Obelisk gardening ...

Hi folks, I really need some help here. My t'other half brought over four obelisks from the UK (thankfully he has given two away here) but we have two left and he wants me to plant something in them.

They are not my 'scene' shall we say and I have tried to think of all sorts but nothing comes to mind. Sweetpeas which I love are out of the question as they only bloom for about a month here. I thought perhaps variegated Ivy but the one time I tried it here last year it died within the month ...

The location of these obelisks is on the side of the patio at our caravan/cabin and only gets morning sun ... the picture below was taken mid afternoon.

Any thoughts at all what I could put in them? T'other half is now saying he may make them into light features, which may be a better idea ... but something attractive in the daytime would be better in my opinion.

Thank you in advance.

 

I would look around for climbers that do well locally and would not mind having its roots confined in a tub. Bougainvillea?
It'll need a bit of watering to keep it going in the heat.

 

Thanks Mad ... I have eight Bougies at my house and I can assure you they would NOT do well in those containers here, but thank you for your thoughts. They actually do better without watering here to be honest!

 

Victoria , with a view like that from your back yard , you don't need obelisks ( rather large ones ! ) . Is it not possible to lose a) The obelisks or b) T'other half ?

 

I grew Rhodochiton atrosanguineum (above) for the first time last year up a simple obelisk of three 6 feet canes, and was very pleased with it. It flowered for a very long period of time. There is always Thunbergia - I am sure you could grow the blue grandiflora. Loads of different Ipomea, I am also trying for the first time Mina lobata, Cobea scandens and Asarina scandens - all from seed.

 

I've got several Clematis in planters with obelisks.

This pic is from the Taylors Clematis website:



Have a look here for some info.

 

... good thinking, Harry, on both counts ...

Hello Peter and thank you for some nice suggestions. There is a trellis to the left of the left obelisk (looking at the picture) and I have planted climbing multi-coloured Morning Glory with non-climbing multi-coloured Morning Glory at the base ... they are up 2-3cms at the moment. In the wooden tub to the far right I have a Cobaea scandens which is about 6cms tall and in the ground by the fence trellis Clerodendron thomsoniae which is about a meter tall but not doing a lot at the moment and. Further along the fence trellis toward the back I have a variegated Pandorea jasminoides and at the rear a Podranea ricasoliana with the hopes that those latter three will cover the trellis fence. The Cobaea is to go along the patio roof. I will consider the Thunbergia if I see them for sale (either variety). I had zero luck germinating Mina lobata nor Asarina scandens. I have also planted some Passiflora caerula seeds.

Merleworld, that is absolutely stunning (as I am sure the ones on either side are). However, although the one garden center here sometimes sells Clematis, they do not do well due to the constant dry heat ... we will probably have no rain here now until September/October, except for perhaps a shower or two later this month/May. Currently in the mid-20s our temps will stay in the 30s throughout the summer.

I will take pictures as the plants progress as this is my first year gardening here.

 

Mad, I also meant to say that there is a Bougainvillea to the left of the left obelisk, a common purple one planted in the ground and there is also a red one out back there. When I said they do better without watering here, I meant when they are in the ground, so that may have been a bit confusing!

There is also a climbing red rose further along that a friend gave me as a 'welcome to your new garden' gift.