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Pergola plants for Autumn planting??

AcuwellAcuwell Posts: 87
in Plants
We have just built a large pergola and want to plant now in the Autumn to get things going for growth next year.  We'd like Clematis, Jasmine, Honeysuckle and something evergreen. Also something that will grow well and last in a largish pot. What would be suitable to plant now please?   

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Autumn is the best time to plant stuff in the ground while it's warm and moist as roots can grow and develop without the stress of supporting upper growth and activity while plants are dormant.

    If you're planting in pots it can be done at any time of year as you control the growing medium (compost), feeding and watering.

    Do you have a colour scheme in mind?  A particular season of interest or a desire for year round interest?  Where are you?  Soil, climate, aspect and exposure will make a huge difference to what will grow well.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • AcuwellAcuwell Posts: 87
    Thank you!  No particular colour scheme but would like to cover all year interest either with evergreen or Spring/Summer/Autumn colour.  We are South Cotswolds, a little windy as up higher, not in the valleys, soil is 7.5pH but recently added soil improver/manure etc.  Pergola faces West and gets full on sun second half of the day.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    That's only just on the acid side of neutral so allows a wide variety of plants altho clematis appreciate more alkalinity so I would suggest improving the soil structure with a mulch every autumn and add calcium as well as microrhizal fungae to the mix when planting clematis.

    Plenty of choice for that aspect too from honeysuckles such as lonicera etrusca Superba or lonicera similis delavayi which can be semi evergreen in milder winters or Harlequin if you prefer a richer colour or Mandarin which is more orangey;  repeat flowering rambling roses such as Lady of the Lake or Malvern Hills or Snowgoose clematis from David Austin are generally easier to train than climbers as their stems aren't as stiff and then jasmine for more perfume.

    All sorts of clematis will like that aspect so it depends on whether you want large-flowered or the dainty bell shaped blooms.  Betty Corning and Princess Diana are favourites of mine and, being group 3s, make pruning and care very easy.

    You could even try a grape such as - https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/73150/Vitis-vinifera-Madeleine-Angevine-(O-W)/Details

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • AcuwellAcuwell Posts: 87
    Hi
    Thanks that's brilliant.  We don't want roses as we have small grand children running around but the rest all sounds great so thank you very much.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Grandchildren won't be small for very long and need to be trained to respect plants, animals, people..............   I'd have the roses.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Richard HodsonRichard Hodson Posts: 790
    Best choice of clematis, in my opinion, for pergolas are some of the taller Integrifolia Group cultivars, some wrongly call them Diversifolia.  They clothe the pillars of the pergola to about 6 ft, you don't want all the flowers and foliage high up on top of the pergola. A few pictures of some that we use.  They need tying in to a piece of green netting round the pillar, then chopping hard back in Winter, stunning colours all Summer.   Blue Boy, Blue Rain, Alionushka.
  • AcuwellAcuwell Posts: 87
    Hi Richard - thanks for the photos they look gorgeous!  Do they grow up further, over the top of the pergola too or just up the pillars?
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