My wife asked me to find an evergreen climber for an arch which we have
just replaced. I thought the choice would be pretty large, but that
isn't the case. Just about all are white-flowered, maybe cream, but good
colour is very rare. The plant would get sun all day, and would be about
3 metres from a south-facing wall. FWIW, I'm in south Hampshire and the
soil has a fair amount of clay in it.

There are a couple of Loniceras, and maybe Holboellia (but is it hardy
enough?) which might do. But the only one which seems truly hardy and
otherwise fits is Rubus henryi. But that may be a bit vigorous, and one
reference states that it spreads by root suckers! At a pinch,
Passiflora caerulea /might/ survive, but I doubt that Mutisia oligodon
or spinosa would. We already have Clematis cirrhosa, and Clematis
armandii Hendersonii rubra is nearby.

Does anyone here grow Rubus henryi? Does it spread?

Anyone got any suggestions for other plants which fit the bill?

--

Jeff

On Tue, 14 Apr 2015 15:57:13 +0100, Jeff Layman wrote:

My wife asked me to find an evergreen climber for an arch which we have
just replaced. I thought the choice would be pretty large, but that
isn't the case. Just about all are white-flowered, maybe cream, but good
colour is very rare. The plant would get sun all day, and would be about
3 metres from a south-facing wall. FWIW, I'm in south Hampshire and the
soil has a fair amount of clay in it.

There are a couple of Loniceras, and maybe Holboellia (but is it hardy
enough?) which might do. But the only one which seems truly hardy and
otherwise fits is Rubus henryi. But that may be a bit vigorous, and one
reference states that it spreads by root suckers! At a pinch,
Passiflora caerulea /might/ survive, but I doubt that Mutisia oligodon
or spinosa would. We already have Clematis cirrhosa, and Clematis
armandii Hendersonii rubra is nearby.

Does anyone here grow Rubus henryi? Does it spread?

Anyone got any suggestions for other plants which fit the bill?


Does she like red &/or pink?

Jasminum beesianum

On 15/04/15 12:48, BlackSpot wrote:
On Tue, 14 Apr 2015 15:57:13 +0100, Jeff Layman wrote:

My wife asked me to find an evergreen climber for an arch which we have
just replaced. I thought the choice would be pretty large, but that
isn't the case. Just about all are white-flowered, maybe cream, but good
colour is very rare. The plant would get sun all day, and would be about
3 metres from a south-facing wall. FWIW, I'm in south Hampshire and the
soil has a fair amount of clay in it.

There are a couple of Loniceras, and maybe Holboellia (but is it hardy
enough?) which might do. But the only one which seems truly hardy and
otherwise fits is Rubus henryi. But that may be a bit vigorous, and one
reference states that it spreads by root suckers! At a pinch,
Passiflora caerulea /might/ survive, but I doubt that Mutisia oligodon
or spinosa would. We already have Clematis cirrhosa, and Clematis
armandii Hendersonii rubra is nearby.

Does anyone here grow Rubus henryi? Does it spread?

Anyone got any suggestions for other plants which fit the bill?


Does she like red &/or pink?

Jasminum beesianum

It's deciduous. But funny you should mention Jasmine. On the other side
of the arch is a well-established Jasminum officinale 'Aureum'!

Oh, and it's me who would prefer something other than a white flower.

--

Jeff

In article ,
Jeff Layman wrote:
My wife asked me to find an evergreen climber for an arch which we have
just replaced. I thought the choice would be pretty large, but that
isn't the case. Just about all are white-flowered, maybe cream, but good
colour is very rare. The plant would get sun all day, and would be about
3 metres from a south-facing wall. FWIW, I'm in south Hampshire and the
soil has a fair amount of clay in it.

Consider Bignonia capreolata (cross-vine). It kept most of its leaves
on against a warmish wall in Cambridge, and you are a lot warmer.



Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 15/04/15 14:41, Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
Jeff Layman wrote:
My wife asked me to find an evergreen climber for an arch which we have
just replaced. I thought the choice would be pretty large, but that
isn't the case. Just about all are white-flowered, maybe cream, but good
colour is very rare. The plant would get sun all day, and would be about
3 metres from a south-facing wall. FWIW, I'm in south Hampshire and the
soil has a fair amount of clay in it.

Consider Bignonia capreolata (cross-vine). It kept most of its leaves
on against a warmish wall in Cambridge, and you are a lot warmer.

Thanks. I didn't realise it could be more-or-less evergreen.

But I will pass on any Bignonia - in our last garden I put in Campsis X
Tagliabuana (probably 'Madame Galen'). It was fine for 5 years, then
started putting out suckers, some 3 metres or more from the parent
plant. I couldn't kill it with glyphosate, spraying everything green
that I could, and cutting off the main 35 mm diameter trunk about 250 mm
above ground level, drilling a few 5 mm holes in the top, and filling
with glyphosate concentrate. Every time I thought I'd got it, more
suckers appeared. It wasn't only me, as my neighbour put one in when he
saw mine, and a few years later his started throwing suckers too!

But it may be that Bignonia capreolata only suckers under certain
conditions. I see in the Dave's Garden webpage that most growers have
had no problem. Maybe Charlie Pridham could comment, as Roseland House
sells it.

--

Jeff

On 14/04/2015 15:57, Jeff Layman wrote:
My wife asked me to find an evergreen climber for an arch which we have
just replaced. I thought the choice would be pretty large, but that
isn't the case. Just about all are white-flowered, maybe cream, but good
colour is very rare. The plant would get sun all day, and would be about
3 metres from a south-facing wall. FWIW, I'm in south Hampshire and the
soil has a fair amount of clay in it.

There are a couple of Loniceras, and maybe Holboellia (but is it hardy
enough?) which might do. But the only one which seems truly hardy and
otherwise fits is Rubus henryi. But that may be a bit vigorous, and one
reference states that it spreads by root suckers! At a pinch,
Passiflora caerulea /might/ survive, but I doubt that Mutisia oligodon
or spinosa would. We already have Clematis cirrhosa, and Clematis
armandii Hendersonii rubra is nearby.

Does anyone here grow Rubus henryi? Does it spread?

Anyone got any suggestions for other plants which fit the bill?



Know this isn't quite what you wanted but............
Many years ago C4 had a series "Gardens without borders" and in one prog
they showed a Cotoneaster Arch and it looked great. granted white
flowers in the spring but red berries in the autumn.
David @ a very sunny side of Swansea Bay

On 16/04/15 09:14, David Hill wrote:
On 14/04/2015 15:57, Jeff Layman wrote:
My wife asked me to find an evergreen climber for an arch which we have
just replaced. I thought the choice would be pretty large, but that
isn't the case. Just about all are white-flowered, maybe cream, but good
colour is very rare. The plant would get sun all day, and would be about
3 metres from a south-facing wall. FWIW, I'm in south Hampshire and the
soil has a fair amount of clay in it.

There are a couple of Loniceras, and maybe Holboellia (but is it hardy
enough?) which might do. But the only one which seems truly hardy and
otherwise fits is Rubus henryi. But that may be a bit vigorous, and one
reference states that it spreads by root suckers! At a pinch,
Passiflora caerulea /might/ survive, but I doubt that Mutisia oligodon
or spinosa would. We already have Clematis cirrhosa, and Clematis
armandii Hendersonii rubra is nearby.

Does anyone here grow Rubus henryi? Does it spread?

Anyone got any suggestions for other plants which fit the bill?

Know this isn't quite what you wanted but............
Many years ago C4 had a series "Gardens without borders" and in one prog
they showed a Cotoneaster Arch and it looked great. granted white
flowers in the spring but red berries in the autumn.
David @ a very sunny side of Swansea Bay

Good idea - I'll bear it in mind. I believe that because C. horizontalis
is (or perhaps was) so common, cotoneasters are often overlooked. They
are fine plants. As it happens, not far from the arch is a C. hybridus
pendulus. It is about 3.5 metres high, and fortunately we can't see the
"lousy" side. The previous owner let a large cupressus encroach on it,
compounded by the cupressus being partially blown over onto the
cotoneaster. We had the cupressus removed when we moved in 2.5 years
ago, and the cotoneaster has started to grow out again. But I reckon it
will take at least another 5 years for it to fill out. But we can see
the "perfect" side - the branches tumble over and actually drag along
the ground. It looks fantastic in flower and fruit.

--

Jeff

On 14/04/2015 15:57, Jeff Layman wrote:
My wife asked me to find an evergreen climber for an arch which we have
just replaced. I thought the choice would be pretty large, but that
isn't the case. Just about all are white-flowered, maybe cream, but good
colour is very rare. The plant would get sun all day, and would be about
3 metres from a south-facing wall. FWIW, I'm in south Hampshire and the
soil has a fair amount of clay in it.

There are a couple of Loniceras, and maybe Holboellia (but is it hardy
enough?) which might do. But the only one which seems truly hardy and
otherwise fits is Rubus henryi. But that may be a bit vigorous, and one
reference states that it spreads by root suckers! At a pinch,
Passiflora caerulea /might/ survive, but I doubt that Mutisia oligodon
or spinosa would. We already have Clematis cirrhosa, and Clematis
armandii Hendersonii rubra is nearby.

Does anyone here grow Rubus henryi? Does it spread?

Anyone got any suggestions for other plants which fit the bill?



See what you think of Berberidopsis corallina, Eccremocarpus scaber or
Solanum crispum 'Glasnevin'. The first appreciates partial shade, the
others full sun. Burncoose reckon they're hardy down to -10*C. All
fairly long-flowering.
Any good?
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

In article ,
Spider wrote:
On 14/04/2015 15:57, Jeff Layman wrote:
My wife asked me to find an evergreen climber for an arch which we have
just replaced. I thought the choice would be pretty large, but that
isn't the case. Just about all are white-flowered, maybe cream, but good
colour is very rare. The plant would get sun all day, and would be about
3 metres from a south-facing wall. FWIW, I'm in south Hampshire and the
soil has a fair amount of clay in it.

See what you think of Berberidopsis corallina, Eccremocarpus scaber or
Solanum crispum 'Glasnevin'. The first appreciates partial shade, the
others full sun. Burncoose reckon they're hardy down to -10*C. All
fairly long-flowering.

If I recall, the first needs an acid soil and both sexes of plant,
but I may be misremembering. Eccremocarpus is short-lived and
tends towards the herbaceous in the cold, though it will self-seed
if it likes the location (which I don't think includes clay).
Solanum crispum is deciduous and suffers from dead branches in
the cold.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Jeff Layman wrote:
My wife asked me to find an evergreen climber for an arch which we have
just replaced. I thought the choice would be pretty large, but that
isn't the case. Just about all are white-flowered, maybe cream, but good
colour is very rare. The plant would get sun all day, and would be about
3 metres from a south-facing wall. FWIW, I'm in south Hampshire and the
soil has a fair amount of clay in it.

Consider Bignonia capreolata (cross-vine). It kept most of its leaves
on against a warmish wall in Cambridge, and you are a lot warmer.



Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

That's one of the better choices, Lonicera henryi and Lonicera alseuosmoides
both have some colour. Akebia longiracemosa is proving more evergreen than
the semi evergreen quinata. but as you said choice is limited unless you are
in a mild spot, I do OK with Pandorea jasminoides rosea superba and
clytostoma callistegoides but not on a wall you need to be close to the
coast. of the passiflora easily the best is 'Betty Myles Young'

"Jeff Layman" wrote in message
...
On 15/04/15 14:41, Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
Jeff Layman wrote:
My wife asked me to find an evergreen climber for an arch which we have
just replaced. I thought the choice would be pretty large, but that
isn't the case. Just about all are white-flowered, maybe cream, but good
colour is very rare. The plant would get sun all day, and would be about
3 metres from a south-facing wall. FWIW, I'm in south Hampshire and the
soil has a fair amount of clay in it.

Consider Bignonia capreolata (cross-vine). It kept most of its leaves
on against a warmish wall in Cambridge, and you are a lot warmer.

Thanks. I didn't realise it could be more-or-less evergreen.

But I will pass on any Bignonia - in our last garden I put in Campsis X
Tagliabuana (probably 'Madame Galen'). It was fine for 5 years, then
started putting out suckers, some 3 metres or more from the parent plant.
I couldn't kill it with glyphosate, spraying everything green that I
could, and cutting off the main 35 mm diameter trunk about 250 mm above
ground level, drilling a few 5 mm holes in the top, and filling with
glyphosate concentrate. Every time I thought I'd got it, more suckers
appeared. It wasn't only me, as my neighbour put one in when he saw mine,
and a few years later his started throwing suckers too!

But it may be that Bignonia capreolata only suckers under certain
conditions. I see in the Dave's Garden webpage that most growers have had
no problem. Maybe Charlie Pridham could comment, as Roseland House sells
it.

--

Jeff

Sorry hadn't read this when I replied to Nick, its not suckered here.


--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

On 16/04/15 20:22, Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
Spider wrote:
On 14/04/2015 15:57, Jeff Layman wrote:
My wife asked me to find an evergreen climber for an arch which we have
just replaced. I thought the choice would be pretty large, but that
isn't the case. Just about all are white-flowered, maybe cream, but good
colour is very rare. The plant would get sun all day, and would be about
3 metres from a south-facing wall. FWIW, I'm in south Hampshire and the
soil has a fair amount of clay in it.

See what you think of Berberidopsis corallina, Eccremocarpus scaber or
Solanum crispum 'Glasnevin'. The first appreciates partial shade, the
others full sun. Burncoose reckon they're hardy down to -10*C. All
fairly long-flowering.

If I recall, the first needs an acid soil and both sexes of plant,
but I may be misremembering. Eccremocarpus is short-lived and
tends towards the herbaceous in the cold, though it will self-seed
if it likes the location (which I don't think includes clay).
Solanum crispum is deciduous and suffers from dead branches in
the cold.

I've grown Berberidopsis corallina before. In one place it lived for
many years. In another it died after one year. Both were in the shade in
ericaceous soil. It does not like sun, but I had it in flower every year
in the shade. Never seen any fruit though. Maybe it needs a different
clone to fruit.

I guess that E. scaber could be grown from seed each year, but then
there are quite a few non-hardy annuals which would also do. But I'm
really after an evergreen.

--

Jeff

On 16/04/15 22:11, Charlie Pridham wrote:

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Jeff Layman wrote:
My wife asked me to find an evergreen climber for an arch which we have
just replaced. I thought the choice would be pretty large, but that
isn't the case. Just about all are white-flowered, maybe cream, but good
colour is very rare. The plant would get sun all day, and would be about
3 metres from a south-facing wall. FWIW, I'm in south Hampshire and the
soil has a fair amount of clay in it.

Consider Bignonia capreolata (cross-vine). It kept most of its leaves
on against a warmish wall in Cambridge, and you are a lot warmer.



Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

That's one of the better choices, Lonicera henryi and Lonicera alseuosmoides
both have some colour. Akebia longiracemosa is proving more evergreen than
the semi evergreen quinata. but as you said choice is limited unless you are
in a mild spot, I do OK with Pandorea jasminoides rosea superba and
clytostoma callistegoides but not on a wall you need to be close to the
coast. of the passiflora easily the best is 'Betty Myles Young'

Thanks, Charlie. Akebia longiracemosa looks very interesting - I grew
trifoliata at our previous place. Lonicera henryi is probably a bit
vigorous, but L.alseuosmoides seems to be a bit less of a thug. Having a
look at your "Climbers" webpages, I wondered if Ercilla volubilis might
be ok. I'm sure I've seen that covering a wall somewhere /not/ in the south.

Anyway, I hope to be down your way in June, so looks like the Tuesday or
Wednesday that week is already reserved!

--

Jeff

On 17/04/2015 13:43, Jeff Layman wrote:
On 16/04/15 22:11, Charlie Pridham wrote:

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Jeff Layman wrote:
My wife asked me to find an evergreen climber for an arch which we have
just replaced. I thought the choice would be pretty large, but that
isn't the case. Just about all are white-flowered, maybe cream, but
good
colour is very rare. The plant would get sun all day, and would be
about
3 metres from a south-facing wall. FWIW, I'm in south Hampshire and the
soil has a fair amount of clay in it.

Consider Bignonia capreolata (cross-vine). It kept most of its leaves
on against a warmish wall in Cambridge, and you are a lot warmer.



Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

That's one of the better choices, Lonicera henryi and Lonicera
alseuosmoides
both have some colour. Akebia longiracemosa is proving more evergreen
than
the semi evergreen quinata. but as you said choice is limited unless
you are
in a mild spot, I do OK with Pandorea jasminoides rosea superba and
clytostoma callistegoides but not on a wall you need to be close to the
coast. of the passiflora easily the best is 'Betty Myles Young'

Thanks, Charlie. Akebia longiracemosa looks very interesting - I grew
trifoliata at our previous place. Lonicera henryi is probably a bit
vigorous, but L.alseuosmoides seems to be a bit less of a thug. Having a
look at your "Climbers" webpages, I wondered if Ercilla volubilis might
be ok. I'm sure I've seen that covering a wall somewhere /not/ in the
south.

Anyway, I hope to be down your way in June, so looks like the Tuesday or
Wednesday that week is already reserved!


"Lonicera henryi is probably a bit vigorous"
That must be the understatement of the year, I have it growing well over
30 ft up in an oak tree. I've known it to grow over 15 ft in a year.
Great in the right place, but over an arch I think not unless it's like
Marble arch.
David @ a still dry side of Swansea Bay

"Jeff Layman" wrote in message
...
On 16/04/15 22:11, Charlie Pridham wrote:

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Jeff Layman wrote:
My wife asked me to find an evergreen climber for an arch which we have
just replaced. I thought the choice would be pretty large, but that
isn't the case. Just about all are white-flowered, maybe cream, but
good
colour is very rare. The plant would get sun all day, and would be
about
3 metres from a south-facing wall. FWIW, I'm in south Hampshire and the
soil has a fair amount of clay in it.

Consider Bignonia capreolata (cross-vine). It kept most of its leaves
on against a warmish wall in Cambridge, and you are a lot warmer.



Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

That's one of the better choices, Lonicera henryi and Lonicera
alseuosmoides
both have some colour. Akebia longiracemosa is proving more evergreen
than
the semi evergreen quinata. but as you said choice is limited unless you
are
in a mild spot, I do OK with Pandorea jasminoides rosea superba and
clytostoma callistegoides but not on a wall you need to be close to the
coast. of the passiflora easily the best is 'Betty Myles Young'

Thanks, Charlie. Akebia longiracemosa looks very interesting - I grew
trifoliata at our previous place. Lonicera henryi is probably a bit
vigorous, but L.alseuosmoides seems to be a bit less of a thug. Having a
look at your "Climbers" webpages, I wondered if Ercilla volubilis might be
ok. I'm sure I've seen that covering a wall somewhere /not/ in the south.

Anyway, I hope to be down your way in June, so looks like the Tuesday or
Wednesday that week is already reserved!

--

Jeff

We are up at Longstock on Monday May 4th if that's any help? I know I have
met you there but have no idea how far you had come to get there!!

--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk