Honeysuckle

The Honeysuckles are vigorous shrubs with a magnificent and highly scented flower that adapts to all growing conditions. They can reach a height of 4m (13ft) in 4 years. Climbing or as a shrub, they have green leaves sometimes slightly purple and scented flowers with colors ranging from white to red, followed by round berries in the summer time. Climbing varieties easily wrap around a support. Among the evergreen varieties, there is the Lonicera nitida with small dark green leaves, ideal for forming beautiful thick and compact hedges, or the Lonicera periclymenum 'Chic et Choc', a dwarf variety with pink-white flowers that sometimes turn to yellow-orange, these are suitable for pots or borders. As for the deciduous variety, there is the semi-trailing Lonicera fragrantissima with pearly white scented flowers in the winter time. Honeysuckles are hardy plants they can grow everywhere as long as the soil is well-drained and fresh, in sunny or semi-shaded areas for example. Pruning consists of shortening the branches just after winter by removing the old wood from the stems. For hedges, it is best  to lightly prune a few times a year. Loniceras are used in  hedges, or great for climbing against a wall. Combine the dark pink of Tartarian honeysuckle with the white colour of the deutzia and lilac, and the pale pink of a weigela.