For most of the year my Japanese Honeysuckle looks quite ordinary, though it covers the fence with consummate ease. Yet when spring arrives it becomes like a plant possessed firing new growth from every conceivable angle undeterred by other plants which may get in the way. And then, as if you blinked, a flourish of new blooms covers the entire plant starting white and finishing a deep yellow.

Lonicera is certainly a standout performer in the warmer months. The fragrant plethora of flowers transform any garden into an overnight success.

But the characteristics that make lonicera japonica a winner in the garden make it an invasive pest when let loose in the wild. And it's not just a problem that devastates Australia's native vegetation. Many warmer climes around the globe struggle with it too.

How does Japanese Honeysuckle become a weed?

Lonicera japonica grows berries which mature to black and these can easily be transferred by wind or birds. The berries, which are really seed pods, have a successful propagating rate and will establish themselves quite easily in most vegetations.

The Japanese Honeysuckle can also be propogated by layering and this is how it escapes under fences even more successfully.

Growing Lonicera Japonica in the garden

Obviously precautions need to be taken if you decide to grow lonicera in your own backyard. Check the fences that you are going to grow it on ensuring that it can't escape underneath them. Also, be vigilant in keeping the berries from maturing by cutting them off while they are still young.

Apart from this conditions, lonicera japonica is a wonderful addition to any garden and can easily cover a 9-10m (30ft) fence within a couple of seasons. It requires a feed of fertiliser just prior to flowering in early spring and may need some tip pruning at the end of the season to maintain its shape.

Other varieties of Lonicera

Lonicera hildebrandiana - Commonly known as the Giant Burmese Honeysuckle. It has a similar growth habit to the Japanese Honeysuckle but produces dark yellow flowers.

Lonicera sempervirens - The Trumpet Honeysuckle displays gorgeous orange/red trumpet shaped flowers. This is a few popular form of lonicera predominantly grown in the US.

Lonicera nitida - The Box Honeysuckle is more like a rambling shrub than a creeper and flowers yellow.

There are many other forms of lonicera with differing bloom shapes and colours. If you're looking for something to hide and unsightly fence or work area, take a look at Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera Japonica)

Posted by Stuart | Permalink | Comments (2)

We started growing this dipladenia along the edge of our border fence hoping that one day it would cover it and soften the surrounding view from our lounge window. The bed that it lives in receives no sun at all due to the fence and the neighbour's pergola but it still continues to do well.

In fact, this plant has disregarded its own heritage and is doing everything it shouldn't. It's touted as an annual, as a shrubby non-climber and that it grows in full sun to part shade. Yet this one has been growing in the same spot for nearly 3 years, is climbing well and sees no sun at all. And to top it off it flowers for almost half the year.

Is this surprising? Not really. The dipladenia 'Red Riding Hood', also called Brazilian Jasmine, is a sport from two mandevilla cultivars. A sport is a mutation of a plant(s) rather than being hybridized and so can sometimes have characteristics that aren't always recorded or expected.

It's recommended that they be grown as annual shrubs, propagated from stem or softwood cuttings and that they can be trained on a trellis but a shrub is more likely the way to go. Dipladenia's that are grown in the shade have a more compact growing habit while those in full sun have a more leggy, vine-like appearance.

Dipladenia's need a moderate amount of water making sure their roots don't dry out in summer and should be fertilised prior to flowering (late spring) and again at the end of flowering (early winter).

They make a wonderful small climber or shrub in small gardens.

Posted by Stuart | Permalink | Comments (0)