Your help would be much appreciated...

You don't need anything, the rose will do it for itself - but make sure you get a climber, NOt a rambler! There is a difference! The ramblers are really rampant, and, on the whole, ramblers only flower once a year, but climbers will flower more often, if you can reach them to dead-head them, that is!! Have you got a ladder? As for what kind you'd like - go to a garden centre and find what they've got that grows well locally is a good start. Then you can choose for colour and scent. there's even a few who don't ahve thorns! (not many, tho!) If nothing locally, have a look on some good rose sites, like Peter Beales, or Pococks, or try the RNRS in Chiswell Green, St Albans

 

Nixon - You are a 5 in my book - but my vote does not seem to have had any effect yet. Perhaps there is a germination period.

Sweet Pea - As Palustris and Dave said, the light level is key. I only have a small garden - so I am keen on things that flower for a long period, and many of those require a high light level. It is also often a bit dry by a wall. if you had the light, I would consider :- Geranium, Osteopermum, Argyranthemum (marguerites), Diascia, Felicia. They are all half hardy perennials, like a lot of light, don't mind it a bit dry. From a single plant at the beginning of the season they will all grow into a fair sized plant by the end. What about pots - they will all do well in pots.

 

Ta, Peter S! And I completely agree with your choice of plants - if the sun's right! What's it like for sun, Sweat Pea? I know where I was in Kenny, the walls were so high, and the back yards so narrow, that sunlight was seriously limited - so what have you got? How wide is the yard? How long do you get the sun? And do you have anywhere out the front to put the odd pot, or are you right onto the pavement?

 

Thank you all for you replies!!

The yard is south facing and tends to get the majority of sunlight (if there is any that is!) for the majority of the afternoon. The yard has been limited to size due to the extension, but i think it's about 6 feet wide and about 20 feet long.
Doesn't sound much but i do try and make the best of it.
Nixon, i can't put any pots outside but i do like to have something on the wall in Summer.
What do you think guys?

 

Are we talking manger type baskets up high? Whatever you've got, I suppose the answer's the same. For traily whatever time of year you can use ivy, it'll survive pretty much anything. Bung in some little daffs for some nice bright colour, and things like a small evergreen, likea euonymus fortuneii, or diddy laurel give height. You can put moss, or substitute moss on top for a nice rustic effect. Once the laurel's got too biug - pop it in a bigger container! It doesn't have to go into the ground.

 

Its like a cone shape thing, if you know what i mean? it just goes at the side of the front door on the wall, suppose it's pretty high.

I'm just going to have a look at some of the sites you recommended for roses. No Ramblers though...!

Aside from dafs, are there any other pretty flowers that would look good?? :D

 

dwarf irises? you don't want anything too tall, imo. any other smallish spring bulbs - but for this year, have alook to see what's already growing, at a garden centre, Tesco, or wherever, and you'll have a headstart. Putting in bulbs from scratch is a bit late just now.

 

Cheers Nixon, will do.

I've just ordered a beautiful rose from the Pockcocks site you mentioned. Expensive for delivery though! still hopefully it will be worth it, looks very beautiful.

Thanks for that.