Topic: Climbers for Dry Shade?

[Garden Manager]

I have just taken down one of the large pine trees in my garden, and am left with a stump. I was thinking of using it as a place for a climber (to hide it rather than climb over it), but am short of ideas as to what to use.

The area is shady but not dense shade and whatever is planted will have to cope with a dryish soil due to root competition from nearby trees.

I am not keen on Ivy and have lots of honeysuckles elsewhere in the garden. However these two plants are the only thing i can think of that would cope with the conditions. I need some alternatives please?

Thanks

[Greenfingers Jo]

I managed to get hold of a Fremontodendron California Glory yesterday at B+Q. Having looked it up on the RHS site it hates being watered and likely sandy (or sand) to grow in. Nice lookign yellow flowers.
I got mine for 25p!!! It was in a bright yellow pot too

[Rosa_Mundi]

There is a "miniature" Virginia Creeper which would work - grows fairly slowly compared to the standard type, but not evergreen. If you can coddle it for a year until it gets established, one of the alpina clematis would tolerate shade quite well, but it would need water until it got its roots down.

[jennym]

Richard - it's not a climber, but sort of will lean against things, Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald Gaiety' is one that tends to keep its variegation. Also Xfatshedera lizei isn't too bad. This is a cross between ivy and fatsia. Again it's not really a climber but seems to cope with some dryness.

Greenfingers Jo - having grown Fremontodendron for a number of years, (in heavy clay too!) I'd issue a warning - the particles released from the leaves are highly irritant. They stick in your skin and really itch, and cause nasty problems if you get them in your eye. you need to plant it well away from paths and where children can get to them, and cover yourself up when pruning it.

[grawrc]

Yes Jenny! I ended up getting rid of mine for the reasons you state.

[flowerlady]

Fremontodendrons get quite big too don't they  ???  hope you have some space  ;)

[Garden Manager]

Fremontodendrons get quite big too don't they  ???  hope you have some space  ;)

Not that much in the area in question, and its right by a path so perhaps not good to have something which is an irritant!  Thanks anyway.

[grawrc]

Various mahonias, various euonymus like what Jenny said - there's a lovely silver one that is not so vigorous( b------d if I can remember what it's called), chaenomeles japonica is supposed to be alright in shade too. Not sure how big or how bushy you want it? More info please? :)

[Garden Manager]

Various mahonias, various euonymus like what Jenny said - there's a lovely silver one that is not so vigorous( b------d if I can remember what it's called), chaenomeles japonica is supposed to be alright in shade too. Not sure how big or how bushy you want it? More info please? :)

Mahonias, Euonymus and chaenomeles arent climbers last time i checked. Yes i know the last 2 can be used as wall shrubs but thats not what i want here. i want a true climber to grow up a 4' wigwam placed over the tree stump. Spread would be about  2', restricted by a path on one side and shrubs on the other.

Heck this sounds a tall order doesnt it?. Perhaps i should move one of my evergreen japanese honeysuckles to the spot. they seem to do well up in that area of the garden.?????! ??? Failing that maybe dig out the tree stump and plant a shrub - there seem to be more of those to suit the location.

Sigh!

Thanks for the help

[flowerlady]

I have used a very large leafed variegated Ivy.  Mine is golden variegated.  when in full foliage they look terrific, but will need at least a year to get growing well.

Will go find name if required.  Also it has no prickles!! ;)

[beejay]

I'm not a clematis expert but I would have thought that there must be one that would suit your situation. There are many that will grow happily in the shade, it's the dryness at the roots that  is more difficult. If you can give them a good enough start there must be some that will be happy there. I have clematis cirrhosa Freckles in a shady very tiny border between path & alleyway going great guns & full of flower at the moment, & it's evergreen,

On a technicality, I would say that euonymus is a climber & indeed is one of the few that is self supporting once it gets going. Not right for your situation though.

[grawrc]

Sorry GC hadn't really grasped what you were looking for. I was thinking of shrubs that are good for concealing stuff and grow kind of flat (or can be made to) rather than taking up a lot of space.

I can see honeysuckle working well in that situation or some clematis (tangutica?). I have a fabulous akebia quinata which grows over everything in sight but might be a bit too rampant for your situation.

[Gardenantics]

Given some support and training, a winter jasmine should cope well. I have seen an idea that I fancy would do the job too. It's called a 'Fedge', and is a cross between a fence and a hedge. You nail some old timbers or dead branches around the stump with about 6inches between them. You then put a piece of ground cover material around this, not to tight, and tack that in place. Then you fill all the vertical pockets you have created with old soil/compost and leafmould mixed together. Around this you wrap a final layer of chicken wire mesh, and nail that in place. Then you start to propagate an ivy plant, you can get dozens of cuttings from one plant. When they are rooted, cut a slit in the fabric between the wire mesh cells and plant your ivy, and repeat this all over the structure, and in no time you will have a solid topiary covered stump, or any other shape you may decide to create. I have not tried it , but saw it on holiday, and had it explained to me.

Brian

[Jitterbug]

hi there - To put my 5 cents in - two clematis - Montana and Paotanini grow well in north facing gardens - so should like the shade.  The winter jasmine which likes the shade is 'Jasmine Nudiflorum' - tiny yellow flowers with a wonderful smell.  I have planted mine together with a rambling rector so that I get colour/smell in winter as well.

Also why don't you think of trying a climbing/rambling rose - 'golden showers'   and 'rambling rector (but this one tends to be a bit of a thug) likes shade and there are a couple of others?

[Garden Manager]

Thanks to those who have posted since my last message. Some interesting (and possible) ideas there. Gardenantics, I particularly like your idea of turning the stump into a planter. I am sure there are lots of ways to do this ans well as plenty of plants to choose from that would grow 'on the vertical'.

'Jitterbug' I have a 'Golden Showers', part of a collection of climbers i got a few years ago, but never really found the right spot for it. Might be a possibility to move it to the tree stump, though not sure about the thorns right by the path! ;)

[grawrc]

Go for Zephirine Drouhin then - the thornless rose. Also supposed to thrive in shade.

[Garden Manager]

A rose would be wonderfull but i'd be worried about planting one there, since i doubt i'd be able to dig a decent enough hole for it because of all  the tree roots. Clematis ditto. I could try it a distance away and train the plant towards the support I suppose.

[Garden Manager]

Thought i'd show you a pic of the stump in question (posted in the gallery so excuse the link to another part of A4All).  The first picture is the relevant one.

I plan to reduce the stump's size, but that largely depends on what i plan to do with whats left in the ground. In the picture i am standing on the path to take the photo.

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,26/topic,16400.0