[tagwex]

I will get some photos during the week of a project that I have in mind. It is a circular brick bed approx. 900mm high and 2.5m in diameter. I think it could look a whole lot better than it does.

My idea is to install a frame for climbers of 1/2" wavin piping. I also would like some trailing plants to hang over the edge. I want a riot of changing colour for all, if not most, of the year. Zero maintainance would be a plus, well, as close to zero as possible. Clematis comes to mind as something that would be suitable, several types, especially the one that bloom twice a year. Also bulbs that will come again and again.

[Blowin]

Plenty of Honeysuckle round here. Smells great on a summer's evening.

[tagwex]

OK picture as promised. A slight correction in the diameter. It is 3.6m internally. I want to put up the tubing, 8No., at say 500mm in from the brick edge, to allow for low shrubs and trailing plants over the wall on the outer half meter, and meeting wig wam style just under the finger signs with 2 or 3 horizontal tubes up along the vertical members to give horizontal support if that makes any sense.

[Blowin]

I presume you'll be putting in a drain pipe or two to prevent it filling up in very wet weather? Your golf club buddies seem to have forgotten that?

[tagwex]

It has been there for years and drainage hasn't been a problem, you see we are not on stoney ground found in Cork, or rock found all over the west, or boggy ground found all over the midlands!!! This is Wexford, good soil and strata, deep topsoil and the right amount of grit and sand to aid good drainage is all found locally in abundance. It really is better in the south east! Hee hee.

Who said anything about this being in a golf club?

[Blowin]

Please, Guv, I was influenced by the sign for Locker Rooms. Maybe the Wexford people are posh enough to have them in other places too?

[tagwex]

That is a locker room for the outside toilets!

[tippben]

What is the context of the "roundabout"? Presumably you can't restrict visibility for safety reasons. I'd definitely think about prostrate rosemary for the edges, to trail over. Paths for access to the middle. If you want climbers, but still good visibility of the signage (which will need regular repainting!), It will require quite a lot of maintenance. Passiflora?

[kindredspirit]

I think I would be inclined to agree with Tipp Ben.

Visibility is the most important thing here and I would go with a totally simplistic approach. (btw, I see nothing wrong with the way it is)

I would just cover the whole area with purple-flowered Delosperma Cooperii, which'll trail down and cover the brick walls and intersperse that with six Pinus Albertii, golden form miniatures. Effective visually, perfect maintenance-wise and job done! Please forward on the cheque!

[Blowin]

Have we missed a point here? Isn't Tagwex thinking of making one LIKE the one shown?

[tagwex]

Thanks lads for the input.
Just to clear up a few points that were made.

This is a feature in a private car park that I want to improve on. Visibility and sightlines are not an issue. I want to give it more height, up to the signage, and depth, down to the tarmac. Painting the post shouldn't be an issue as I expect it to be completely covered. Paths not required, it is only 3.6m in diameter.
No Blowin, I want to improve this one as I think it looks awful and so much more could be done with it. It is the first thing people see when they come up the avenue and should be a jaw dropper.
The cheque is in the post KS.

[Ado 2]

Honeysuckle Henrii a semi evergreen climber and clematis armandii is evergreen too

[tagwex]

I want to revive this thread as there was a discussion on it today and the work is to start imminently. So any more ideas please. Nothing wrong with what has been suggested so far, I just want more suitable options to research and then decide upon. I want colour all year round and an evergreen background too so as it don't look dead in the winter.

Clematis and Potentilla are in my head.

[kindredspirit]

Put 4 Phormiums of the "tenax" variety in the middle around the pole. I would suggest "Platt's Black."

Around the circumference I would plant Phormiums of the "Cookiam" variety. I would suggest "Cream Delight".

The Cream Delight leaves would hang over the wall and reach halfway or three quarters way to the ground.

The Platt's Black leaves(which are not black but dark brown) would extend upright to hide most of the pole.

Phormiums look very effective on roundabouts around here.

[kindredspirit]

Also ZERO weeding and maintenance with Phormiums.