climber for house wall

[iamnotaprincess]

that only gets sun from 2pm onwards...i was going to get a lonicera japonica but after reading some old threads on here i am worried it might get mildew and die...or maybe a clematis armandi?

I have a honeysuckle growing up a wall that is shaded for part of the day. It seems to be growing okay and it flowered well last year.

Hydrangea petiolaris (climbing hydrangea) may be worth a try as these are generally okay growing up shadier walls. They can look really pretty when they flower. However I found mine to be slow growing compared to a clematis - not great if you are after a more instant effect. Hope that helps.

Honeysuckle prefers shadier walls!

Lonicera japonica would be fine, but can get v large and top-heavy (though so do most climbers)

Evergreen jasmine ditto

Pyracanthas can be fine in shade and can keep to a good shape if trimmed regularly

what about a vine ? Vitis vinifera or a boston ivy climber Parthenocissus tricuspidata var. Veitchii ? lovely autumn colour and both very striking, although if you're looking for a flowering shady climber then I agree with the hydrangra petiolaris

Ooh, I have a vine - and we have delicious grapes this year!

thank you, i read to stay off the virginia creeper because it can damage the bricks...would a vine need more sun surely?

Virginia creeper doesn't damage bricks unless you rip it off the wall. If you cut it back and wait for the dead bits to die back and then rip it off, it's fine :)

I have one (self-sown!) on the back of my house and it's lovely (if a bit of a thug)

really? alan titmarsh does not recommend growing it on a house wall, i read it in one of his books, but i suspect if you know what to do with it, it is probably fine...we already have an ivy that has destroyed a shed, as we just left it to grow...lots of beautiful victorian houses around here have virginia creeper, they are stunning..

Ivy attaches itself with tendrilly things that grip onto the bricks/mortar while virginia creeper has little feet and exudes a sort of glue that sticks the feet down so it doesn't damage the brick unless you rip it off the wall.

Any climber that is self-supporting is going to affect the wall in some way, they have to attach themselves somehow :)

I am lazy and can't be bothered making an enormous trellis :o