I have a similar sounding awkward space between the front door and bay window wall, south/west facing. Very dry due to rain shadow of the house and the bricks radiate a huge amount of heat in the summer sun... I call it Killer Corner 😆.
I normally use seasonal pots on rotation to fill the gap as not much survives there for long. The only permanent resident is 'sedum spathifolium purpureum'. A 'brachyglottis' introduced this spring seems to be holding up well without wilting too.
After some research I have bought a 'passiflora' this year. Only a small one (cheap) and am growing it on a bit before I place it there. There is soil but I'm undecided whether to plant it or keep in a large pot. The RHS info says they're H4 (hardiness) so should survive overwinter 😕.
@stuart.dot Don't know if sand would work you could try it ,containers would be very heavy when wet. I'm in my 60's so trying to reduce weight is important for me that's why I was suggesting light weight insulation solutions
Hello, @Fire sorry, been a bit awol dealing with guests and trying to keep them entertained in torrential rain!
I have baking summers and freezing winters, Stuart, the only things I have in large pots are some roses (not climbers) which cope ok, with their heads in the sun but the pots themselves are shaded and thats critical to their survival. So the trick is not to let the pots themselves bake. The double pot insulating already suggested might work, or putting a collection of other pots in front, maybe growing in them some tallish drought-tolerant annuals that don’t mind a baking - that would shade the main pot and the climber’s roots during the summer. Or belt and braces - both insulation and shading from other pots.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Here's some advice you might not have had so far. I would get a plant I actually like and want, rather than one that is just suitable, or recommended, because I just probably won't like it... you've got to like what you plant.
Second, get a large square container, not a round one. Top heavy round pots blow over, square are more stable and don't... make sure it's straight sided without any impediments. Repotting is a nightmare if the pot is not absolutely straight..
Climbers are labour intensive. You will have to feed and water very often, every day with the water which means you cannot go away on holiday and just leave it..
Not many people can stick to a regime like this, which is why I think so many fail, they don't water deep enough or often enough, and perfectly good plants get neglected and don't thrive.. unless one can stick to this it isn't worth getting involved in climbing plants in pots... a few Pelargoniums for the summer look just as nice, and incredibly simple to maintain...
I agree that the question with a lot of the options are the amount of dedicated maintenance and attention needed. If you have the will, there will be a way.
Posts
Very dry due to rain shadow of the house and the bricks radiate a huge amount of heat in the summer sun... I call it Killer Corner 😆.
I normally use seasonal pots on rotation to fill the gap as not much survives there for long. The only permanent resident is 'sedum spathifolium purpureum'. A 'brachyglottis' introduced this spring seems to be holding up well without wilting too.
After some research I have bought a 'passiflora' this year. Only a small one (cheap) and am growing it on a bit before I place it there. There is soil but I'm undecided whether to plant it or keep in a large pot.
The RHS info says they're H4 (hardiness) so should survive overwinter 😕.
I have baking summers and freezing winters, Stuart, the only things I have in large pots are some roses (not climbers) which cope ok, with their heads in the sun but the pots themselves are shaded and thats critical to their survival. So the trick is not to let the pots themselves bake. The double pot insulating already suggested might work, or putting a collection of other pots in front, maybe growing in them some tallish drought-tolerant annuals that don’t mind a baking - that would shade the main pot and the climber’s roots during the summer. Or belt and braces - both insulation and shading from other pots.
Second, get a large square container, not a round one. Top heavy round pots blow over, square are more stable and don't... make sure it's straight sided without any impediments. Repotting is a nightmare if the pot is not absolutely straight..
Climbers are labour intensive. You will have to feed and water very often, every day with the water which means you cannot go away on holiday and just leave it..
Not many people can stick to a regime like this, which is why I think so many fail, they don't water deep enough or often enough, and perfectly good plants get neglected and don't thrive.. unless one can stick to this it isn't worth getting involved in climbing plants in pots... a few Pelargoniums for the summer look just as nice, and incredibly simple to maintain...
train a fig against your warm south facing wall ... heaven on earth
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.