Idea for plant for shady spot..

[mumblecrumble]

Hi,

I have a wall of garag that faces the house and is fairly shady. I would really really like to grown something up it as it faces the sink. I currently have a pot either side of a hanging basket which is growing ivy and petunias really well. However having little luck with climbers up the side.. Have tried clematis, sweet pea and peas, slightly in vane.

Need something that is ok in shade, ok in a pot and is interesting to look at..

Any thoughts?

[Pannacotta]

Is there any way of creating a planting hole in the ground? This would be much better as most climbers have deep roots so will do much better and flower more if planted in the ground.

If not there are some plants which would be ok:

Camellia (used as wall shrub) which will flower during the winter/spring and Ivy.

You could try Pileostegia, Hydrangea petiolaris or seemanii but not sure how they woudl do in a pot.

Other flowering shrubs which you could try are Choisya ternata or Aztec Pearl with white flowers twice a year, Pittosporum - there are many types - and Hydrangea.

[CaramelisedOnions]

I love the sound of a Hydrangea to climb, are they for shade?

I always put Hostas in pots in shady parts of our garden, can grow quite large and look fairly dramatic if you get a flowering one or just for the gorgeous foliage, especially if you get a couple of varieties.They do well in tubs too

[Pannacotta]

Yes there are several climbing Hydrangeas, some evergreen some not:

www.shootgardening.co.uk/sitePlant.php?plantid=2747&name=hydrangea-seemanii

www.shootgardening.co.uk/sitePlant.php?plantid=3925&name=hydrangea-anomala-subsp-petiolaris

www.hardyexotics.co.uk/hardyexotics/popups/h354pop.htm

Also Pileostegia and Schizophragma which are very similar (evergreen and deciduous respectively)

www.architecturalplants.com/plant.html?code=PVNG

and finally

www.bluebellnursery.com/cgi-bin/catalogue.cgi?cat=c&genus=Schizophragma&initial=

[greenfanta]

i have a climbing hydrangea, it grows really fast! yes in shade! i only wish the flowers were big fat ones! give it a big wide pot, cover the soil with grit/gravel to help retain moisture.

[mumblecrumble]

ooooh.., will have a look.

Not possibl to make planting hole as it is concrete underneath.

ANy others?

[Pannacotta]

I've mentioned or linked to about 10 different plants, is that not enough choice?!

[CaramelisedOnions]

Panna - your links were truly fab and I am amazed at your knowledge, helped ME out thanks.....

[CaramelisedOnions]

Panna - your links were truly fab and I am amazed at your knowledge, helped ME out thanks.....

[Pannacotta]

Thanks CO, always happy to help...
We inherited a very neglected and overgrown garden a year ago so I've done lots of reading up since we moved in

[CaramelisedOnions]

How do you remember all the Latin names?

[Pannacotta]

A good memory and language degree help (am used to drilling strange sounding words!)
Also lots of reading, the best books I've found are the Hillier series which I'd recommend if you are keen on gardening, they have good text, loads of lovely pics and suggested plant combinations, details on this page (I bought them used on Amazon for peanuts)

www.amazon.co.uk/Design-Planting-Hillier-Gardeners-Guide/dp/0715323067/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21 d=1249902153&sr=1-7

[CaramelisedOnions]

thanks for that.
I really need to get to grips with my garden. Have a wilderness area that has been left for far too many years now so I am slowly digging it over (as DH far to busy?) before filling with some shrubs and trees.

[foreverchanges]

clematis climber need cold roots hence shady spot stunning flowers and perenial(every year)

suprised no one mentioned this

[foreverchanges]

sorry you have tried clematis .try a diff variety ?

[Pannacotta]

Clematis not generally good in pots - they have deep roots and are better off in the ground. Those which are ok in pots often prefer sunny spots, though C cirrhosa might work.