The CUK Gardening Thread

[Halo Jones]

They do need pruning a minimum of once a year though.

I would forget

and you only cut it once a year.

Once too often

Paving is disgusting.

But wheelchair friendly

[OwlHoot]

Oh goody, just what I needed - A CUK gardening thread.

Anyone have experience of growing honeysuckle?

I gather there are several varieties, and as with practically anything the more one looks into it the more complicated it becomes!

What is the best variety for (1) a nice strong smell in the summer, (2) sun tolerance, (3) frost tolerance

(I realise (1), (2), and (3) may in this case be the gardener's equivalent of "You want quick, cheap, _and_ reliable - Chortle!")

I was thinking of Italian honeysuckle, although that may not be too good at tolerating frost.

[EternalOptimist]

you dont want honeysuckle. Potatos man, get some spuds in

[zeitghost]

Anyone have experience of growing honeysuckle?

Oh yessssssssss.

Advice: don't touch with barge pole.

It smothers everything, and you need a DC3 full of Agent Orange to kill the stuff.

For roughly 5 minutes per year it smells nice.

[Scruff]

Oh yessssssssss.

Advice: don't touch with barge pole.

It smothers everything, and you need a DC3 full of Agent Orange to kill the stuff.

For roughly 5 minutes per year it smells nice.

Second that, unless you have exceptionally well-drained soil and it is up against a south facing brick/stone wall. The weather in the UK is generally too wet and honeysuckle is like lavender / rosemary / bougainvillea - they like to be neglected, so that they maintain a longer flowering period. Honeysuckle flowers briefly and then produces green berries which do nowt...

[OwlHoot]

Hmm, my honeysuckle illusions have been rather shattered.

Any other ideas for a south-facing wall climbing plant of the same ilk that will smell nice (preferably for more than a day or two each year) attract butterflies and bees, prosper in the sun, and survive the winter?

[SueEllen]

But wheelchair friendly

We should have got you on Titchmarsh's program on ITV.

[pjclarke]

Hmm, my honeysuckle illusions have been rather shattered.

Any other ideas for a south-facing wall climbing plant of the same ilk that will smell nice (preferably for more than a day or two each year) attract butterflies and bees, prosper in the sun, and survive the winter?

Wisteria

[FiveTimes]

Hmm, my honeysuckle illusions have been rather shattered.

Any other ideas for a south-facing wall climbing plant of the same ilk that will smell nice (preferably for more than a day or two each year) attract butterflies and bees, prosper in the sun, and survive the winter?

A nice clematis would be nice.

Clematis 'Victoria' (LL) | Clematis 'Victoria'/RHS Gardening

Or if you want butterflies and bees try a purple buddleja

Buddleja - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Gittins Gal]

Second that, unless you have exceptionally well-drained soil and it is up against a south facing brick/stone wall. The weather in the UK is generally too wet and honeysuckle is like lavender / rosemary / bougainvillea - they like to be neglected, so that they maintain a longer flowering period. Honeysuckle flowers briefly and then produces green berries which do nowt...

Oh, I don't know - we have it growing up against the front of the cottage and for those few weeks when it's in bloom there's just nothing like lying in bed on a balmy evening and enjoying its fragrance drifting in through the open window.

If you're after fragrance, you just can't beat night scented stocks. They're grown as an annual and you'd probably have to do it yourself from seed as I've never seen them sold as bedding plants but well worth the effort.