PRUNING AND TRIMMING OF HONEYSUCKLE PERICLYMENUM

Climbing honeysuckles (Lonicera) can get out of control if you let them and the climbing honeysuckle 'Lonicera periclymenum Scentsation' is no exception.  It's especially important to control it since I had a lower fence installed early 2017.  I grow it on a north-facing fence, a fence which allows the passage of light and air, and the honeysuckle also clambers over the top, putting on a lovely display this side of the fence and also on my neighbour's side.  She loves it.  In fact, she gets all the fragrance as the wind blows in her direction.  My honeysuckle also gets plenty of direct afternoon light.  I don't want it to get out of control though.  I want it so that it continues to provide a good display of flowers from bottom to top (as in the below image), and that means pruning. 






Honeysuckle 'Lonicera periclymenum Scentsation' on 5ft fence - June 2018

This relatively low growing climbing honeysuckle actually got so top heavy with growth this year (see image above) that it actually broke the wire that was holding the mesh upon which the honeysuckle was being supported.  The whole thing, plant and mesh, fell forward right onto the plants below.  You should have seen me struggling to keep my balance (I have a balance problem) while I tied it all back to the fence with strong twine (temporarily). 




Honeysuckle periclymenums flower on last year's growth.  The general consensus is to prune straight after flowering has finished to encourage new growth for next year's blooms.  The RHS advise pruning back by 1/3 of the growth. 

'Lonicera periclymenum Scentsation'  on 6ft fence - 2012

I have pruned (hacked) back my 'Lonicera periclymenum Scentsation' by much more than one third, because I want to keep it in check.  I didn't fuss about it, I just attacked it with my secateurs.  I want to redirect the angle of the growth away from its immediate neighbour on the left, my Wild Eve climbing rose.  The honeysuckle was cutting off much light from that rose and weakening it.  I want the honeysuckle to head towards the back of the Hydrangea paniculata White Lady, and you can see that I have tilted the supporting mesh accordingly.  That's the plan, anyway!  Nothing is 'writ in stone'. 




Honeysuckle periclymenum Scentsation can be vigorous

'Lonicera periclymenum Scentsation'  pruned late July 2018