Sibe

I understand that now you can purchase honeysuckle in bush form. If so could you please advise on the best variety for fragrance? Also, when is the right time to plant, what type of soil do I need and can these be grown in a large pot?

Thank you in advance
Maureen Archer

Our Gardening Expert Replies:

Hi Maureen

Whilst honeysuckle is normally thought of as a climber, you are quite correct in saying that this useful plant also appears in bush form. There are about 180 different species of lonicera and, in fact, the majority of these are shrubs rather than climbers. The climbing types are most often seen - and one of the best of these, Lonicera periclymenum, is a British native. Probably the most commonly grown shrubby type is Lonicera nitid,a or its yellow-leaved selection 'Baggesen's Gold', which is often used for hedging.

Some of the climbers are justifiably popular because they have the dual benefit of large flowers and a pleasant fragrance. Some of the bush types are intensely fragrant but unfortunately none which are suitable to grow in this country have both the fragrance and the large flowers.

There are three good shrubby types that I would recommend. Firstly, the largest, Lonicera fragrantissima, which is a partially evergreen shrub (ie retaining some leaves in milder areas) and has cream coloured flowers through the late winter and early spring followed by red berries. The next is my favourite, Lonicera standishii, which is somewhat smaller and, again, flowers over the winter period looking particularly good in late February/early March when the fresh green leaves start to emerge above the intensely fragrant white flowers. These have an attractive pink tinge and quite noticeable yellow anthers followed by red berries which appear around June. You will hardly notice these two plants through the summer but they certainly come into their own in the winter months, so be sure to locate them where you are likely to walk past in the winter so you will not miss their delightful scent.

While both of these could be grown in a large pot they would, I suspect, soon exhaust the compost. There is, though, a hybrid of these two plants, Lonicera purpusii and also a selection of this called 'Winter Beauty' which is very floriferous, particularly when young, so is more suitable for growing in a pot.

Regards
Sibe