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Help required!

Edward.francisEdward.francis Posts: 123
in Plants
Hello everyone. 

We’ve got a reasonably sized south facing garden which is currently grassed. We’re waiting to save some money so we can develop the garden but in the meantime we’d like to start growing some plants in pots on the patio area. 

We have a east/ south-east facing wall (see photo) which gets a good amount of sunlight and I was looking for recommendations for plants. I’d like to use the wall if I can and to provide some colour - something beautiful. Is there a plant which we can grown from a pot up a trellis? 

I was thinking something like a hydrangea?

I’m no gardener but not scared of getting my hands dirty. 

Any suggestions/recommendations would be fantastic. 

Cheers,

E
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Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Most perennial climbers like those really, really struggle in pots.  I would go for annual climbers such as Morning Glory (Ipomoea) most of which are easy from seed, although it's a bit late to sow some of them now but you may find plants available in GCs or online.  Some ideas here:

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Please don’t go for hydrangeas in pots, they really don’t like it, and they won’t like being in full sun all day.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    edited May 2020
    Hi @Edward.francis - A climbing hydrangea would be very unhappy there, even in a very large container - they need to be in the ground. They become very big in the right conditions too, but that's when they look at their best.
    Your climate etc , wherever you are in the country, will also affect how plants thrive    :)
    In addition to what @BobTheGardener has advised, there are clematis which will grow in pots very successfully. Anything in a pot long term needs a lot more care than when it's in the ground though.
    Take a look at the specialist growers' sites for info - Taylor's Clematis, Thorncroft and Hawthorne's. They all have plenty of choices, and you can input your preferences re colour etc.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    Climbing Hydrangeas don't need trellis, they attach themselves to the wall and they grow big, fast. They do not do well in pots and soon become immovable in the ground. 
    It might be better to start with a clematis - there are loads to choose from, they will soon cover your trellis and most grow happily in pots. Then, when you have decided how you want to develop your garden, you could move the clematis somewhere else if you need to.

  • Edward.francisEdward.francis Posts: 123
    Thankyou very much for your help everyone. After posting I've done some more research online and figured that Clematis would be better and they look great too. I think they will be perfect to provide something more appealing to look out until we can develop the garden. We are based in Hampshire, if that helps with the climate.

    Many thanks,

    Ed
  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    edited May 2020
    @BobTheGardener - that's a great site.  I enjoyed looking around - I am planning to put in a small pergola/archway through to my backyard and think I will grow beans over it next summer!!
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • bullfinchbullfinch Posts: 692
    This is a dear little boulevard clematis which I have had for about a year, suitable for growing in a container. It's called Nubia I think. Lucky you living in Hampshire, I'd love to live there!
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    edited May 2020
    tuikowhai34 said:
    @BobTheGardener - that's a great site.  I enjoyed looking around - I am planning to put in a small pergola/archway through to my backyard and think I will grow beans over it next summer!!

    It's actually this site - there is a lot of information available once you venture outside of this forum section! :)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I think you'll find lots of suitable climbers for your site @Edward.francis, and as you get bolder [  ;) ] you'll be able to fit more into the garden too. I think there will be lots of plants in general that will suit your site.
    I haven't looked at Bob's link, but if you do a bit of research over the next few months too, you'll see that there's lots you can grow from seed next year. Many can be sown in autumn - sweet peas are a classic example. 
    Good luck - and don't forget to come back if you have any more queries with anything. It can be quite daunting when  you have a blank canvas  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Edward.francisEdward.francis Posts: 123
    Thanks everyone. I’m sure I’ll be back as this gardening is hard!!


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