Climbers for pergola

jack7

My DH and myself have built a small pergola at the end of our garden this weekend. I would like to plant some climbers to climb up the four corner posts but will need to plant them in pots. I'm not a very confident gardener and wondered if anyone can any one offer any suggestions? The site catches the evening sun but is under trees for most of the day as we back onto woods.

Also do pergola's normally have just one type of plant growing or would I have four different ones

charlies_mum

Hi,

Clematis are good climbers and there are so many varities you could have them flowering at different times. Honeysuckle is also a great climber, but may be a bit strong for a pergola - ask at your local garden centre.

Also, for quick cover, a Russian Vine - it grows so fast, you can almost see it growing

snake-metal-mama

HI,

I can highly recomend a GOLDEN HOP (Humulus lupulus 'Aureus')

http://www.paghat.com/hop.html info page from google

It will grow fast but die off at the end of the year so you can cut back for a tidyer look over the winter.

The leaves are lovely & they even produce proper hops - not sure about home-brew potential tho :beer:

Happy gardening

BUBBLES_3

Most climbers are hungry beings so I really would try to plant into the soil and not into pots. If what is below is not good stuff then dig out a hole as big as a ten litre bucket and fill it with a soil based compost like John Innes number 3 and plant into that. Once established the roots will go on a seek and find mission.

Try Wisteria or even a grape, Clematis 'Montana' is fast and gives a good show. Russian vine for me is too invasive, even the cuttings spring into plants, beware. Also look for something thats evergreen for a bit of winter colour

Debt_Free_Chick

Roses? Or one, at least

There a different varieties of Clematis including cirrhosa which flowers in Winter.

Have a browse through these climbers

paddy's_mum

Sorry but I wouldn't have russian vine under any circumstances. Not only do I think it stinks like cat pee but it can be, and usually is, an absolute thug. Golden hop is attractive but keeping it tidy at the end of the year can be time consuming and you then spend all winter looking at nothing but bare posts.

I have recently had a large pergola built and have done with this one what I have successfully done before. I try to plant two different things at each post so that at no time of the year am I looking at bare posts with equally bare stems growing up it.

I normally mix something evergreen, such as the small leaved ivies with something colourful, such as most of the jasmines and honeysuckles or perhaps climbing roses.

Something scented (my favourite is trachelospermum jasminoides - not easy to find but well worth the effort) is the icing on the cake and if the pergola is in a gloomy corner, something that flowers white or very light in colour will add another dimension when viewed at dusk. Hope that helps.

jack7

Hi all,

Thank you so much for all your suggestions. :T I love clematis so will seriously look at them and love the idea of planting two plants per post to cover all seasons. Don't know too much about hops etc but shall do some research now you've all pointed me in the right direction.

peter_the_piper

Try Trachelospermum Jasminoides. Smells and looks just like Jasmine, is evergreen with thick dark green leaves. Grows to about 2m and will take a few years to get there.

Sharifa_2

I have roses (LD Braithwaite - deep deep red) and clematis sieboldii (creamy-white with a purple retracted-petal centre).