Wondering what trailing plants and shrubs will look best year-round in your conservatory? Then this article should give you plenty of good ideas of what to choose this coming year – especially if you fancy a change.
Choose wisely though, because climbers and shrubs aren’t seasonal and it’s these that give an overall look to your conservatory – to the extent they can change the whole feel of your favourite glass room.
All of the following climbers and shrubs we have chosen can be maintained at a height of up to 10ft if pruned regularly:
Passiflora × exoniensis
A hybrid passion flower with lovely rosy red blooms measuring four inches wide, this gorgeous climber prefers summer and autumn temperatures. It survives well in over one-degree centigrade but loves the sun during the warmer months. Needs pruning back at the beginning of spring.
Hibbertia scandens
Staying with bright blooms, the Hibbertia scandens is a fast climber with a beautiful bright yellow flower measuring around 2.5 inches wide. It needs to be tied in pretty regularly so that it doesn’t become unmanageable. It’s happiest in a conservatory with a temperature of above five degrees centigrade.
Plumbago auriculata
What is referred to as ‘a scrambling shrub,’ the Plumbago auriculata has a lovely bright blue flower, making it an ideal summer plant for your conservatory. An excellent climber for your conservatory; if you’re growing it in a pot then take it outside for some heat in summer. Prune back in the spring. Never let it sit in freezing temperatures.
Pandorea jasminoides
A lovely looking bloom of white with a central bright pink spot, the Pandorea jasminoides is an attractive climber for any conservatory. That’s also thanks to the green glossy leaves surrounding the blooms. This super shrub shows off its wares through spring to autumn, making it a must-have for most homes. Likes to sit in temperatures of above five degrees centigrade.
Trachelospermum asiaticum
A hardy climber which loves the light from a conservatory, Trachelospermum asiaticum has lovely, abundant, creamy blooms that produce a pretty scent. They look lovely contrasted with the climber’s glossy green leaves. Another climber that enjoys a little summer heat that can also be pruned back in spring. It’s hard to the extent that it can withstand freezing temperatures of minus 10.
Citrus × microcarpa
A stunning conservatory climber, the Citrus × microcarpa is what conservatories were designed for. Adding brightness with its glossy green leaves and sumptuous orange fruits, it’s an eye-catching plant with a purpose. The bright fruit can be used in marmalade or frozen whole and used as an ice cube. Before forming, the fruits are white flowers during the spring and summer months. Another climber which thrives in temperatures above five degrees, unusually it should be pruned in late winter.
@Countrylifemag: “Climbing plants, whether reaching for the roof or tumbling down a wall, will give the room a sense of lush exuberance. By encouraging them to flourish in the upper parts of the space, you can help create an atmosphere of abundance, even evoking the tropical habitats from which many of them come.”