Peter from London--looking for container plant suggestions

[bubblecar]

Hi All,

My name's peter. I live in a top floor flat in east London.

I don't have a garden, but I do have a big south facing window with a good ledge which I have lots of pots on. It gets amazing sun, but is not too well protected in the winter.

I'm a beginner gardener, and mostly looking for easy long lasting colourful plants to liven up the space.

Last year I had few osteos, geraniums, and others I don't know the names of... which were ok, but a little unexciting. I have early bulbs coming up in feb / march, then will need something more exciting to last through the summer.

The big thing I'm looking for is a good fast climber to climb the wall and spread over the top of the window... any suggestions greatfully received.

Thanks for all the help.

[rainbowgardener]

Hi Peter from London! Welcome to the forum! Hope you find it friendly and helpful. We have tons of other UK gardeners around here.

Since you hadn't gotten a response to your post yet, I took the liberty of moving it to the Container Gardening section where more people will see it who might be able to answer your question.

I have a jasmine vine that I take out doors in the spring and bring in for the winter, but it would be ok to leave inside all the time. I bought it because I love jasmine flowers, but for some reason mine has never flowered (maybe I should post the question!). However, it grows and grows and grows. I have to keep cutting it back to keep it from taking over the house. If you just want green, that would be one possibility. It would definitely climb the walls and spread over the top of the window and it does grow fast.

[JONA878]

Hi Peter..

A couple of further suggestions.
Any of the large flowered clematis would look good and for early flower and quick spread over your wall the Montana varieties would be super.

As a change ...why not plant a few toms?
They do well in containers, especialy the bush and trailing types and you would have a tasty snack at hand as well.

Jona.

[rainbowgardener]

Umm... Peter. I think one of us is misreading you, not entirely sure which.

Somehow I was thinking you were talking about indoor gardening. If I was wrong, then the jasmine would probably have to come inside in the winter like mine does, though I'm not sure how cold it gets where you are, so maybe not.

If you were talking about indoor gardening (things sitting on the inside windowsill of your south facing window) then the tomatoes are not going to work unless you add a lot of artificial light.

Let us know which side of that window you want plants for !

[syntheticbutterfly]

You could try some sweetpeas as a quick climber for a bit of summer colour, nasturtiums are nice too and you can eat the flowers!

[Chris_in_Wine_Country]

There's a place in London that gets amazing sun?

Crazy.

[JONA878]

There's a place in London that gets amazing sun?

Crazy.

Chris.....Chris.....of course there is sunshine in London.

Why only last year there were three days in late July where the sun almost shone for nearly an hour in the heat of the afternoon.
It had even managed to burn off the thick smog that hung around the darkened chimney pots in Whitechapel Road. gg.

Temps are sure going up over here Chris.
Many vineyards being planted in the south now. we have a new one near here that is over two hundered acres so big money being gambled on this global warming.
The Romans planted many while they were over here a few centuries ago...so look to your laurels...Wine Country Boy. ( might be a while yet though)

We used to have full bloom in our orchards as recorded at between 12th - 15th May.
Now it's nearer the beginning of the first week of may...so we are warming up here for certain.

Jona