Snip shape

13/01/2008

WISTERIA will ramble enthusiastically over a sturdy pergola and make a lovely fragrant shade canopy on a south-facing patio. Choose the Chinese wisteria sinensis varieties, rather than the Japanese floribunda types.

EXPERT TIP: Pruning is essential to keep plants under control. In August, shorten new shoots to about 1ft to improve air circulation. In February, trim them back again.

HOW MUCH? £11.95 each or £19.90 for two (www.jparkers.co.uk, 0161 848 1100).

Roses

ROSES are very versatile and can be grown as climbers, bushes, ground cover and weeping standards in pots. Rose Felicite Perpetue, with its large clusters of double, creamy white blooms, which have a delicate fragrance, is a good choice, as it will bloom on a shady north-facing terrace.

EXPERT TIP: Prune after flowering to allow it to develop new flowering stems for the following season. Leave any soft and supple new growth. Always think of the shape of the bush when cutting out any wood.

HOW MUCH? Trained standard, £47.50, Wisley Plant Centre (www.rhs.org.uk, 01483 211113)

Firethorn

FIRETHORN or pyracantha has pliable stems making it superb for training in tiers on a wall. Plant 6in to 10in from the wall to give room for the roots and improve air circulation.

EXPERT TIP: Major pruning should be done while the plant is dormant, but train the limbs onto their wire supports in summer.

HOW MUCH? Red and orange fruiting varieties, £8 (www.floraselect.co.uk, 01245 422353).

Cherry

WHILE there are many ornamental climbing plants, fan-training a fruit tree means you can eat the produce as well as enjoying the display!

EXPERT TIP: Most fruit trees need to be planted on a sunny wall to ripen, but there are exceptions such as the cooking cherry Morello which thrives in shade. Fruits will only develop on young shoots, so prune after harvesting.

HOW MUCH? Partly-trained tree, £44.95 (www. trees-online.co.uk, 01651 891106).

Clematis

CLEMATIS can be trained up a wigwam in a flowerbed or as a feature in a large container of well-draining compost on a sunny patio.

EXPERT TIP: Mid-season bloomers such as Elsa Spath, Henryi and Nelly Moser are good for containers. Prune in February/March to a strong pair of leaf buds and after the first flowers.

HOW MUCH? Van Meuwen have a range of clematis, including four plants for £17 (www.vanmeuwen.com, 0844 557 1850).

Box

A BOX spiral creates a living sculpture, is a great choice for containers and looks stunning flanking a doorway or flight of steps.

EXPERT TIP: To create a spiral, buy a cone- shaped box. Attach a piece of string to the pot rim and wind it round the plant to the tip, creating three to five spiral turns. Use secateurs to snip out a shallow groove then remove the string.

HOW MUCH? Spiral pyramid, £59.95 (www.gardeningexpress.co.uk, 08000 33616).

Apple trees

SPACE-SAVING as well as a superb way to create a decorative screen within the garden is to grow a row of cordon apples. Spur-bearing varieties on a dwarf M9 rootstock are suitable and should be bought as feathered maidens and planted on wires secured to posts at an angle of 45 degrees.

EXPERT TIP: The first winter after planting, shorten lateral shoots over 4in to 3-4 buds. The next summer, prune new shoots once they have become woody at the base to three leaves.

HOW MUCH? Apple Scrumptious Cordon, £19.99 (www.highfield-nurseries.co.uk, 01452 740266).TIPS: Make a pergola look magical at night by hanging solar lights, or candles in pretty glass jars, from the trailing branches of your wisteria. To add more scent to the area, plant thyme underneath