skip to main content

Gardening in the UK

climber for shady area

19 years ago

Can anyone suggest an attractive climber for a shady area, the shade is for most of the day. I would like something with attractive flowers, but it must have a long flowering period preferably later summer months. It will be planted in a large container on a paved area with clematis Nelly Moser and a variegated Ivy whose name I cannot remember.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

garden_nerd
19 years ago
A honeysuckle? But see it in flower first or take a cutting off a friend's as the difference in flower quality is quite marked. Not much scent if you have a good flower, though.
jan_515
Original Author
19 years ago
Thanks for that suggestion.
A friend has given me 4 small plants grown from cuttings, I think the variety is honeysuckle serotina?
I am just a bit concerned because the area is at the back of the house on a small paved area and its north west facing. Its complete shade for most of the day.
Do you think I could plant a couple of them in the tub now as it is very mild for the time of the year or wait till spring?
Related Discussions
Perennial vine for shady area
Q
Comments (7)
Campanula & Arbo - thanks so much for the suggestions. I spent some time looking them up today -- so pretty. I already ordered the Schizophragma hydrangeoides Moonlight just now (from Monrovia -- plant) and am now going to look for the Stauntonia. I think the two together will look fabulous! Technically, I have another partial shade and then full blast late afternoon sun spot on a lower level -- completely untouched and empty right now. I think both of these would do really well there, too. Hmm! Thank you!
...See More
bamboo like palm for shady, semi shady area
Q
Comments (2)
Lots of Rhapis species would look great there and they can handle the shade very well. Rhapis multifida has finer leaves than the more common Rhapis palms used so that could be an interesting one to try, but you can't go wrong with Rhapis humilis. It's taller growing that Rhapis excelsa and will fill the space nicely. Rhapis excelsa would look great there too, but they grow very slowly. Chamaedoreas are a huge genus of palms and most would look great in that spot and do well in shade. C. seifrizii is often called the Bamboo palm for short because the trunks look so similar to bamboo. The palm itself is a little ratty looking at times, but can be absolutely beautiful also (and they are very easy to thin out because they pup so readily so you can easily get rid of trunks that are growing too tall). C. tepejilote is one of my favorite species in this genus because the fronds get really nice and big! It is not a pupper so you will have to plant a row of them to take up the space. Underplanting that palm with C. elegans which looks similar but grows much shorter would give a very full look. Some of the more cold tolerant licualas are also definitely something to consider and arenga engleri is a beauty also although it may get big for that space. Good luck! -Alex
...See More
Sunny/shady unusable land outside of our laundry area
Q
Comments (9)
I think we nned to know where you are and always the best is to go to your local garden center for plants that survive well inyour situation. If it was my space I would do big pots with seasonal plantings and pea gravel and kill all the grass before adding weed cloth and the gravel You could do something like this which is very casual with mismatched pots or something very formal with black pots and topiary or something inbetween .
...See More
Mountain Laurel in shady areas, or alternative suggestion?
Q
Comments (14)
@Ang NC_7B, I'm actually in Wilkesboro, so about an hour West of Greensboro. But nobody on here knew where Wilkesboro was, so, I just say "near Greensboro". I don't think there ARE any nearby cities in 7a that people would know! Greensboro, Winston, and Hickory are all 7b, and Boone (an hour North) is 6b. I guess that Wilkesboro is the biggest in 7a NC :-O The only real difference between 7a and 7b, though, is that 7a gets slightly colder in the Winter. I'm going to have to make a trip to see the Arboretum, it sounds inspiring! @bengz6westmd, I bought a Mountain Laurel at the local nursery 2 years ago, but it didn't survive the Winter. In retrospect, nothing I've ever bought from that nursery has survived! So nowadays, I mostly buy from Lowes so that it has a guarantee. I hate choosing big box over a small business, but I hate wasting my time and money slightly more :-/ Lowes has neither Mountain Laurel nor Tensaw Magnolia right now, though :-(
...See More
garden_nerd
19 years ago
I think you could get away with planting them now as long as they are already well-used to being outdoors.
Seeing as you have got four, you have several back-ups in case anything happens to the first two.
I think "Serotina" is quite nice and has loose, scented flowers, and possibly nice bluey-green leaves as well.
coldbeer
18 years ago
clematis joiniana praecox late summer, lapageria rosea(Chilean bellflower )late summer autumn, schizophragma mid summer.
silkvelvet
18 years ago
Climbing hydrangea petiolaris will grow in a NW situation, but from personal experience it doesn't like labrador pee !
User
18 years ago
some roses will do OK especially Mme Alfred Carriere, Gloire de Dijon, Zephirine Drouhin and Kathleen Harrop. Also, try viticella clematis alba luxurians, Hagley Hybrid and Huldine.
jan_515
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks for all the suggestions.
I planted the young honeysuckle serotina in the tub which is actually a half barrel at the end of 2006. There are also a clematis Nelly Moser and a variegated ivy in there.
My problem now is that although they have grown tall there are no flower buds on either the clematis or the honeysuckle and they both look a bit pale and unhealthy. I have given them a couple of doses of fertiliser designed for plants in tubs.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
plantzzman
18 years ago
The lack of flower is likely to be a feed issue however a couple of doses isnt likely to bring instant results. Might be worth each spring applying some slow release fert granules and feed in the growing season every 1-2 weeks with a tomato feed.

Related Stories

VACATION HOMES Houzz Tour: Rock Climbers Create the Ultimate Mountain Getaway

By Emily Hutchinson

Two friends build a vacation home in Australia’s Blue Mountains, where they can relax with others after a day of climbing

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Foamflower Cushions Shady Garden Areas

By Curtis Adams

Try evergreen ground cover Tiarella cordifolia for a soft look all year — one the rabbits and deer won’t mess with

GARDENING GUIDES Yes, You Can Grow Food in a Shady Yard

Your shady garden doesn’t have to be forever barren. Berries, herbs and other shade-loving plants can produce a delicious bounty

GARDENING GUIDES Great Garden Combo: 6 Beautiful Plants for a Shady, Wet Site

Transform a shade garden with moisture-loving golden grasses, textural leaves and a sprinkling of flowers

FLOWERS AND PLANTS Aruncus Dioicus Is a Stately Plant for Shady, Moist Garden Spots

By Pollination Press LLC

Plant goat’s beard in perennial and woodland gardens. Its large white spring blooms attract bees, beetles and butterflies

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Fantastic Ferns to Enliven Shady Garden Spots

By Matt Kilburn

For long-term interest with little upkeep in challenging conditions, ferns might just be your garden's new best friend

Wake Up Your Garden With Lime-Colored Plants

A sprinkle of bright lime foliage can invigorate darker green garden areas and enliven shady spots all around your landscape

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Justicia Spicigera Brings In the Hummingbirds

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Brighten shady areas with the colorful flowers of Mexican honeysuckle, also called mohintli, which appear all year long

GARDENING GUIDES 7 Shade-Loving Rarities of the Plant World

By CYAN Horticulture

Cultivate a discriminating air in a shady garden patch with these uncommon woodland wonders

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Sensitive Fern Shows Its Strengths

Wondering what will thrive in your wet, shady garden? It’s Onoclea sensibilis to the rescue

Sponsored