HEAVENLY HONEYSUCKLE – It is one of the truly delightful and heavenly climbing plants you should have in your garden. The scent from the Honeysuckle is nothing less than divine and the vision of Honeysuckle in full bloom during the months of April and May is just a spectacular sight to behold.
If you don’t have a Honeysuckle growing in your garden then you are really missing out on so much. Honeysuckle, because of its wonderful fragrance and sweet nectar will attract a plethora of wildlife, including Hummingbirds and Butterflies. If you do not live in a climate where Hummingbirds are prevalent then you are missing out somewhat, as the sight of a Hummingbird feeding is a stunning spectacle of nature and such a delight to behold.
One of the wonderful aspects of Honeysuckle is that generally it is NOT an invasive plant, that is, it will not simply takeover everything else in the garden, except for one variety – Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) – which is highly invasive and will take over if not control. If you are looking for a really pungent Honeysuckle, the Lonicera Japonica is the one to go for, but remember, it will take a lot of watching. You can plant Lonicera sempervirens which is NOT invasive, but it does has less of a fragrance.
A quick note – Honeysuckle is, however a climbing plant and require a structure to climb up. When it comes to providing a platform for Honeysuckle you have a number of choices.
Blooming White Honeysuckle
Building a Fence or Wall Trellis – You can buy trellis from any Garden or Home Improvement store, or you could make your own, which does provide flexibility in size. When it comes to fitting trellis work to a fence of a masonry wall, just remember to leave a gap of 2 or 3 inches, as this will allow the Honeysuckle, or indeed any type of climbing plant, to intertwine around the trellis as it grows. Fixing trellis is very easy and here is a useful guide showing you How to Fix Trellis to a Masonry Wall – you can apply this method for fixing to a garden fence, you’ll just need to change the types of screws that you use for fixing.
Arbors & Pergolas – For me these structures are the best way to display Honeysuckle. Just imagine having a small patio area with a beautiful pergola that is covered in Honeysuckle! I can tell you it is nothing less than divine and the fragrance is heavenly. It’s also wonderful to watch the Hummingbirds and Butterflies feeding and will certainly bring you closer to one of natures true wonders.
Honeysuckle growing on an Arbor
When it comes to planting Honeysuckle, you will need to give each plant a fair amount of room and it’s best to plant them 12 to 36 inches apart. Don’t worry if it looks a little sparse at first, it will soon fill out as the Honeysuckle begins to climb and fill out.
Beautiful Honeysuckle in Full Bloom
There are different varieties of Honeysuckle you can grow. Some prefer full sunlight while others are more delicate and dictate partial sun or preferably a nice shaded spot in the garden. Honeysuckles do like humus rich, moist but well-drained soil and it’s a good idea to apply a thick layer of mulch around the base of the plant, as this will not only suppress weed growth but will also keep the soil around the plant moist.
As your Honeysuckle grows you can train it by tying it gently to the trellis work or vine that it is growing up against. Honeysuckle is extremely easy to grow and during the flowering season will give you endless hours of pleasure with its beautiful blooms and strong fragrant perfume.
