Lived Experience Forum

[Patches59]

I’m about hr drive from Melbourne in 2bedroom unit in lifestyle village with small back yard where climbing plants were already planted against north facing back fence on wire trellis when I moved in.  2plants are star jasmine and quite small in height.  App on my phone today said the other 3plants are potato vine … I’ve never heard of these before.

In approx 2.5 months these 3 vines have outgrown the height of the fence and constantly producing new stems which, unsuccessfully, I’ve been trying to thread through the wire trellis as far down toward the ground as I can.  

anyone have any knowledge about these plants?  Is it ok if I chop the vine back to same height as the star jasmine which is just below my knee height.  With plans to have cat enclosure installed in few months not far from one vine, am I best to get rid of that plant completely?

[Dimity]

Hi @Patches59 

Star jasmine are lovely and amenable to pruning.  In my experience 3 potato vines is probably excessive.  I had one beside my back door facing west and couldn't keep up with it, it kept surging towards the eaves and the clothesline. 

I need to rethink my backyard too - the rear of a villa unit so probably about the same size as yours.

[Patches59]

@Dimity  by now nothing would surprise me about plants that were selected and planted here.  Garden bed under front bedroom windows has about 10cm of soil, at the most, and then it’s mainly clay. I spent couple of hours this morning trying to turn the soil over and was constantly having to remove wet, boggy clay from the fork with my hands. Small amount of plants that were somehow still alive were root bound, same as every other plant.

My floor to ceiling lounge room windows give me a nice view of the back fence and I like idea of climbing plants.  I like geraniums and snail creeper but not sure if suitable

[Dimity]

Gypsum might help with the clay @Patches59 . I'd avoid turning it when it's too wet. I have a couple of ivyleaf geraniums in pots - I used to have more colours. Big windows would be nice, would be good for indoor plants maybe. 

[Patches59]

I’ve got liquid clay breaker @Dimity that will water into the area later today and will do again in few days time

Ive got 2 cats so avoid indoor plants. Hoping to get cat enclosure in back yard at some stage next year which will be away from plants.  Currently have dahlias of different colours in pots which sit on edge of my tiled outdoor area.

my mum was the gardener and couple grow things from cuttings.  60 year old and I’ve started to be able to keep plants alive and have them thrive

[Dimity]

Your dahlias sound like a lovely splash of colour @Patches59 . I'm enjoying some of my native daisies and cottage perennials.

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Mutabilis Rose@Shaz51 @Oaktree @PinkFlamingo @Sophia1 

I have tremendous trouble navigating my way around the forums.

I often cannot find a Thread that I want - To Post or write something.

In this case, I spent over 30 minutes trying to find/ search for the Photographic Thread - Simply to Post Pictures of my Roses for you to see.

I never found that thread.

So I'm posting the Rose pictures here instead.

This is a Heritage Old World Rose called Mutabilis.

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Sarah Van Fleet Rugosa Rose@Shaz51 @Sophia1 @Oaktree @PinkFlamingo This is a beautiful Old World Heritage Rugosa Rose called Sarah Van Fleet.

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Lamarque Noisette Rose@Shaz51 @Oaktree @Sophia1 @PinkFlamingo This is an Old World Heritage Noisette Rose called Lamarque.

It dates (origin) from the 1800's, as do most of these Heritage Roses.

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Softee Rose@Shaz51 @Sophia1 @Oaktree @PinkFlamingo 

This is Softee Rose - It's much more recent, from 1980 (44 years).

It's a gorgeous miniature climbing Rose.

This Rose has absolutely No Thorns, not a single one!

I guess that's why it's called Softee - You cannot get spiked....

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