What to grow over garden arch

Reckless Abandonment

Hey all looking for inspiration as what to plant over this. The lockdown has me recycling like mad . Thats a cattle round bale feeder on its side. Was thinking Rose's but they would create no winter interest. Love to get your ideas

New Home

Passiflora? Again, probably not too many leaves in winter, but stunning flowers when in full bloom, and attractive fruits (some varieties are edible)

strandroad

Evergreen clematis such as Apple Blossom?
Great idea by the way!

celticbhoy27

That arch is lovely. Moongateesque. Is it literally just a cattle feeder on its side or are there some modifications

Reckless Abandonment

I was looking for a moongate. Any I found are mad money. Found this in a agri supply by chance before the lockdown madness. No modifications just took the metal sheeting of it

pwurple

Great idea! I wouldn’t worry at all about it changing to looking bare in winter. Seasonality is what it’s all about in gardening, in winter you see the bones. I would maybe paint it black or dark brown to conceal the agricultural origin, but otherwise show off its bones as it’s a great structural shape!

I like wisteria on an arch, and I have seen people train laburnum trees over arches too with a similar effect, but not sure on a moongate. The moongate is a Japanese garden feature, they typically focus more on foliage and plant shape than flowers.
What height is it, do you want flowers, or would that get in the way?


What I find with a lot of climbers is they get top heavy once they are at the tallest part too, spoiling the clean shape maybe.

Could go with something green and lush... the Hop. (Yes, the one for beer). Humulus lupulus “golden tassels” is a nice garden dwarf one, stick one at each side. Or just the regular female hop sold to beer makers is gorgeous in a sunny spot. Lovely fresh green growth every year.
https://pin.it/3MsFuKF

Reckless Abandonment

Thanks for all the feed back folks. I am planning on painting it, just cant get galvanize paint at the moment. Hops sounds very interesting. I might try that this year and see how it works out. If I can find it was thinking pyracantha too. But that would be a longer wait. Maybe something faster growning this year could be worth a try.

New Home

The only issue I'd have with hops is that the stems can have a tiny bit of a fuzz/barb and if you rub against them they can be itchy/leave a mark, depending on how you react to them. On the other hand, the young shoots are delicious to eat.

Grapes?

countrywoman

That's a really lovely idea...well done! Recycling at it's best.
I love Wisteria or Honeysuckle
Have you secured it to the ground?

rje66

Rose for summer interest
Some sort of focal point in distant that you see through the arch for winter interest'- maybe a smallish tree fern/statue with a spotlight
Spring interest mix of bulbs around base
Just thoughts......

looksee

Wisteria would be glorious but you would have a long wait for it to flower.
Honeysuckle would be lovely, get an evergreen one. Most structures are not strong enough to support honeysuckle but that should be great!
Clematis montana is also a bit rampant for many situations, but that would support it fine. Its a bit naked in winter. A mix of clematis including evergreen plus early and late flowering ones would all grow together and give you interest for a good part of the year.
Passiflora might depend a bit on where you are, they do best in the south in a sunny spot. Again a bit bare in winter, but very vigorous and interesting and the buds can hang on well into the autumn.
I love the idea of hops, I have never grown them but they are appealing.
A mix of roses and evergreen clematis could be lovely.
Sweet peas, while you consider the options?

Heads off to check out cattle feeders...

Reckless Abandonment

rje66 wrote: »

Rose for summer interest
Some sort of focal point in distant that you see through the arch for winter interest'- maybe a smallish tree fern/statue with a spotlight
Spring interest mix of bulbs around base
Just thoughts......

I like your idea. It frames a weeping cherry at the moment. But I could set up a "staging area" behind the arch and put a plant in a pot for each season.

Reckless Abandonment

looksee wrote: »

Sweet peas, while you consider the options?

Heads off to check out cattle feeders...

Actually have a load of sweet pea growing. They might get first go on the "climbing frame"

looksee

Reckless Abandonment wrote: »

Actually have a load of sweet pea growing. They might get first go on the "climbing frame"

Dig out a decent trench and put in some good soil and a bit of manure/feed of some sort, sweet peas will riot up there! Did something similar a couple of years ago and it was spectacular.

Looked at cattle feeders. Hmm. Seems you would need to be able to take your tractor and trailer to pick one up, then need a cutter to take off the metal sheet - and dispose of it. Goes back to drawing board! (It did give me food for thought though)

Reckless Abandonment

It comes in two pieces. Will easily fit in a transit van. The metal sheeting screws off. Fyi

looksee

Reckless Abandonment wrote: »

It comes in two pieces. Will easily fit in a transit van. The metal sheeting screws off. Fyi

That's helpful, thank you!

celticbhoy27

Hi reckless hows the arch looking now? Do any more to it. Thinking of purchasing one myself

Reckless Abandonment

Hey .
I trained a large viburnum kilimanjaro up one side of it which looked amazing for a few weeks may (see attached) then we had 2 days of very strong wind which made a mess of it which I'm really disappointed about. I've sweet pea growing up the other side which is only ok. I'm loving the arch but need to rethink what I will climb up it.
Might go with hornbeam.

looksee

Don't despair of the viburnum. They are grown in sheltered conditions and then when you put them out in the garden its a gamble.

If they have a few months (if they are in full leaf) of calm weather they could be fine, but they are not able for the kind of wind and weather we have had on and off recently. I have a cornus that I put in, beautiful plant but I could see it was 'tender grown'. Right enough the couple of very windy spells have knocked it about rather sadly. But next year it will grow sturdy and be fine, its just a gamble on the weather.

And another good reason why we should plant stuff in the winter. But where is the fun in that

I rather fancy that kilimanjaro myself, I might have to have one of them - when I have planted the nursery of stuff waiting for my attention!

celticbhoy27

Reckless Abandonment wrote: »

Hey .
I trained a large viburnum kilimanjaro up one side of it which looked amazing for a few weeks may (see attached) then we had 2 days of very strong wind which made a mess of it which I'm really disappointed about. I've sweet pea growing up the other side which is only ok. I'm loving the arch but need to rethink what I will climb up it.
Might go with hornbeam.

Looking good mate. Looks like you painted it too? Elements have been against you. Some ridiculous winds of late. The viburnum will eventually withstand it, just needs a few seasons to beef up. The sweet peas woukd need a more sheltered setting I guess. Looks great though. I must purchase

Reckless Abandonment

I'm glad I'm not the only one with a nursery of stuff to plant . Your probably right about it having a sheltered life before me. It looked so well when first planted . I'm struggling not to give it another season and see how it goes.

Reckless Abandonment

celticbhoy27 wrote: »

Looking good mate. Looks like you painted it too? Elements have been against you. Some ridiculous winds of late. The viburnum will eventually withstand it, just needs a few seasons to beef up. The sweet peas woukd need a more sheltered setting I guess. Looks great though. I must purchase

Yeah painted it. Could only get a grey paint for lockdown restrictions etc. ( You need a special paint for galvanized metal) if you do get one I've loads of paint left, your more than welcome to it

standardg60

Reckless Abandonment wrote: »

Hey .
I trained a large viburnum kilimanjaro up one side of it which looked amazing for a few weeks may (see attached) then we had 2 days of very strong wind which made a mess of it which I'm really disappointed about. I've sweet pea growing up the other side which is only ok. I'm loving the arch but need to rethink what I will climb up it.
Might go with hornbeam.

Hornbeam? It's crying out for a rosa 'Kiftsgate' or similar.

Happy4all

Had an arch frame with a passion flower which always looked great. Until the wooden frame rotted

Reckless Abandonment

standardg60 wrote: »

Hornbeam? It's crying out for a rosa 'Kiftsgate' or similar.

Originally had thought Rose's. But it could look a bit to "wedding archy" for my liking. the garden has a more Japanese theme going on (not to strictly)

GreeBo

Looks great and is a great idea OP!

Going back to a previous question, how is it secured to the ground?
Its probably not an issue now, but when those climbers take over you have a large sail and it could be dangerous!

Reckless Abandonment

GreeBo wrote: »

Looks great and is a great idea OP!

Going back to a previous question, how is it secured to the ground?
Its probably not an issue now, but when those climbers take over you have a large sail and it could be dangerous!

I used 8mm threaded bar bent into a u shape. Dug a hole put the u shape into it and put old patio slabs and concrete on top. This left about 6 inches of bar above the ground. The frame came with pre drilled wholes which I bent the bar into and put bolts on. Hope that makes sense.

Hocus Focus

Reckless Abandonment wrote: »

Thanks for all the feed back folks. I am planning on painting it, just cant get galvanize paint at the moment. Hops sounds very interesting. I might try that this year and see how it works out. If I can find it was thinking pyracantha too. But that would be a longer wait. Maybe something faster growning this year could be worth a try.

If you were thinking of painting it in outdoor gloss paint you will eed to use an etching primer, so that the zinc does not reject the paint. The nice man in the paint shop will help.

celticbhoy27

I've dug up this thread before and doing so again apologies.. going to push on and follow suit of op. Just wondering if following link is same size and product as your own
https://www.glanbiaconnect.com/shop/product/Fox-Brothers-Galvanised-Circular-Feeder-20-Space/B9002432?refSrc=9002433&nosto=productpage-nosto-2-mobile
Thanks in advance. Hope link works

Reckless Abandonment

celticbhoy27 wrote: »

I've dug up this thread before and doing so again apologies.. going to push on and follow suit of op. Just wondering if following link is same size and product as your own
https://www.glanbiaconnect.com/shop/product/Fox-Brothers-Galvanised-Circular-Feeder-20-Space/B9002432?refSrc=9002433&nosto=productpage-nosto-2-mobile
Thanks in advance. Hope link works

Hey. It certainly looks to be the same as mine. They are a fairly standard size.. best of luck with it

How high are these?