Rambling Rose, Hydrangea Petiolaris & Clematis Ammandii

Kmeh

Afternoon

We have a gravelled path surrounding our house that I planted a Hydrangea Petiolaris (late summer) & Clematis Ammandii (early/mid summer). Neither have really put on a great deal of growth since, the clematis more so than the hydrangea. Neither are dead, look healthy enough, but just very little additional growth since planted.

I planted them in holes much deeper and wider than the plants and backfilled with compost, however the surrounding ground is basically rocks and very little soil. Would this be impacting their growth? Will they just be slower to establish because how poor the surrounding environment is? Or am I just fighting a lost cause to try and establish climbers on these walls.

I would like to plant some rambling roses along the driveway too, which probably even worse gravelled/rocky/hardcore with little soil. Is this a total waste of time?

Any advice appreciated

JennyJ

The usual advice is to improve the whole area before planting rather than just the planting holes, but if your holes were big enough and the surrounding area is well-drained so your planting holes don't act as sumps when it rains, you might be OK. They haven't been in very long, so give them a bit more time! Hopefully they've been concentrating on putting down roots. Don't forget to keep up the watering if we have a dry spring like last year. For the roses you might want to take out the worst of the hardcore and add bought-in topsoil to mix in with what's left (gravel getting mixed in won't hurt).

K67

The hydrangea is a slow starter and will often sit and do nothing for a year or 3. Then when you stop looking and turn your back its over 30ft+

bertrand-mabel

Our clematis armandii took many years to get going on a wall at the side of our house.

As @K67 says hydrangea are slower growing and then....

Rambling rose...we gave up decades ago as they wanted to take over our garden and we wanted more variety.