Topic: Climber suitable for shady wall

[Jesse]

Hi all. I need some suggestions please. I want to plant something to cover a wall that only gets sunshine for about 1-2 hours each day. The position is not in dense shade, just doesn't receive direct sunshine for most of the day. The soil at the base of the wall is, well not soil really, more like building rubble and cement! So whatever grows there will definitely need to be in a large pot rather than in the ground. I would prefer to have something that gives colour but anything that is green will do. The position is fairly sheltered (no strong winds) and the wall does have eaves overhanging so conditions tend to get dry quickly. I know ivy will probably to the trick but if anyone has something else to suggest I would welcome this as ivy is, well, not the most interesting of plants, it will be a good last resort though.

[Palustris]

Why not Schizophragma or as it used to be called Hydrangea petiolaris, self clinging climber for a north wall. Slow to get going, but nice white flowers about now. Not evergreen but the stems are a nice chestnut red colour in Winter.

[Jesse]

Hey Eric, I went shopping today and got myself a Schizophragma. It looks very pretty as it is full of flowers. Think it's going to be just the business for my bare looking garage wall. Another customer at the nursery warned me that it will grow very big but I don't think it will as I have it in a pot so hope that will restrict it's height somewhat. Thanks for your suggestion.  :)

[Palustris]

Well , yes they do get big, eventually, given free root run and plenty of food and water, 60 feet plus, but you should live so long. Ours is 8 years old and is about 10 feet square and that gets not sun at all directly. Have fun and water, water water!

[tim]

A great choice!
Amended - more to the point.

This was a cutting off the big plant about 8 years ago. North wall, but the evening sun gets it at this time of year. = Tim

[Jesse]

Oh Tim that looks lovely. It is exactly what I had in mind. Only poblem now is I have to wait for it to grow!  :)

[Ceri]

I want one now I've seen that - what a wonderful plant.  I've got a horrid border at the front of my house that nothing grows well in while the border by the pavement edge of the garden, about 15 feet away is amazing - I can only presume that it is because the border near the house only gets sun till about 11 am.  Technically the 'good' border is SW facing and the 'bad' border is NE, but with only 15ish feet between them the difference in growth is unbelievable.  Soil is heavy heavy clay - would Schizophragma do OK in this?

[tim]

Pass! = Tim

[Palustris]

Dig in some sharp sand and grit so its feet do not stand in stagnant water and it will do very nicely in that situation. Takes a while to get going and you do need to help it climb at first but once it gets going no problems.