Lonicera periclymenum 'Heaven Scent'

Lucid

Hi everyone,

I've got a Lonicera periclymenum 'Heaven Scent' (honeysuckle) that we recently moved to a different flowerbed area. It wasn't growing very well in the previous position as it only had leaves higher up on the trellis which I think was down to too much shade. We've now got it the same aspect (North facing) but in a different area that gets more sun during the day. I attempted to bring some of the previous woody growth to the new area as there were some healthy looking leaves, but I'm now wondering if I should have cut it all down to near the base? There is a shoot that's come up from the base which looks fresh but the leaves have brown/red marks on them and I don't know if that's healthy or not?





So my query is, should I cut it all down to near the base and hope that further fresh shoots appear? Also is the marking on the leaves an indication of anything bad?

Also as a further query, I've got another Heaven Scent honeysuckle, and a Belgica, and the leaves on those have a stuckly looking substance all over. They don't look particularly healthy. I believe I read on here recently that they need to be kept well watered and shaded roots, and fed too, so I will try that. But should I be looking at heavily pruning them so they can come back better next year? 

Lucid

Lucid

That should have read 'sticky like substance' in the last paragraph above.

K67

Never have success with honeysuckle, mine look like yours and get mildew So I cut them down and next year they grow but sicken before they flower. After a couple of years I dig them out and plant clematis!

Lucid

Thanks K67. My next door neighbours have one in their front garden and at least one in their back garden and both seem to be fine and grow really well. It must be something I'm not doing right. My South facing honeysuckles have a fair amount of growth on them, but they're not as dense as I'd like them to be. 

Unfortunately I've not managed to get clematis to stick around in my garden. They always end up dying off. Basically I don't seem to have a lot of luck with climbers so far, which is a shame as I'd really like the trellis to be covered in them.

Lucid

Lucid

I've just found the following guide

https://www.sundaygardener.co.uk/how_to_grow_honeysuckle_lonicera.html

and have realised that the previous site I had the honeysuckle in may have actually been more ideal as it mentions it needing to replicate a woodland site where the plant will only flower near the top where it reaches for the light. Which technically is what I had but it looked awful on the majority of the trellis as there were just woody branches. With that in mind should I be trying to grow the honeysuckle behind a substantial shrub where it can climb up in the shade and then flower behind? Is that what most people would try to achieve?

I've also got two honeysuckles, a Belgica and another Heaven Scent on my South facing side where they are fairly exposed to the sun. The Heaven Scent has lots of tall perennials in front of it now so is probably fairing better, but this could explain the sticky substance/mildew on both. Again, should I try to find a substantial shrub to protect the lower part of the plant, or should I attempt to move both from the South facing side?

I'd appreciate any advice people have as I would love to get my climbers going nicely. I just had the idea they'd cover the trellis, but it appears that was the wrong approach with the honeysuckles.

Lucid