Climbing hydrangea

Robmarston

can anyone tell me the names of the evergreen and deciduous climbing hydrangeas? Which one is better? I see it grows quite big - can it get problematic?

Ladybird4

Hi Robmarston. I have both Hydrangea petiolaris (deciduous) and Hydrangea seemannii (evergreen) and I keep them under control by judicious pruning. I wouldn't be without them. Hope that helps.

barry island

I have one which has very small white flowers I don't know the variety, it has been climbing up a trellis on a south facing fence for more than 10 years and hasn't been too vigorous to control, I do check to see that it hasn't climbed through the fence though as it does have the tendency to do that. I did propagate another plant by layering and that is now growing up the north wall of a garage it's about 7ft high and 8ft wide, the only problem that I seem to have with them is the new growth gets attacked by snails other than that they are easy plants to look after.

Robmarston

Thanks guys. Ladybird, which one has better flowers? Evergreen or deciduous? Does the evergreen get ropey looking? What do the stems look like in winter on the decoduous?

Ladybird4

They both have nice flowers but if I'm being honest I do prefer the evergreen seemannii as the stems on the petiolaris look quite tatty in the winter.

Robmarston

Fab. Thanks. Definitely getting one. 

Dovefromabove

Beauty is obviously in the eye of the beholder  . I love the change of appearance through the seasons and especially love the tracery of the bare stems of H. pet. on the wall and in the winter and watching the wrens, robins and dunnocks busily inspecting the flaky bark for tiny spiders 

Robmarston

Hmm. I was thinking of winter interest too, and thought the evergreen would have birds sheltering and nesting. But Dove, you’ve got me thinking. Maybe I should grow one up one side of the wall, and one up the other?

nutcutlet

I agree with Dove re the deciduous one. 

Dovefromabove

Am I right in recalling that you have, or used to have, both types @nutcutlet?

nutcutlet

yes, Dove. Deciduous one up a tree, modelled on one in Beth Chatto's Woodland Garden book. Never took off in the brick like soil it was planted in, limped on for a long time but finally died last summer
Evergreen one set to climb up brickwork of steps, much growth but still can't get it to stick to the brickwork, even with cable clips to help, just cut off all the flopped over parts again.