Climbing Evergreens For Patio
kah22
Posts: 12
Might I ask for some ideas for a recently built patio.
What am I after? I'm after fast growing evergreens to cover a pergola
The pergola encloses an 8x8 meter patio. There are 5 2x2 uprights about seven ft high with two cross beams running from one post to the other.
At present I have a climbing rose attached to each upright. I would not expect them to grow any more than 7 ft, the height of the upright. The roses I've planted are:
CROWN PRINCESS MARGARETA,
TEASING GEORGIA,
THE GENEROUS GARDENER ,
and A SHROPSHIRE LAD
What I'm after are some fast climbing evergreens that will cover the crossbeams and give me some greenery when the roses fade. As my living area looks out onto the patio evergreen covering is essential.
The patio faces SE, on top of a hill but surrounded by a number of mature trees and hedges. A large building blocks the midday sun. I live in Ireland
I have attached a few images to give you a feel for what I'm talking about. As you can see it is work in progress and a lot of debri has to disposed of.
I have opted for a hard landscape 2x2 paving slabs with a nine inch space between each slab covered with slate.
The stone building in the background is a 200 year old windmill stump and I feel the patio should be sympathetic to it.
My reason for the hard landscape is because I have a large area at my disposal and I already have veg beds, trees and flower beds and this is to be a sitting area
Thank you for any assistance you feel able to offer and please feel free to offer any other advice you might fell helpful
Kevin
Posts
An interesting project and a nice space. These are my first thoughts and I am sure others will think of better ones but what about one of the evergreen clematis ', not ArmandI but maybe one of the Chirossas? Or pyracantha or the evergreen honeysuckle . It isn't evergreen but a grapevine would look great in the summer. I like what you are doing; I'll give it some more thought.
Exciting project. A good planting pit for each plant, ensuring drainage is good by breaking up any compacted subsoil. Don't just fill in each hole with compost and plant into it, but mix good compost with the spoil from the hole. Make sure there's none of that nasty yellow sand from any brickwork/blockwork remaining - it holds salts which can damage plant roots.
Re the plants, be aware that vigorous evergreens aren't discerning - they'll smother roses, and the potential is for them to shade the roses, so you will limit the amount of flower lower down the roses.
However, have a look at clematis armandii and trachelospermum jasminoides (not as fast). Consider a grape vine, which will make 10 - 12 ft of growth once estalished and the leaves are very ornamental. Yes, it loses them in winter, but the stems are attractive and the grapes are a bonus!
H-C
Hi, under my canopy in a shady area, year before last, I planted a rose called City of York, breeder Peter Beales roses. It's now grown up to the roof and across more than half my area of 5 m. It has lovely small creamy bunches of white flowers with yellow stamens and has stayed evergreen. It also smell very nice. I am delighted with it. Another planting was solanum album that grew even quicker covering 5 m with frothy white flowers. This had a disadvantage of raining greenfly down on the patio table when we were having dinner. It was a lovely sight though no smell.
Forgot to say I am in Devon and if you are in any of the colder areas you might not be as lucky as I am with evergreen.
Hi Verdun, do you know of any ramblers like Paul's himalayan musk that are evergreen, they would be terrific. P.s. From posts last year, my neighbours left? Happy days!
First of all many thanks for your replies. I'm glad I found here.
I had been thinking of clematis and honeysuckle. I had also been thinking of a sweet pea I understand you can get evergreen ones. However in the past they and I never got on that welll together
I live in Northern Ireland, according to the map zone nine. I had also thought of a vine but I think our winters are far to wet and cold for outside vines
Many thanks for your advice
Kevin
Verdum, thanks for your suggestions I've just emailed Deacons for their advice
You were suggesting that Armandii, trachelospemum, might be an option. I note that both of them are white. Is that to contrast with climbing roses I mention at the beginning
You do appear a very helpful group of people, I'm sure glad I found you
Kevin