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Obelisks and climbers
Fishy65
Posts: 2,276
Having today been in receipt of an obelisk courtesy of my lovely Dad, I'm wondering what kind of climbers would be best suited. It is just over 7ft high x 14" wide.
Clematis maybe? If so what kind? 
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Depends what colours you like and whether you like the large flowered summer flowering ones. I would choose Dr. Ruppel, but it's very pink. I'm a girl.
If you have time then you could have a look at this site http://www.taylorsclematis.co.uk/ - so many to choose from.
Rose, I've got Claire Austin climbing up 2 obelisks in my garden
Thank you kind people. Lizzie thanks for that site, its given me a few ideas
aym280 - I hadn't thought of jasmine but already have honeysuckle. Thank you for your input.
Yviestevie - actually my Dad suggested roses as he's a big fan. Hmm...decisions
Thanks aym280 - climbers are what I'm short of in my garden. If its a clematis I'd like a good hardy one, something that doesn't need mollycoddling. Is Redwing a company?
Good Morning, Is the obelisk 7ft above ground or do you have to push it into the ground to make it 6 ft ?
Is it vertical sided with a dome shaped top or is it progressively narrower from the base to the top point ?
The vertical sided obelisks, usually tubular, can be used to house a rose / clematis combo, or up to 3 assorted clematis, the pointed obelisks are not usually wide enough for a rose and are best for a couple of clematis growing in tandem, possibly 2 different flowering / pruning regimes to prolong the season, care needed when pruning.
Richard.
Good point, Richard. When Fishy said 14" wide I was imagining it narrowing to the top, which is why I thought clematis rather than rose.
I find it easiest to plant two clems from the same pruning group together as they are impossible to untangle. I think 14" is quite small to house 2 clems when they get established and really start to grow so would suggest looking at this site - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemlistsearch.cfm and serach by eventual size and then flower colour and pruning group. It's an academic site so no commercial axe to grind. Check Taylors and Thorncroft and other growers afterwards for availability and prices.
Sweet peas would be good, then you can keep cutting them for OH, she'd like that, the more you cut the more will come.
This is a 6 ft high, vertical sided, obelisk in the garden here.
We have rose Ispahan and Early Flowering Group clematis Lady Northcliffe.
As the clematis blooms finish, a later flowering clematis viticella Bal Maiden kicks in to prolong the flowering season.
Different pruning fror the 2 clematis, not difficult.
Ok. So how do you tell which is which? Mine all have dead looking brown stems in March.