Climbing plant recommendation please!

[SpecialStains]

Hello,

We've just moved into a bit of a souless looking new build house (though its lovely inside).

I'd like to plant some climbing flowers on the front of the house. The front of the house is north facing with very wet clay soil. We are a couple of miles from the sea and it gets quite windy round here! Also would prefer to not be poisonous to cats!

I'd maybe like to plant a couple of different types - maybe one flowering, one evergreen so there's some colour throughout the year. I was thinking maybe a clematis, or an ivy of some description. I do also love wisteria, but very open to suggestions! Roses?

All help and ideas would be appreciated!

Our back garden looks like the Somme, but can't afford to get turf down and buy new topsoil just yet, so I was hoping doing something to the front in the start of spring would cheer me up!

[Neverpolishghillies]

www.davidaustinroses.co.uk Go heavily scented.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qp2f a must listen for inspiration.

www.gardenersworld.com lots of ideas

And stop wording about the cats, nearly all plants are 'poisonous' , and cats don't eat them.

climbing hydrangea are lovely but slow growing, Solanum crispum (potato vine) slow but smells amazing.

Never grow ivy on buildings, so self defeating.

[shovetheholly]

A word of warning: DIY types will tell you never ever to put climbers on your house because they can cause damp problems. I used to ignore this advice, but I did end up with problems as a result! If you are in a wet area of the country, you might want to have a careful think about whether you are willing to take the risk. There are shrubs and things that you can plant close to the house rather than on it that will give you a similar effect.

If you decide to go ahead anyway, you have quite challenging conditions: windy, north-facing and heavy wet clay. If you do go with a rose, make sure it's one of those that likes shade. However, I would be cautious about it, because they prefer a sheltered spot on the whole, so if you are coastal and battered by winds on a regular basis, they may struggle. Wisteria tends to enjoy sunshine too, unfortunately. Something like a climbing hydrangea might work (Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris) though you may need to dig in quite a lot of grit, as it won't love wet clay.

Better suggestions might be: Akebia quinata, Scisandra grandiflora both of which are quite happy in shade, hardy once established and like a moist soil.

[Neverpolishghillies]

and remember that all climbing plants are ladders for rodents so never let them grow past the sills of the first floor window sills.

[funnyperson]

Honeysuckle eg lonicera periclymenum
or
Pyracantha 'orange glow'

consider
Clematis armandii
Winter jasmine


these
www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=467

www.dailymail.co.uk/home/gardening/article-1250606/Shady-characters-Light-short-supply-Dont-worry-plenty-flowers-thrive-gloomiest-garden.html

[SpecialStains]

Oh gosh. I'm been completely dissuaded of the romantic notion of climbers up the house then, what with all the damp and rodents. Although, my cat probably would enjoy a supply of little furry things to chase, maim and leave somewhere for me to find.

So if climbers are a bad idea, what would be a better one for making the front of my house a little less souless? Window boxes? Raised bed? I've included a picture, but its an old one - there's no scaffolding up anymore!

[SmallGreenBouncyBall]

I would go for roses as they are a bit better with no direct sun. they also are not as dense so shouldn't cause damp problems.
they need a trailing system though, as they don't have suckers.

[SmallGreenBouncyBall]

stem roses or box in pots?

[dodobookends]

Maybe you could go for a walk around the nearby streets, and see what other people are growing in their gardens on their north-facing walls. Their growing conditions will be similar to yours and it will give you an idea of the plants that do well in the local area.

[shovetheholly]

I think your house looks really pretty and not at all soulless!

I suspect that any garden that isn't just a rectangle of boring lawn will make it look even more attractive. I'd also suggest a hedge in front and a path to the front door with a pot by the door (box does well in shade and looks nice and neat).

[Kr1stina]

I have climbers up my house and the mice do not climb up then and into the house. Most mice are perfectly capable of coming in under the floor if they want to .

And I don't have any dampness on the wall either . My house is 150 years old, has no modern damp proof course and doesn't have cavity walls, all of which I assume your new house has .

I live in a very wet and windy place, though it's inland so not salt laden winds . The climbers that cope on my north facing wall are climbing hydrangea , ivy, spring flowering clematis , pyracantha, chaenomeles and various honeysuckles .

I tried a summer flowering climatis on a west wall, it supposedly coped with semi shade, but it's not very happy and I will need to move it ,it's too cold and wet here .

I wouldn't even try roses on the north wall, although they do fine for me on other aspects. You need to choose carefully as lots of them don't like wet and windy conditions .

They have all been provided with supports, so there's plenty air between them and the wall . And be prepared , they take a few years to get established .

BTW don't even think about window boxes unless you are prepared to water them every day in the summer, or install an irrigation system . They are a pain lot of work .