Vines and arbors bring enchantment to landscapes
December 29, 2005
JEAN WOFFORD - Victoria County Master Gardener
Photos:
Moonflower vines are very easy to start from seed and
have big bright white blooms. They bloom at night, and, if it's cloudy, they
will stay in bloom most of the day.
Anyone can plant vines in his or her garden. Space is not a
factor since vines are really vertical gardening. They really bring enchantment
to the landscape.
There are many different types of vines. There are some,
like ivies, that attach themselves to walls, posts or other supports. Recent
cool weather reminds me of the varieties of ivies and vines that do not freeze
and will remain green through frost. Some of these are Algerian ivy, star
jasmine, Carolina jasmine and honeysuckle. Wisteria will not freeze but will
lose its leaves.
There are some that are "leaners,"
featuring long stems that do not have any built-in structures for supporting
the plant. They must be tied or woven through a support. An example is a
climbing rose.
Some have tendrils, modified stems or leaves that reach out
from the stem and wrap onto supports, such as pea vines, clematis and passion
vine.
To add enchantment to your landscape through the use of
vines and arbors, you first will need a place for your vines to grow. In my
garden, I use a myriad of supports for vines. When we moved into our house,
there was a children's wooden gym set in the yard. I debated having it taken
down, but decided that it would make a good support for a vine.
On one side, one of my neighbors had put a length of cyclone
fencing, and I immediately had another support for vines.
We also had a lot of wood fencing and I knew that, too,
would make a good support for some vines. However, I needed more. So, I got a
friend of ours to make a large arbor over the long gate, also a very long arbor
to house a future vine. I also have another arbor, a lovely mesquite tree that
will make a good support.
On one support, I have a wonderful vine called
I also have an evergreen wisteria that blooms off and on all
summer. It has a very unusual maroon bloom. As its named implies, it is
evergreen. This is a vigorous vine and well worth the effort to locate and
plant one.
On my old mesquite tree, I have a wisteria that bloomed for
the first time this past spring. This is such a wonderful, fragrant bloomer.
However, you must have patience with this vine. It can take a few years to
bloom, but it is worth the wait.
On my old gym set, I have clematis that has a very simple
light lavender bloom. It is a single petal and is just beautiful. It usually
blooms in the spring, but this year I was rewarded with sporadic blooms most of
the summer.
I was given a snail vine by one of my fellow master
gardeners. Since I wasn't happy with the cyclone fencing that bordered my yard,
I thought it would make a great support for my vine. It bloomed all summer with
lavender blooms that do resemble snails. It is a wonderful vine, and I am told
it will die back in the cold, but return in the spring. I sincerely hope so.
No landscape with vines would be complete without a coral
vine. I know this vine is very commonplace, but I just love the lacy look of
the blooms. I have to watch this vine as it re-seeds quickly and can overtake
the area in which it is planted. However, it is worth the extra work to have it.
I also have a lovely trumpet vine. As its name implies, the
blooms are trumpet-shaped. This vine blooms most of the year for me. The blooms
are in a range from lightest apricot to a bright orange.
The cross vine is another jewel-toned bloomer. The blooms
are almost like a black-eyed Susan, with bright yellow petals and dark centers.
The vine also dies back, but returns with warm weather.
I also have a few vines that must be planted from seed each
year. The pea vine has a bloom that is vivid blue and looks a lot like a sweet
pea. It re-seeds very readily, but rarely in the place of your choice. It is a
light vine and can be easily put into a hanging basket.
I always have to plant sweet peas. In fact, they can be
planted through December. The newer varieties come in many bright colors, and
there are some that are fragrant. Sweet peas make wonderful cut flowers and are
always a must for my garden.
Moonflower vines are another must for my garden. They are
very easy to start from seed and reward you all summer with their big bright
white blooms. They bloom at night, and if the day is cloudy, they will stay in
bloom most of the day. This is a beautiful addition to any landscape.
Passion vines are another wonderful plant. The purple bloom
is very fragrant and is a really good plant to have if you want something
different. I love the unusual bloom. The red passion is a more simple bloom and
is not fragrant. They are both well worth planting.
I love to plant luffa vines. The
blooms sort of look like cucumber flowers, but then, they start to form this
huge "thing" that looks like a cucumber. If you let the luffa dry, you can actually peel it and use it for a brush
for bathing. This is planted in the spring from seed and is a fast growing,
interesting vine.
There are many vines for our area, and I have only told you
about the ones I have in my own garden. It is well worth trying a few.
Various vines can also be used for a nice groundcover. One
in particular that comes to mind is the sweet potato vine. It comes in the
lovely chartreuse, variegated pink-white and green, and also in the dark
purple. I haven't tried these on a trellis but plan to next year.
I continue to be enchanted with the charm that vines bring to my garden. Try planting them this coming year - and with the proper care and support, they will take off and provide a whole different feel for your landscape.