Climbers that are happy in a pot

[Dingleydel]

I want to cover a very ugly garage. Concrete all around so no option of a bed. I’ve just planted a couple of small ivy plants in the hope that they will provide a bit of coverage but I want something really beautiful that will go in a pot. Ideally a climbing rose or some kind of clematis (evergreen would be even better). The pot will be in a thoroughfare so can be deep but ideally not too wide. Area gets full sun half the day and is very sheltered. Has anyone had any success with a climber in these conditions? I read that Gertrude Jekyll roses don’t mind containers? Thanks in advance.

Passion flowers will grow well in a pot as long as you feed and water them regularly. It is also a good way of stopping them from getting to thuggish.

Clematis Montana or Armandii, would do the job. Jasmine Trachelospermum would also be a choice.

I have three honeysuckles doing well in pots.

Honeysuckle does well in pots, Japonica is one of the fastest growing and is evergreen.

I find they do ok up to a point, a few years, then struggle. If you can break through the concrete, it isn’t that hard....they’ll do much better and romp away.

Montana are thugs....I’m not that keen, gorgeous in flower then kind of not unless you’ve got other stuff to create interest.

Trachelospermum jasminoides star jasmine is evergreen. And better behaved!

But if you can’t break through then a big deep pot, use John innes no2, feed and top dress and water.

I had a pair of armandii in pots in our old house - they were very deep ones (about 70cm tall) and they did fine. I'd probably plant several as they can have a tendency to be tall and skinny although I think you can improve that be chopping them down a few times so they shoot more from lower down ( I didn't as tall and skinny suited the space)

GW the other night said star jasmine good as don’t go all naked at the bottom and everything up top. Would think Gertrude Jekyll rose worth a shout though.

I would be tempted to sneakily position the pot over any cracks between concrete and garage wall - not impossible that the roots of the plants in a pot will find their way out and down to the nice damp earth below...

Thanks everyone for the recommendations. I’ll give the evergreen honeysuckle a go. I like the sound of fast growing, it’s a very ugly garage! Will also investigate if we could crack through the concrete at least on one side.

I have an evergreen honeysuckle called Lonicara Henyri that is going absolutely bonkers. However, but it does need wires or something to climb properly.

We have grown vines in a pot and this year are trying a hop. Both these die back though so may not give you the coverage you want.

I have an apple blossom clematis in a pot, it seems to be taking off and I’m growing it round the back door, very fast grower and pretty white flowers.

Thanks everyone for the pointers. I’ve become obsessed with climbers now as we have 2 outbuildings crying out for some coverage. I have got a honeysuckle for one end of ugly garage and I’m hoping it’s roots will eventually find their way down through a few gaps in the concrete to the nice rich soil we have. And then an evergreen clematis to try in just a pot 🤞.