climber through Hornbeam hedge

[rubyrubyroo]

Hi, I have a well established Hornbeam hedge 4ft plus on a north westerly aspect that gets late afternoon evening sun in the summer. It is fully deciduous between November & March & looks rather bare. I would like to plant a climber through it to give winter interest & have considered a winter honeysuckle. The soil is pretty good although a little on the heavy side. Anyone have any advice or would like to suggest alternatives. Thank you

[Brocakat]

If you are going to keep the Carpinus at 4~5 feet high, I'd suggst Euonymus "Emerald & Gold" planted every 4 feet along, will give a pretty effect if you plant it all the way
along the full length of this hedge.

Try to isolate the future volume of soil that will be allocated for the roots of this from the existing volumes of Hornbeam roots. This is most important for its establishment over the next 3/4 growing seasons. I find pieces of slate very good for this, but corrugated tin sheet sunk below the ground would do.

The Eunoymous will not need any encouragement to climb - through.

[rubyrubyroo]

Thank you for your reply. I had not considered any of the Eunoymous so will give it some thought.

[Kayleigh]

Winter honeysuckle is a shrub rather than a climber but you can get evergreen ones and ivy is a good climber and is a valuable one for wildlife.

[animartco]

Hi Ruby You don't say where you live, but in the south a good native climber is the travellers joy or old man's beard (wild climatis). It has a mass of white flowers in summer, not particularly spectacular, but in winter the seed heads make fluffy clouds all along the hedge. Where it grows thick it provides good nest sites and plenty of soft nesting material.

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by animartco

Hi Ruby You don't say where you live, but in the south a good native climber is the travellers joy or old man's beard (wild climatis). It has a mass of white flowers in summer, not particularly spectacular, but in winter the seed heads make fluffy clouds all along the hedge. Where it grows thick it provides good nest sites and plenty of soft nesting material.

Mine has literally thousands of hoverflies on it all summer..

[Brocakat]

Bare in mind it can smother its host hedge/tree - It's rather a bit-too-vigorous & will not 'take care' of itself, IMO.

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by Brocakat

Bare in mind it can smother its host hedge/tree - It's rather a bit-too-vigorous & will not 'take care' of itself, IMO.

Yes I have just cut my wild clematis down at ground level for this reason.