Forum home› Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

How to grow honeysuckle up a fence

WildFlower_UKWildFlower_UK Posts: 236
in Plants
I was this week gifted two honeysuckle plants, and would like some advice about how to grow them up our fence.



Our plan is to plant one of them in front of the South facing fence panel that is currently obscured by tall grass (an experiment - we were intrigued to see how high it would grow!). We'd dig up the turf, and into our heavy clay soil below, mix in some compost and grit to improve drainage. I was thinking we would loosen the soil to a depth of around 10inches and a foot from the fence. We'd dig a bed the length of the fence panel to add a spare sunflower I have, and possibly add some more lower level plants at a later date (I'd quite like a rose bush as some apparently love clay soil which works well for us!).

Does anyone have any advice about how to plant the honeysuckle up the fence, and which of the two above would thrive best? And how to train it up; I've seen lots of options including wooden trellis and wire. We own the fence.

Any tips greatly appreciated! Now to find a home for the second honeysuckle... :#
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need"

Posts

  • Matt_Matt_ Posts: 49
    A trellis would probably be easiest. I planted this one last summer, same size as yours at the time, and am using horizontal wires to train it. They look OK (would be better if properly tensioned, you can buy tensioners) but it's a pain to get them up to the next 'rung' and I had some damage due to lack of support in the storms in March. I'm probably going to add in some diagonals from the base of the plant to help.

    I'm a novice so more experienced hands may tell you different. I'm having an easier time though with clematis and star jasmine growing up trellis in other parts of the garden.



    (On a side note, I'd recommend painting the fence, I've just done mine and it makes the greenery stand out much more. Was also a pain painting behind the honeysuckle.)
  • WildFlower_UKWildFlower_UK Posts: 236
    Hi @matt_, your honeysuckle looks lovely! I see what you mean about the wire, there's not a whole lot of support. I quite like the look of the wooden trellis with the larger gaps, but it seems deliveries are taking weeks and we don't have a vehicle large enough to buy one in store! I guess I could put my honeysuckles in larger pots for another month or so? And great idea about the painted fence, really makes the colours pop! 
    "If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need"
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I don't think they're very well suited to fences. Too messy. 
    They're best suited to scrambling over sheds/garages/structures. They don't grow in a tidy way like roses or clematis etc. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • WildFlower_UKWildFlower_UK Posts: 236
    Hi @Fairygirl! Sadly I'm stuck with two honeysuckle plants with only a fence to grow against. We don't have a garage and our shed is 90% in constant shed. Is there a way to help prevent the honeysuckle getting too manic? E.g. generous pruning?
    "If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need"
Sign In or Register to comment.