The honeysuckles in the hedgerows have been really lovely this year, probably due to the wet weather.

They are quite good enough to grow in the garden at home, being well behaved climbers, with scent and pretty yellow and pinkish colour.

Lonicera peryclymenon is the latin name, and there are quite a few varieties of it, in various colours.

They twine round to climb, and do well in a semi-shaded position, so are popular. Serotina and early Belgian are varieties which flower early and late, so ensure a continuation of flowering.

A strong climbing type is Lonicera tragophylla, which is capable of climbing a tall tree. The petals are a very pale yellow and the flowers are big, so it makes quite a show in July.

Red gables is a complete contrast, having red and white petals and white stamens which really show up against the red.

A much deeper yellow, in fact almost orange is Americana, this one flowers very profusely, and makes a great show.

It also has very fragrant scent. A little paler is lonicera tellmanniana.

However, there is plenty of honeysuckles to choose from, both climbers and bush types.

They do not all have perfume. Dropmore scarlet is a popular red climber, which shows up well against a yew hedge. Flowers are elongated and very elegant, but with no scent.

Lonicera syringantha has grey leaves, and is not really a climber, as it does not twine, so has to be supported.

The flowers are pink, and it has long branches that tie in very easily to either a wall with netlon or just supported up a tree with the occasional tie.

A proper shrub is Lonicera involucrata. This makes a medium sized shrub, which flowers in the summer.

Visitors will ask you what it is, as it is not very well known.

The flowers are red, and contrast well with the bright green leaves. Lonicera chaetocarpa is another shrub, which has red bracts round the flowers.

Pruning is really just a matter of tidying up the plant, usually done directly after the flowers have finished.

Occasionally honeysuckles do get aphids, which tends to make the buds stop yielding flowers, but a quick spray with an aphicide will ensure that they flower well.

By Pat Edwards