Anybody grown these climbers? More specifically, Smilax aspera.

There are very few suppliers of Smilax in the UK. Are they less hardy
than as usually stated (although there seem to be several specimens in
quite a few UK botanic gardens)?

I have a "spiny" border where I grow a few spiny/thorny/prickly plants,
and wondered if a Smilax might make an interesting addition.

--

Jeff

On 08/08/2019 09:08, Jeff Layman wrote:
Anybody grown these climbers? More specifically, Smilax aspera.

There are very few suppliers of Smilax in the UK. Are they less hardy
than as usually stated (although there seem to be several specimens in
quite a few UK botanic gardens)?

I have a "spiny" border where I grow a few spiny/thorny/prickly plants,
and wondered if a Smilax might make an interesting addition.

I remember seeing one taking up a cormer of a garden in Cardiff, large
and interesting, but not to everyones choice.

On 08/08/2019 09:08, Jeff Layman wrote:
Anybody grown these climbers? More specifically, Smilax aspera.

There are very few suppliers of Smilax in the UK. Are they less hardy
than as usually stated (although there seem to be several specimens in
quite a few UK botanic gardens)?

I have a "spiny" border where I grow a few spiny/thorny/prickly plants,
and wondered if a Smilax might make an interesting addition.

Grew ok but no one ever bought them so I let it go in favour of
something more popular!

--
Charlie Pridham
Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk

On 08/08/19 11:36, Charlie Pridham wrote:
On 08/08/2019 09:08, Jeff Layman wrote:
Anybody grown these climbers? More specifically, Smilax aspera.

There are very few suppliers of Smilax in the UK. Are they less hardy
than as usually stated (although there seem to be several specimens in
quite a few UK botanic gardens)?

I have a "spiny" border where I grow a few spiny/thorny/prickly plants,
and wondered if a Smilax might make an interesting addition.

Grew ok but no one ever bought them so I let it go in favour of
something more popular!

Are you sure nobody ever bought one? Perhaps the one David saw in
Cardiff came from Roseland House! But I do take your point; there's no
commercial sense in providing something nobody wants.

I see that MacPennys offers Smilax. I go there a couple of times a year
so next time will have a look. Failing that, I'll ask Nick Lock to
bring one to Longstock next year.

(That reminds me - I went to Longstock last Sunday. There was a quite
amazing display of Buddejas in flower there. The butterflies were going
mad! I had a chat with Peter Moore, who was deadheading them, about his
latest cultivars. A very interesting guy.)

--

Jeff

On 09/08/2019 08:31, Jeff Layman wrote:
On 08/08/19 11:36, Charlie Pridham wrote:
On 08/08/2019 09:08, Jeff Layman wrote:
Anybody grown these climbers? More specifically, Smilax aspera.

There are very few suppliers of Smilax in the UK. Are they less hardy
than as usually stated (although there seem to be several specimens in
quite a few UK botanic gardens)?

I have a "spiny" border where I grow a few spiny/thorny/prickly plants,
and wondered if a Smilax might make an interesting addition.

Grew ok but no one ever bought them so I let it go in favour of
something more popular!

Are you sure nobody ever bought one? Perhaps the one David saw in
Cardiff came from Roseland House! But I do take your point; there's no
commercial sense in providing something nobody wants.

I see that MacPennys offers Smilax. I go there a couple of times a year
so next time will haveÂ* a look. Failing that, I'll ask Nick Lock to
bring one to Longstock next year.

(That reminds me - I went to Longstock last Sunday. There was a quite
amazing display of Buddejas in flower there. The butterflies were going
mad! I had a chat with Peter Moore, who was deadheading them, about his
latest cultivars. A very interesting guy.)

He is, Liz finds him a bit obsessed, but he has bred some amazing plants
(and not all Buddleja!) I think Lonicera Copper Beauty and Choisya Aztec
Pearl are his

--
Charlie Pridham
Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk