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

Advice on climbers for obelisk

PianoplayerPianoplayer Posts: 624
in Plants
Hi all, would appreciate some advice, please.

I attempted to grow a `climbing` rose up a 6 foot obelisk in a sunny south-facing spot. Despite my best efforts, the rose has never shown any signs of climbing after 3 years (expert view was that it has reverted to a non-climbing version) and it is covered in blackspot - so it is coming out in the autumn.

I don't want to replace it with another rose (rose replant disease being one reason). I am afraid of clematis as I don't think I am a good enough gardener to grow them (judging by the number of threads on here with problems). My Trachelospermum on my other obelisk is rubbish as well. I could move the obelisk to a shadier spot, and wondered about honeysuckle, but there are lots of threads on that as well.

Any advice/suggestions? Perhaps I should just forget trying to grow climbers....

I am in the SW of England, soil is loamy clay.

Thanks

Posts

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Do you know the name of the rose? As a last ditch effort, you could cut it back to the ground and let it grow back and see what happens.
  • PianoplayerPianoplayer Posts: 624
    Hi @Fire, it's an Iceberg `climber` - I had a separate thread on my woes with it, and Marlorena felt it had reverted. I think I am flogging a dead horse and don't want it anymore! Life's too short. It was supposed to be a focal point...

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The early flowering, small clematis would be fine -not montanas though. 
    They don't require much maintenance, and once you have them attached and tied in to your support, they need very little attention as they flower on the existing stems. No need to prune unless they get a bit big for the space. Drier, poorer soil is ideal for them too, unlike the big flowering ones.
    The macropetalas are particularly nice.  :)  
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    edited June 2022
    I would go with clematis, they are not difficult. Go with a good type 3 like "Mme Julia Correvon" and you can barely go wrong. Type 3 are the easiest to deal with IMHO. Just make sure it's well watered through the first season or two. Cut the whole lot back in winter, no skill required!

    "Sweet Summer Love" is another that looks like a good candidate.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • PianoplayerPianoplayer Posts: 624
    @Fairygirl @Loxley
    Thanks for those ideas - I love clematis, but I worry about my skills. I'lll read some more about them.
  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,705
    As you don't want roses or clematis, you might like to consider a couple of alternatives... Lonicera 'Rhubarb 'n Custard', if you can stand the name, is a shorter honeysuckle suitable for your support..  worth checking out, I don't grow it so cannot say how long it flowers for, but red berries follow..

    There's also Fuchsia 'Lady Boothby' which rockets up to that height quickly and flowers all summer.. 

    Have fun choosing your plant, and don't stress too much, it's all an experiment ultimately..
    East Anglia, England
  • PianoplayerPianoplayer Posts: 624
    Hi @Marlorena many thanks for those suggestions. I didn't even know there was such a thing as a climbing fuchsia... I'll continue to ponder.
Sign In or Register to comment.