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4:05 pm
Enthusiast
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Mon 11-Oct-10
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Whilst visiting the uk, I bought a packet of various climbing flowers, At the end of Februaury i planted them already they are looking good and strong, what are they???
Australian pea/ Hyacinth Bean, it can grow up to 3 metres ideal for an arbour and a change from morning glory which himself hates with a vengeance, I have also been succesful with 'cobea' the cup and saucer vine, that too is growing well.
Any other ideas for unusual climbers??? if I knew how I could post a picture if and when it blooms!!
10:07 am
Supreme Being
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Mon 21-Sep-09
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Hi Maria,
Unusual & beautiful climbers:
How about growing some kiwi fruit, they have beautiful flowers as well as the delicious fruit. Your climate should be great for them. This link shows one grown in Spain¦..
The leaves are very decorative too. I think you will have to do some research on varieties as some are self fertile & some not¦..
http://searchenginez.com/kiwifruit/
Good luck
"The beautiful is as useful as the useful...perhaps more so."
from Les Miserables
11:06 am
Supreme Being
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Sun 30-Jan-11
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Passiflora (passion flowers) have the most beautiful and unusual flowers, with the added bonus of edible fruits, if you have enough sun (which I'm sure you do!).
We had a lovely one in our old garden back in the Midlands, it did fruit right at the end of the flowering season, but the fruits never got to maturity as we didn't have enough warm sunshine 
.
learning to love veg…..except celery :-O
11:12 am
Supreme Being
Wed 30-Dec-09
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Sooliz said:
Passiflora (passion flowers) have the most beautiful and unusual flowers, with the added bonus of edible fruits, if you have enough sun (which I'm sure you do!).
We had a lovely one in our old garden back in the Midlands, it did fruit right at the end of the flowering season, but the fruits never got to maturity as we didn't have enough warm sunshine
Sue, our daughter has this climber, growing over a trellis to surround their hot tub - they live near Newbury, and they have fruit, too.
11:39 am
Supreme Being
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Sun 30-Jan-11
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Do they ever get to eat any of theirs, Val?
learning to love veg…..except celery :-O
12:10 pm
Supreme Being
Wed 30-Dec-09
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I believe so, yes! It is in a nice sheltered spot, so probably gets plenty of warmth.
12:13 pm
Supreme Being
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Mon 21-Sep-09
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Sooliz said:
Do they ever get to eat any of theirs, Val?
I think the variety that we grow here in the UK is not the most suitable for eating.
Here is some information I saved when I was researching them a while ago.
http://hubpages.com/hub/Health-Benefits-of-Passion-Fruit
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passiflora
I have one growing near my front door & that fruits every year but it is the common blue & white one & is not edible as far as I am concerned....it is very dry & mealy tasting. The flowers are beautiful though & the seeds from it germinate very easily....I often have little seedlings growing round the parent plant. I can see that in better conditions it could easily be a problem.
"The beautiful is as useful as the useful...perhaps more so."
from Les Miserables
1:25 pm
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
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I want to have a go at growing kiwi fruit as they are supposed to survive a cold climate too but just wondering if they will grow from seed. Will give it a go anyway.
2:04 pm
Supreme Being
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Mon 21-Sep-09
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JoannaS said:
I want to have a go at growing kiwi fruit as they are supposed to survive a cold climate too but just wondering if they will grow from seed. Will give it a go anyway.
Hi Joanna, Heres some info for you......I haven't tried it myself but it sounds easy enough though fiddly because the seeds are so tiny.
http://hubpages.com/hub/Growing-Kiwi-Fruit-Actinid.....-from-Seed
Good luck......
"The beautiful is as useful as the useful...perhaps more so."
from Les Miserables
2:26 pm
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Mon 11-Oct-10
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Wow thanks so much to read up on, strangely enough someone did mention passion frit recently but I assumed they wouldnt be hardy, here we can get temperatures of -28
This winter -16, last winter -26, so whatever likes the heat must also love the cold, thank you so much , has anyone tried the Australian Pea! I so want to find out if its worth growing.
ttfn
5:07 pm
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
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Thanks for that Hattie, I didn't realise it will be 4-5 years before they flower 
. Oh well there are a few things we are starting this year that will take their time like asparagus.
5:54 pm
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
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Just been doing a bit more hunting around and found that there are different varieties of Kiwis and the one I want to cope with our very low temperatures is not available as seed , I can buy plants at around £15 each but you need at least one male and one female . I just want some seeds
7:15 pm
Sat 12-Aug-06
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Fiona is growing a kiwi at the front corner of our house, Joanna. At the moment it is just a single vine that is creeping steadily towards our front door like a hairy triffid 
Let's see what develops this year. I will ask her whether she grew it from seed or sapling.
Some of her tree experiments have failed. We don't know whether it was due to poor quality or soil conditions or incorrect treatment or what. Like her peppercorn tree and her Chilean Guava that is now a dead stick but which was planted in a shady area. She will try again next year and give them time in a pot in the solar tunnel before replanting outdoors.
Never knowingly underfed
6:49 pm
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Mon 11-Oct-10
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Joanna, we have just had a lovely day out with a bulgarian family and they took us to a local gardner, who sold us amongst everything else, ( wonderful tree peony and large red clematis and a ginko biloba tree!!) sorry any way we also bought a Kiwi vine which is both male and femail I think he said it was a cross between a kiwi and a passion fruit he showed us his and it is indeed a real vine, any way this doesnt really help you I know, but maybe someone in your city has a garden centre or park you can browse around? Just incase does any one know what this edible fruit vine could be???
7:09 pm
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
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We don't have many garden centres here in Latvia, there are some but not many and most are near Riga which is about two hours away. They do have places that sell bedding plants but not the range of stuff we usually expect to see in the UK. Maybe an opening there 
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