Wisteria conundrum

Jenny_Aster

My Step Daughter has bought us two wisteria plants (wisteria floribunda macrobotrys) in 20cm pots, they're about 75cm tall. My SD lives in a flat in London, so dare I say it, doesn't have any gardening knowledge. It was a kind act, and I'm loath to cause any ripples. 

My problem is where to plant them? Our house is a detached with a party wall on the right (wouldn't like it amble onto this wall), and on the left is our car parking area, it's rather tight for parking cars as it is, so I wouldn't want to have wisteria planted on this wall either. The place I've in mind is the front of the house which has the front door on the left, lounge window on the right, bedroom window above lounge window, and bathroom window on the left above the front door. 

I'm thinking my best bet would be to plant it just right of the front door, between the door and lounge window. This aspect catches the full sunset so I guess it must West facing. I've read 'Macrobotrys' has the longest 'floral stalks' for a wisteria, which can reach 1m. So it's going to swamp the front of the house. 

Now for the 2nd plant ??? 

In the back there's a fence on the right I've yet to plant up, but it's North facing. Depending on which website I read, Wisteria loves dappled shade, this fence isn't in a dappled shade - then... perhaps I may be able to train it round the back fence which is West facing and in the shade most of the time due to properties.

I've thought of having a pergola, our back garden is only 10m x 9m so I'm not too sure it'll be sensible to erect a one in the garden to accommodate the Wisteria. 

I'd love to grow these two wisteria, wisteria is one of my favourite plants. But I'm trying to be sensible and I wouldn't like to have the expense in the future to pay a gardener to trim the climbers every year.

There's a house (Restaurant?) down the road from us where the wisteria has gone berserk, it looks glorious though, a real show stopper, but I think the thought of our house being completely covered over with wisteria, as is this property, is giving me nightmares. 

What to do? 

Dovefromabove

Just a thought, but you don't have to train them against something ... they can be grown as standards ... or even pleached in a row ... take a look here and see if inspiration strikes

https://stgileschurch.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/walking-tour-of-the-wisteria/

I used to walk past here every day on my way to art school back in the day ... bliss  .... and the perfume is amazing

Balgay.Hill

All my walls are full, and i've often thought of growing one as a 'tree'. I've seen some nice ones grown this way.

GardenerSuze

Just one word of warning I have known a mature plant damage pipes and I suspect it could do worse. I have seen Wisteria as a standard beautiful. What ever you do you will need to put in time and effort for a good show of flowers.
Have they got flowers on them? Some Wisteria plants can take years to flower and some never flower. Best to buy a plant in flower so you know what you have.

Jenny_Aster

Dovefromabove said:

Just a thought, but you don't have to train them against something ... they can be grown as standards ... or even pleached in a row ... take a look here and see if inspiration strikes

https://stgileschurch.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/walking-tour-of-the-wisteria/

I used to walk past here every day on my way to art school back in the day ... bliss 

That's a great idea, didn't know they could be grown as a standard. I've some research to do  

With a bit of careful thought, they may help to solve a few privacy problems. Thank you

Obelixx

Lots of wisteria around here.  I have 2 mature ones and a youngster myself, the latter being bought to grow along a 1.2m high mesh fence around our veg plot.

They can be trained and pruned to suit your situation.  There is one along the lane here that is now contained to an arch about 1.5m wide and 3m long over the garden gate and path.  Until last year, bits of it had escaped and were running rampant along the boundary hedge and then along the field hedge next door, some 100 metres or so.

I would go for the pergola for the one with the very long flower racemes because otherwise you'll have to train it on wires just below the upper windows so it doesn't block out the light of the downstairs windows.   The other could go on the north facing fence and be trained round the west fence.

Or you could grow them both as standards by twisting a few stems from the base to develop a strong trunk and providing a support while the wood hardens to be self supporting.

Once you have the basic framework of stems in place the pruning is not complicated.  New whippy stems coming from the base frame should be pruned back to 7 buds in July and again to 2 buds in February.  This encourages the formation of flowers.  When any stem exceeds the bounds you have set, prune it back to just above a bud.

The RHS offers this growing guide - https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/wisteria/growing-guide and this pruning guide - https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/wisteria/pruning-guide  

Jellyfire

Obviously I don’t know what the relationship is like but would it be possible to explain that wisteria is one of your favourite plants, so you adore the presents, but you’ve always resisted buying one because you know the house isn’t suitable for one to grow on, and ask if she would be offended if you exchanged them for something not as spectacular but just as much of a showstopper?

alternatively you can actually grow them as a standard in pots, and almost bonsai them. They need a fair bit of attention but it can be done apparently 

Silver surfer

Suggestions..see pics.

Jenny_Aster

Thank you @Obelixx, you've given me lots of good advice and food for thought. Twisting the stems around each other to make a stronger trunk is something I wouldn't have thought of. I can see a way forward now

Thank you @Jellyfire, think there's too many 'egg shells' to dance over, if you know what I mean

Gorgeous pics @Silver surfer , I'm now up for the challenge.

Thank you everyone, this is going to be an interesting 'hobby'!

Silver surfer

More ideas.

https://www.google.com/search?q=wisteria+bonsai&client=firefox-b-d&sxsrf=ALiCzsY2bxDA2PQnegVEDcTdeNwxS-xCBA:1651333968108&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi_-8u0krz3AhWNQUEAHTCTA1MQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1280&bih=595&dpr=1.5

Jenny_Aster

Silver surfer said:

More ideas.

https://www.google.com/search?q=wisteria+bonsai&client=firefox-b-d&sxsrf=ALiCzsY2bxDA2PQnegVEDcTdeNwxS-xCBA:1651333968108&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi_-8u0krz3AhWNQUEAHTCTA1MQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1280&bih=595&dpr=1.5

Now that's a challenge  aren't they glorious. Think wisteria must be the best tree for bonsai specimens. It must be a lifetime achievement to create one of those beauties.