Advice needed

For the last three years I have tried and been unsuccessful in growing some climbing plants on the four corners of a disused swing frame in my garden. I have planted Roses twice, Honeysuckle and Jasmine all of which now also appear to be dying. The soil seems quite good, and the plants have been fed and watered. Also when I planted them I dug a reasonably sized hole and incorporated plenty of compost with the soil. Any ideas what could be wrong. Also does anyone know of a few more robust quick growing climbers I could try. PS. The plants are in an open part of the garden and get plenty of sunshine and rain.

 

hi, have you checked the pH levels of the soil, do you have any dogs or foxes that my be cocking his leg,

you could try an old trick thats used with roses, if the soil is dead, or diseased, and you need to grow a rose bush, dig out a big hole and place a bigish cardboard box in it, fill the box with manure or compost and plant into the box /compost,
see if this helps,

 

Hello Janet and welcome to GC. I was just shutting down when I saw your message.

To be honest, I'm not sure what suits your climate. I have been in the Algarve since 1988 but only living here since 2001 but I've made great efforts to know what is indigenous to my area and what I can and cannot grow successfully.

Perhaps you should go to your local garden center (assume you have them like me) and ask them what is best suitable to your situation.

As to what you have planted, I am okay with roses but suffer with black spot, honeysuckle thrives here but all of my jasmines (yellow, pink, white, you name it) HATE it here ..

I may come back with some climbers for you but I need to know your climate. There are some other French expats here but don't come on too often ....

 

Janet have a wander around your immediate neighbourhood see what other people are growing if you see anything you fancy don't be shy go and ask them about it you may even get a cutting,if any plants you try fail and other people nearby are growing them successfully then try what windy suggests isolate the area your planting in.

 

Hi Janet. I am surprised that honeysuckle hasn't taken. It is usually very hardy and not fussy. Have you tried any clematises (is that clemates?) I know many others think they are a bit passe nowadays but many of us still love them and there are loads to choose from in all colours. For speed and spread you could fall back on the old C. montana, you would only need one the size it spreads to, but it is only at it's best in spring and summer. If you wanted year round foliage you could try a C. armandii.

I would have the soil tested though as Windy suggests. What is the frame made of and is it sound?

 

I had similarly bad luck with climbers over the gate to my allotment (I know, I know, but I didn't have a garden then and I needed some flowers!) - I'm not entirely sure of the cause but the main difference between there and my garden here (where I am managing to grow them) was that I just dug (largeish) planting holes out of the hard clay surrounding soil there, and here the whole of the surrounding area is dug to a reasonable depth. Don't want to let you in for a load of work on a hunch, but it might be something to think about (if you haven't already dug over the surrounding area that is!).