Conservatory climbers

[PeterS]

I have recently had a 16' by 12' freestanding conservatory/garden room built, and am looking for some tender/tropical climbers to clothe the back wall and roof. So I would love to hear suggestions of best conservatory climbers.

The room is south-east facing, and will be heated in winter to keep a minimum of 8C to 10C. Its been very humid recently as it crambed full of plants overwintering, but I have a couple of dehumidifiers. As its a lean-to It has an almost flat roof without any roof vents. It has a number of windows, but I am not sure how hot it will get in summer.

My ideal plants will be spectacular and long flowering, perhaps tropical or unusual, and primarily evergreen perennials The odd fragrant plant will be welcome, but they must be practical and reliable.

Currently my list comprises

Allamanda blanchetii – Cherry Allamanda
Asarina scandens – Creeping Snapdragon
Bomarea hirtella - climbing Alstroemeria
Campsis radicans – Trumpet Creeper
Cobaea scandens AGM – Cup and Saucer Vine
Eccremocarpus scaber - Chilean Glory Flower
Hardenbergia violacea – Vine Lilac
Ipomea quamoclit – Cypress Vine
Jasminum polyanthum AGM – Pink Jasmine
Pandorea jasminoides – Pink Bower Vine
Petrea volubilis – Sandpaper Vine
Rhodochiton atrosanguineum AGM – Purple Bell Vine
Solandra maxima – Cup of Gold Vine
Stephanotis floribunda - Madagascar Jasmine
Tecomaria capensis – Cape Honeysuckle
Trachelospermum jasminoides AGM – Star Jasmine
Tropaeolum peregrinum – Canary Creeper
Tropaeolum speciosum AGM – Flame Creeper

I have plants or seeds for most of these, but little experience of them as I previously had no means of overwintering them.


Other thoughts are a nice red/pink passiflora. Thunbergia grandiflora and the exotic looking Thunbergia mysorensis above (one of LongK's favorites).

I also have some climbing shrubs like Bougainvillea, Plumbage, and a couple of Clerodendrons.

I appreciate that I will only have room eventually for a few plants, so I would appreciate your opinions as to which would be most suitable

[Chad]

To comment on just one to make the post manageable initially; Bomarea hirtella [hort] is I think B.edulis. There are much more exciting Bomarea if you have a milder than outside winter [frost free and they keep winter green - I have one in flower now].

Bomarea pardina [if you can find one let me know; I'm still searching] or B. 'Fiesta' are my current top two. B.caldasii [hort] is probably easier to source and knocks B.edulis into a proverbial hat in terms of 'wow factor'. The only problem with it is that its name keeps changing and I can't keep up. I think it is now sunk into B.multiflora, but some references give it as a synonym for B.kalbreyeri; though that itself may be an old name for B.hirsuta.

It is huge genus and has many gems. But they tend to get bigger than I have space for. I am growing 'Fiesta' in a 20L pot to try to 'shrink' it a bit and it wants to overgrow a ten foot wigwam and it hasn't flowered yet.

Chad.

[charlie]

Its a big list!

Allamanda blanchetii – Cherry Allamanda - dont know this one, the more familiar carthartica died here even on heat (Botrytus)
Asarina scandens – Creeping Snapdragon - small but useful, doesn't really need to be indoors
Bomarea hirtella - climbing Alstroemeria - as Chad says there are better (but not easier) , not great in pots
Campsis radicans – Trumpet Creeper you may keep it under control but its a lot of plant for the amount of flower
Cobaea scandens AGM – Cup and Saucer Vine, great outdoors, never been able to keep it under glass
Eccremocarpus scaber - Chilean Glory Flower, OK outside so never tried under glass
Hardenbergia violacea – Vine Lilac, excellent early evergreen, ok in pots
Ipomea quamoclit – Cypress Vine, not grown this
Jasminum polyanthum AGM – Pink Jasmine, all the evergreen jasmines are ok in pots and do ok under unheated glass
Pandorea jasminoides – Pink Bower Vine, one of the best conservatory climbers
Petrea volubilis – Sandpaper Vine, always wanted to try!
Rhodochiton atrosanguineum AGM – Purple Bell Vine, best grown from seed each year as difficult to keep happy in winter, hates damp air
Solandra maxima – Cup of Gold Vine, much too big
Stephanotis floribunda - Madagascar Jasmine, - lovely
Tecomaria capensis – Cape Honeysuckle, - best out in summer and brought in for flowering but excellent for winter colour - mine is still flowering
Trachelospermum jasminoides AGM – Star Jasmine, - is ok outside, but if you want a self clinger it does ok in pots and under glass you would probably get one of the variegated sorts to flower well
Tropaeolum peregrinum – Canary Creeper I think this and the next would hate being under glass, they like it cool
Tropaeolum speciosum AGM – Flame Creeper

My Thunbergia mysorensis, is still a baby but seems very happy and its a big family!
Mandevilla are good as are Bougainvilla.
Passiflora can be tricky as they don't like heat
I will have a proper think later :?

[LONGK]

"Passiflora can be tricky as they don't like heat"

Even P.alata? It only seems to be happy under glass for me.

[charlie]

Well they dont like cold either! but under glass most will flower better if kept below about 70f

[PeterS]

Chad - thanks for the info on Bomarea. Its clearly a very big area. I too am getting fed up with the name changes.

Charlie - thank you so much for your comments - they are very helpful. I knew you would have answers. I was fully aware that many on the list would not be suitable - though I will still enjoy growing as many as I can for a while. Most are from seed so any failures won't set me back too much.

I am very heartened that Thunbergia mysorensis might be possible. I knew that Solandra would be far too big - but I am still tempted to try it for a while. For me, much of the fun of gardening is trying new things. I also knew that Tropaeloum speciosum liked it cool. I see reports saying that it does better in the cool of Scotland rather than down south. It will get plenty of cool here - outside. Though I didn't know T. peregrinum also liked it cool. I would like to try Petrea volubis - but I can't find a plant source. I have seeds, but seeds are not that reliable with the more unusual stuff. The only RHS plant finder mention is Cross Common Nursery, down your way, but it doesn't appear on their site.

On the practical side, Pandorea, Hardenbergia, Bougainvillea, Stephanotis and the Jasmine seem to be OK. I will have another go with Mandevilla, now that I have warmer winter quarters.

What about these from your site
Araujia sericifera
Clytostoma callistegioides
Ipomoea indica

and Thunbergia grandiflora - which you don't do?

[charlie]

Araujia sericifera Inside I found this rather prone to mealy bug and white fly but it responds ok to being cut to the ground each spring (somewhat defeats the object of an evergreen climber!) inside the scent from the flowers is good and there is the bonus of large seed pods over winter, just don't make the mistake of leaving them too long as they go everywhere. Outside it tends to be a bit scruffy and the scent doesn't carry well, In the right place its a good plant

Clytostoma callistegioides This is a beautiful evergreen, in a decent size pot with not too much summer heat it has a good long flowering period, if baked in a small pot it tends to flower for only 3 weeks. ouside on a wall it flowers for months

Ipomoea indica I have this in the ground in my greenhouse and part of it is allowed to grow out through the window, I get a stunning show each year, but to keep it looking good I cut it to the ground each early winter

I may try again with the Thunbergia grandiflora, there is a lot of it at the place we stay on Madeira so I am sure a bit could be liberated!

[PeterS]

Charlie - thank you so much for your help. You have given me information that I couldn't get anywhere else. I have sent you an e-mail.

Peter

[kGarden]

How come you guys haven't mentioned Lapageria? Although I haven't grown it it is my intention to have one / several?! in my forthcoming conservatory and I thought it was at the top of most people's lists for a conservatory climber?

I have, and like, a Plumbago capensis which came from Jungle Plants and is supposedly a darker blue than the type. Flowers prolifically and adds a touch of colour :)

[charlie]

I didn't suggest Lapageria as it doesn't like high temperatures and I assumed the Conservatory to be a sunny one? but I would agree, I grow a lot of Lapageria in cooler spots and few things can match them for winter flower.