Honeysuckle

feargale

Ever since I was a kid I've loved the smell of honeysuckle and I'd love to plant some. When and how? Advice please.

looksee

Buy one, dig hole, plant it, stand back and watch! They do in fact take a couple of seasons to really get going but after that no hassle. I have one in flower at the moment and the scent is glorious. I think they seem to appreciate the roots being in shade, the rest will cope happily with semi-shade as they are woodland plants. Tie it up with sturdy wires, don't bother with wooden trellis, the honeysuckle will win.

feargale

Thanks. And plant at what time of year?

looksee

Ideally you plant anything in autumn or spring, but in fact container grown plants can be planted pretty much any time, and in a summer like this they will be fine. If (please, pretty please!) it does turn hot and dry you just need to water it, but really it is not likely at the moment.

feargale

I take it the honeysuckle and the wild woodbine are close relatives, yet the woodbine doesn't give off the same fragrance at all. But the woodbine looks nice. I had some wild woodbine at one stage but a workman got rid of it

looksee

Woodbine is the same as honeysuckle. Cultivars of honeysuckle are less likely to be referred to as woodbine, but both smell lovely. The flowers of cultivars vary but most of the garden centre ones would be what you are looking for. Halliana does have somewhat less showy white/yellow flowers, Belgica might be more what you have in mind.

Delphinium

Honeysuckle does take a while to settle down as looksee said. Had one that sulked for 11 years, just producing a few flowers each year. Then, for no obvious reason, it took off and now, after another 5 years, is a joy to behold.