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Climber in a pot?
SweetEyedFish
Posts: 74
in Plants
Not sure if this is the right section but here goes.
I have a motorbike shed I'm trying to pretend doesn't exist!
So trellis is attached to the side now but there is no soil beneath it. I was hoping my honeysuckle could be trained across from the adjacent bed but it's pretty lacklustre.
Could I place a pot or narrow trough next to the trellis on the driveway and successfully grow a climbing plant in that?
It faces east but is actually only 6 foot from our house opposite so is pretty shaded.
I would love to look out of that window and have a nicer view 
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It's a common problem. I wonder if your honeysuckle is in too dry a spot. If it's in dryish soil, it'll struggle. It's the ideal candidate for covering the shed though. If you can beef up the soil a bit with some well rotted manure, and keep it really well watered, it should improve. Alternatively, plant a different climber there, although most need moisture and some decent soil to get going. If you can improve the soil in that border, you'll have more scope for planting.
Most climbers struggle in containers, unless they're huge. Annuals will cope better, but that isn't much use in winter. Some evergreen shrubs in tall containers might be better. Difficult without seeing the plot and having more info though.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thank you Fairygirl
Yes it's more than possible. There is a western red cedar just a few feet away too.
Ill try to improve the soil
Would I need to dig down or could I just put top soil with manure in around the plant?
Not pretty I know
I am a very novice gardener but we have a clematis that I inherited which was doing really well covering an area that size- have recently hard pruned as it got totally over grown. Have to admit though that I have no idea what type the clematis is! Think it's summer blooming!
Thank you Lizzie
I do really like Clematis. I will keep that in mind. Perhaps I should have planted the climbing hydrangea at that end of the bed instead - that's doing really well!
I think I would build a low raised bed in front of it - the deeper you can make it the better. There are then many things that could be planted in it, not necessarily climbers - Kerria and bamboo would both make an interesting screen, while the everlasting sweet pea (grow it from seed) and sweet jasmine could battle it out together on the trellis. Any chance of attaching guttering to the shed roof to direct rainwater down into the raised bed? That would help the watering.
Kerria looks like an interesting option. Thank you gardening granny, I've made a note of that.
I have some Sweet Pea seeds from a magazine so I may try them
After a couple of false starts, I've done ok with clematis, honeysuckle and passion flower in pots. The trick is big pots and loads of water!
How big is big?
I bought a Princess Diana clematis earlier today, albeit for somewhere else in the garden but I am keen to cover that monstrosity haha!
Use bamboo. Great screen and lots of interest from moving canes and some give great sound too