Plant suggestions to cover an arch
Can anyone suggest a good climbing plant that will cover an arch in my garden in a shady site under a holly tree. i would like something with some colour bur the main thing would be for the plant to climb and enable me to train it over the arch. Height at top of arch is approx 6ft. I had thought of a climbing rose or clematis but there is not much sun in the site
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I have a similar problem at the bottom of my garden since we reclaimed a bit of land next to the summerhouse. I've been researching this and found the following advice from the RHS. It is from
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=467
They say that (among others) the following plants are good for shade.
'Clematis alpina, C. macropetala, C. montana, C. Jackmanii Group: Deciduous; flowers variable according to species or cultivar; 2-7m (6-22ft)
Lonicera japonica ‘Halliana’ AGM or L. periclymenum cultivars (honeysuckle): Semi-evergreen or deciduous; flowers, sometimes fragrant, from spring to late summer in white, yellow or pinky-red; 10m (30ft)'
Obvously, one would have to choose the smaller among these, or be prepared to do some hard pruning. Type of soil is also an issue.
In general, clematis (as you probably knkow) like their feet in shade and their tops in sun, and some actually fade in sunlight, so there are others not mentioned in this list that would be good. I have foiund, though, that you don't get much of a display on an arch unless you put in more than one of the less rampant clematis.
I have an arch at the bottom of my garden where the ground gets very wet in winter. I planted a clematis montana up each side, but lost one after last years snow and floods and now I've looked at the other one I think that may be dea as well. It looks all brown and dry with no leaf buds showing yet, which I thought should be appearing by now. I may just give up with that idea, and grow some runner beans up it in the summer. Such a shame! But I'm also after ideas for what else I could grow that would not mind the wet.
Clematis and honeysuckle. You can reserch a clematis to suit your conditions and flowering time, and always mix it with a honeysuckle for scent
Last year I planted up 2 arches with clematis and roses, but they didnt do much being first year so I planted just 2 canary creapers, one either side, they romped to the top in no time meeting and beyond, they are only annuals, but for a quick stop they were ideal. covered in yellow flowers all year through. then threw loads of seeds ready for this year.
Thank you to everyone for their very swift and useful responses. i had been thinking about a honeysuckle so will certainly give that some thought and using clenatis as well sounds good