Honest review: Honeysuckle is rewarding but slow establishment in the first season before taking off is real

Honeysuckle is a genuinely satisfying plant to grow, but I want to be upfront about one thing: slow establishment in the first season before taking off. I've dealt with it twice now and it takes consistent attention to manage.

Beyond that, dramatic seasonal transformations from bare stems to full cover makes it one of my favourites in the collection. I keep it in a tree stump or old structure being naturalised which suits it well. Learning about providing a robust support structure before planting has been essential. bare structure in winter revealing the interesting stem framework is worth waiting for — the plant really justifies itself then. Four stars because of that persistent issue.