Up and over, in and out: Climbing vines are cool additions to any landscape, even very small gardens.
Vines help soften fences and other structures.
Photo Credit: Felder Rushing
Use vines in hanging baskets for a striking effect.
Photo Credit: Felder Rushing
Wisteria is a long-lived woody landscape vine.
Photo Credit: Felder Rushing
One of the most overlooked groups of plants available to gardeners, vines are everywhere in nature, clambering up trees in the native woods, sprawling along roadsides and cascading down hillsides and creek banks. Most provide crucial food and shelter for fantastic wildlife.
In town, they soften the edges of fences and arbors, mask bare walls and provide fast shade on the hot side of a house. They hide ugly scenery while providing framing, creating focal points and lifting our view from the lawn and flower beds to eye level and above. Several vines are ideal for erosion control or grow in areas that are too difficult to mow or too shady for grass.
There are many dozens of different vines from which to choose, some of which provide colorful flowers in spring, summer and fall; gorgeous autumn foliage colors; and evergreen texture or accents through our seasonal “downtimes.” Quite a few vines also have attractive berries or other fruit, some of which we take for granted in the vegetable garden – including tomatoes, gourds and beans.
Some vines are herbaceous perennials that leap from the ground every spring. Others, including climbing roses and wisteria, are long-lived woody landscape growers that provide a year-round framework of texture for many years. There are also many annual vines that are either replanted every year from seed or reseed themselves. And a few tender tropical vines, such as bougainvillea and allamanda, must be brought in every winter everywhere except in frost-free areas of the country.
Technically, vines are just flexible stems that don’t stop growing; they constantly get longer, reach higher and spread into new areas. As they twist and clamber about, most attach themselves to supports by either wrapping around, or using small rootlike tendrils that can, in turn, wrap around or even root into moist areas. Some need help staying aloft and are typically tied up to supports with string or wire.
Whatever the type of vine you choose, they and their supports lend crucial “vertical appeal” to landscapes. Look around – there are dozens of great vines that need little or no care at all…other than occasional pruning to keep them out of our faces and off of other plants.
