. mine is also growing on a heap of builders rubble so quite dry

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

in article , Charlie Pridham at
wrote on 24/8/03 5:14 pm:


"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

All right, it is not THAT bad, but it is in the rain shadow of the
house and gets no direct rain at all. Cyclamen coum LOVE the location
and it is underplanted with them. It faces north east and there is a
paving block drive that gets rain and it can reach with its roots.
snip
You could try Ercilla volubilis, Roger Van loon got on ok with it in Begium,
its a thug here in the shade and very scented in February-march when it
flowers. mine is also growing on a heap of builders rubble so quite dry

Charlie, did yours take a while to get going? Ours certainly did but it
seems to have taken off a bit more now. We have it in the front of the
house but not going up it. It's coming over a low wall where we park our
cars.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove the 'x' to email me)

The message
from (Nick Maclaren) contains these words:

All right, it is not THAT bad, but it is in the rain shadow of the
house and gets no direct rain at all. Cyclamen coum LOVE the location
and it is underplanted with them. It faces north east and there is a
paving block drive that gets rain and it can reach with its roots.

Discard drain from paved area to wall idea - you might not appreciate
dampness problems which may arise......

I had a Clematis henryi, which was spectacular for 2 years, OK for
one and then dropped dead.

Not surprised. They like a moist place.

I have a Lonicera japonica, but it has
never really looked good because of the summer drought effect. I am
thinking of trying a passion flower, but am not sure whether it will
be happy with so little sun.

I wouldn't think so. Also, it doesn't like it too cold in the winter,
and may be killed off by a long frost.

It is fairly sheltered by my standards, but nothing that can't take
an air frost of -5 Celcius has a hope, and it really needs to be
able to take -10 Celcius. I really want something evergreen, too,
if possible, which passion flowers aren't really (here).

Ah, makes my previous point.

Any other ideas?

I could send you a large-leaf varigated ivy?

--
Rusty http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm
horrid·squeak snailything zetnet·co·uk exchange d.p. with p to
reply.

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
in article , Charlie Pridham
at
wrote on 24/8/03 5:14 pm:


"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...


Charlie, did yours take a while to get going? Ours certainly did but it
seems to have taken off a bit more now. We have it in the front of the
house but not going up it. It's coming over a low wall where we park our
cars.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove the 'x' to email me)

Yes, very slow to start, then I discovered the miracle of water! that's what
made me think it would succeed in a dry spot (eventually) it now gets
everywhere.

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

in article , Charlie Pridham
at wrote on 25/8/03 8:27 am:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
in article , Charlie Pridham
at
wrote on 24/8/03 5:14 pm:


"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...


Charlie, did yours take a while to get going? Ours certainly did but it
seems to have taken off a bit more now. We have it in the front of the
house but not going up it. It's coming over a low wall where we park our
cars.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove the 'x' to email me)

Yes, very slow to start, then I discovered the miracle of water! that's what
made me think it would succeed in a dry spot (eventually) it now gets
everywhere.

Ours will get normal rainfall but has been shaded by other things (now
ruthlessly cut back) so I'll be interested to see how it goes on next year.
But I do find it a slow starter.

--

Sacha
(remove the 'x' to email me)

Thanks for the suggestions. I will certainly look at Ercilla.
For now, I have stuck a Passiflora incarnata (from seed) and will
see if it overwinters. It is only herbaceous, anyway, so I need
a more permanent plant.

I find the behaviour of clematis odd. Some of them certainly don't
mind absolutely dessicated soil, if they can get their roots down
to water. The tops of the chalk downs can be really waterless,
and C. tangutica also seems very happy with any (UK) amount of
drought. But others do OK for a bit and then tend to drop dead.
Weird.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.