trellis and something to climb quickly

samuela66

:)Hiya,

have borwsed the pages and couldnt see an answer, my b/f is putting a trellis with an arch at the top of the steps going down to our shed, I would like to know what would have a nice flower and wouldclimb pretty quickly so I can get it going....

many thanks
sam:p

myalphabetgirls

We did something similar in our previous house. Someone told us to plant both a clematis (slow growing, will look good next year) but for instant charm in a few weeks this summer, sow some morning glory from seed. Its only an annual but it climbs dead quick with beautiful big purpley blue trumpets. Double whammy. hth

elsien

The problem with things that grow very quickly is that they tend to get carried away and keep growing equally as quickly when they get to the top of the trellis, so you get lots of growth and flowers way over your head and bare stems closer to ground level.
So I'd go for something slower growing that's more easily managed, or something that doesn't mind being severely hacked back every year.
How big is your trellis (height and width) and do you want evergreen or don't you mind?

samuela66

elsien wrote: »

The problem with things that grow very quickly is that they tend to get carried away and keep growing equally as quickly when they get to the top of the trellis, so you get lots of growth and flowers way over your head and bare stems closer to ground level.
So I'd go for something slower growing that's more easily managed, or something that doesn't mind being severely hacked back every year.
How big is your trellis (height and width) and do you want evergreen or don't you mind?

Hi Elsien,

We dont mind evergreen but would like something that flowers nicely in the summer, 12foot wide and 6 foot high it is.....
We are pretty new to this, so havent that much of a clue..

samx

Kay_Peel

You can't beat a fragrant climbing rose

I got a couple from Aldi last year. They were as cheap as chips, healthy and vigorous. They were probably two of the best plant purchases that I have ever made

Don't even think about a Rambling Rose. They are rampant and can easily grow to 30 feet. I got one from a local man two years ago and it came as a small little plant with about six stems. He warned me about it and to be honest I didn't believe him. It is now half way up a hazel tree, and growing through the length of the hedge at the back of my house. It's got dagger-like thorns that can get through the toughest gardening glove. :eek: Spectacular but totally running amok.

Steel_2

Kay_Peel wrote: »

You can't beat a fragrant climbing rose

I got a couple from Aldi last year. They were as cheap as chips, healthy and vigorous. They were probably two of the best plant purchases that I have ever made

Don't even think about a Rambling Rose. They are rampant and can easily grow to 30 feet. I got one from a local man two years ago and it came as a small little plant with about six stems. He warned me about it and to be honest I didn't believe him. It is now half way up a hazel tree, and growing through the length of the hedge at the back of my house. It's got dagger-like thorns that can get through the toughest gardening glove. :eek: Spectacular but totally running amok.

Kay - how much growth did you roses put on and how quickly? I planted a new climber about 8 weeks ago and it's sprouted about 4 new small red shoots and seems to have stopped. At this rate it's going to take years before it even gets to the first rung of the arch it's growing up against.

Kay_Peel

Steel wrote: »

Kay - how much growth did you roses put on and how quickly? I planted a new climber about 8 weeks ago and it's sprouted about 4 new small red shoots and seems to have stopped. At this rate it's going to take years before it even gets to the first rung of the arch it's growing up against.

Your climber sounds as if it's doing the right thing. Before being sold to you it will have been pruned back hard to encourage new shoots for the base - and that's what you've got.

Now, here's the trick to get a really good climber for next year:

In late September these shoots will be flexible and you have to bend them, as far as possible, to be horizontal or at a 45 degree angle. Tie them to the structure.

If you don't train them then they produce a measly, spindly,leggy stem with one rose on the top (3 feet tall after 12 months) and nothing below it. Bending the shoots sideways makes the rose produce more shoots that will climb up the arch and make flowering 'laterals' right from the base to the top.

You'll get a very balanced, dense growth and you just have to keep tying the new shoots down to make it make grow taller. It sounds crazy but that's how it works!

With 4 new shoots, your climber is well on the way to being vigorous! :beer:

Steel_2

Kay_Peel wrote: »

Your climber sounds as if it's doing the right thing. Before being sold to you it will have been pruned back hard to encourage new shoots for the base - and that's what you've got.

Now, here's the trick to get a really good climber for next year:

In late September these shoots will be flexible and you have to bend them, as far as possible, to be horizontal or at a 45 degree angle. Tie them to the structure.

If you don't train them then they produce a measly, spindly,leggy stem with one rose on the top (3 feet tall after 12 months) and nothing below it. Bending the shoots sideways makes the rose produce more shoots that will climb up the arch and make flowering 'laterals' right from the base to the top.

You'll get a very balanced, dense growth and you just have to keep tying the new shoots down to make it make grow taller. It sounds crazy but that's how it works!

With 4 new shoots, your climber is well on the way to being vigorous! :beer:

Aha! I shall go out there now and examine it in light of the information you've just given me. Cheers!

munikwa

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elsien

You could maybe think about having 2 clematis which flower at different times of year? There's a site here with lots of info.
http://gardenaction.co.uk/plantfinder/clematis_1.asp
As long as they're ones you prune at roughly the same time that should work ok.
(Or you could do what I did and email one of the specialist clematis nurseries for advice.)

I'm not that keen on roses on a trellis as I don't think they give as much cover once they're finished flowering. Just a personal opinion though.
Or you could maybe think about a slower growing jasmine - some of them are scented and have pretty flowers. Again, you need to check the variety carefully though. I bought the wrong one, and you can't see the flowers under the foliage.

myrnahaz

I'd recommend clematis as well, but be aware that we once had one that seemed to grow towards the sun and ended up flowering on next-door neighbour's side of the wall.
We've just built a pergola and put up a trellis (2 weeks ago) and I wanted exactly the same as the OP - fast, dense cover. It's pure luck that we bought the plants you've all suggested; I had some summer-flowering clematis (which is growing like wildfire and already starting to bud), climbing roses (They haven't grown a milimetre yet but I'll follow Kay Peel's advice for them), jasmine (which is growing slowly so I don't know if it has 'hidden' flowers) and my in-laws gave me some Morning Glory seedlings (they only went in on Saturday so I don't know how they'll grow) - so I feel really pleased at choosing the right things. I also bought a wisteria, which was already big and flowering when I bought it but has really taken off and should be good for next year. Thanks.