Birthday
HydrangeasA gazebo or veranda wrapped in greenery and flowers is a favourite summer retreat: cooler, cosier and full of scent. Here is which plants to choose for vertical greening, how to dress a veranda with containers and what to plant nearby to make evenings especially pleasant.
Flowers for garden and veranda: potted plants and spray roses.
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Climbing plants
- Clematis offers large flowers in every shade; it likes its “head in the sun, feet in the shade”, so shade the base with low plants or mulch.
- Climbing roses are a classic for arches and gazebos; they need sun and a support to tie the stems to.
- Virginia creeper is an easy climber that quickly covers walls and turns crimson in autumn.
- Honeysuckle has fragrant flowers that smell strongest in the evening.
- Hops grow very fast but can spread by rhizomes.
- Annuals such as morning glory, sweet pea, nasturtium and thunbergia green up a new gazebo in its first season.
More on climbers in “Climbing plants for the garden”.
Containers for the veranda
- Hanging baskets of trailing petunias, calibrachoa, bacopa or ivy decorate the veranda from above.
- Large containers of pelargoniums, verbena, begonias or grasses mark the entrance and corners.
- For a shady veranda choose fuchsias, begonias, busy lizzies and ferns.
- In summer, houseplants that enjoy fresh air can move out onto the veranda: citrus, bottlebrush and oleander.
A fragrant corner
Plant scented flowers near your seat: lavender, mock orange, roses, night-scented stock and flowering tobacco, the last two releasing their perfume in the evening. Pots of mint, lemon balm and basil on the table add freshness; whether they help against mosquitoes is covered in “Mosquito-repelling plants”.
Care
- Put up sturdy supports in advance: mature climbers are heavy.
- Water containers and baskets daily in summer, twice a day in hot spells.
- Feed flowering plants every 1–2 weeks.
- In autumn prune perennial climbers and protect them if needed; clear away annuals.
For easy-care garden ideas see “Low-maintenance garden”, and for shrubs “Ornamental shrubs for the garden”.
FAQ
Which climber grows fastest?
Among annuals, morning glory and scarlet runner beans; among perennials, Virginia creeper and hops.
What can I plant by a shady gazebo?
Virginia creeper, ivy and some clematis, with fuchsias, begonias and busy lizzies in containers.
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Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
