[NigelB]

We have a south-facing wall to which I have just been attaching a pergola-like structure made from some recycled fencing the council have been replacing....
Anyway, the structure has four legs, is fixed to the wall, and is about 8 or so feet high.
It gets the sun all day, with some shade in the evenings from an adjacent greenhouse. It's pretty much a sun-trap and protected from all but the most fierce winds....
So, what to grow up the structure?

We would like for the plants, whatever they are, to provide shade, but more than that, a sense of being in a room outdoors. It follows naturally too that it would be ideal if the plants produced something edible at the same time.
Perhaps a carefully-chosen grape vine could take some space, or an edible variety of  passion fruit... Something else?
Suggestions will be much appreciated....
Thanks.

 

[Puenktchen]

As far as I know, edible varieties of passion fruit plants are not winter hardy and need a greenhouse to thrive. But what about a winterhardy variety of kiwi fruit? They are climbers and need a sunny position. The fruits are a bit smaller than the kiwi´s you buy in the supermarket, but they also taste nice.

[Thrift]

What about some of the varieties of berry, Blackberry, Loganberry etc. If it has enough shelter runner beans are very decorative and delicious.

[Trillium]

 For temporary filler you could try a climbing tomato, or even rosehips for jams (very high vitamin C content).

[NigelB]

Thanks Puenktchen and Thrift for your suggestions..
The Kiwi Fruit is a good idea. I'm just looking at them now. The variety 'Jenny' seems a popular choice.
I'm looking too at thorn-less blackberry plants there are on offer.
Tell ya what though, they all seem a bit dear to me. Not that I'm tight... Well, actually I am.    But blimey, one of the Kiwi's I looked at was over £40!  

Out of interest. If I was to buy a single thorn-less blackberry cane approximately two feet long, could I then just cut it into four-inch or so pieces and root them all?


[Edited to add] Oh. Cheers trillium. Climbing tomatoes eh?...... Toddles off to try to find them............

[8doubles]

Hops!  They make a nice soup .

[tosca100]

HOPS? Have you tried getting rid of them if you want a change? The little beast comes up all over the place! I had a loganberry up till last year, that did very well...in fact too well, it was so vigorous we dug it out last year. Had loads of lovely fruit though, tart but delicious. Like the blackberry idea too, especially the Oregon with decorative leaves. We had a Kiwi on the garage, the leaves are really nice, didn't get any fruit but it wasn't a very sunny position, it was very vigorous though. (OH got bored of it and dug it out!)

[NigelB]

Ok. Thanks again for the suggestions folks...
Hops! Now there's something I hadn't considered. .... And one leg of the structure sits in a small area of soil quite apart from anything else, so it shouldn't be too easy to control.... providing it is only a problem of suckers spreading and not self-seeding..

That's pretty much solved it, to be fair...

Kiwi 'Jenny' for one leg. Thorn-less Blackberry 'Oregon' for another, and a Hop plant on one other should just about fill the whole thing....
Are hops scented much?

[Puenktchen]

Hi

With hop the female plants have a scented infructescence. The scent is a strong peculiar aromatic scent.

But be careful, hop is a vigorous climber and needs a good pruning in spring.

[8doubles]

I love the smell of hops on the bine but hate the smell of brewing hops which we get from the local brewery. The beer is ok .

[NigelB]

I'm getting more and more keen on the hop idea, and if they are that vigorous, one or two could be enough for the whole structure even.
Hmmmmmm.......  :blink:

[tosca100]

All you have to decide now is if you wasnt green or golden hops........

[NigelB]

Uh oh!   

Green or Golden?   


 


I was so taken with the idea I already ordered some seeds.....   


Humulus lupulus....

Golden?

[Puenktchen]

You can not really eat hop, but you can make tea from the hops, it makes you calm and sleepy 

[treacleminer]

I have heard that hop flowers are sopoforic and are sometimes used to make pilows to help insomnia - you may find a hop covered pergola even more 'relaxing' than expected