Vines For Vertical Interest

With August came rain and relief from the terrible heat. When it's not raining, the humidity is still high so l feel uncomfortable working outside, but I'm happy to have a break from watering. I am sad, however, to see that many of my perennial flowers have started the downslide to autumn: forming seeds, dying back, flopping over. My garden has definitely passed its peak, so rather than record what is/is not blooming right now, I will document my love affair with vines.

An important element of English cottage-garden style is vertical interest. The reason may be that in England growing 'upwards' solves the problem of gardening in a small space. You can create vertical interest with fences, walls, screens, trees, tall shrubs and structures such as arbors and pergolas. I use all those vertical elements in my garden and enhance them with my favorite vines. Clematis is top of my list ...

Clematis growing over a tuteur.

Clematis spp

Forgive me if I show photographs you have seen in my previous postings, but this one bears a repeat performance ...

Clematis over the kitchen-garden fence.

Clematis Jackmanii 'Tie Dye'

Sweet autumn clematis is not for everyone, as it can be extremely aggressive, especially in areas where there are no killing frosts. I just cut it right down to the ground after it has finished its fall blooming, and it comes back the next year to climb to the top of the wrought iron trellis.

Sweet Autumn Clematis clematis ternifolia

The same trellis has another clematis and a rose climbing its front ('sweet autumn' is on the back of the structure).

Clematis x Jackmanii 'Mrs. Cholmondeley'

Below is a photograph of the aforementioned wrought iron trellis with the climbing rose (which blooms after 'Mrs. Cholnomdeley' and before 'sweet autumn' has climbed very high).

Climbing rose Rosa 'Iceberg'

Of course, climbing rose isn't really a vine as it doesn't twine around support structures, or attach to them with aerial roots or adhesive pads. I tie mine to a trellis.

Climbing rose Rosa 'Improved Blaze"

Clematis makes a wonderful companion planting for climbing rose. You can see it to the left of the rose in the picture above, and in more detail below.

Clematis spp.

For about a week in the spring we enjoy the fragrant blooms of the multiflora rose which grows profusely in our Woodland Walk. The rest of the year, H.H. battles with it in an attempt to keep it under control, as it is so very invasive. I wrote an article about multiflora and other wild roses for eHow.com that you can read by clicking here.

  Rosa multiflora in the Woodland Walk

Multiflora rose grows over the arbor at the entrance to the Woodland Walk.

Multiflora rose blossoms

The grape, a vine we enjoy greatly, grows over our small deck.

Clematis and Grape Vine over the deck.

The grape vine over the pergola makes the deck a shady retreat.

The grape is a very hardy Concord. This year has been a 'good' year for grapes according to a local winery owner, and we do have more fruit than previous years. I hope to make jelly, or at least some juice.

The grape vine has many bunches of grapes forming this year.

Honeysuckle Lonicera sempervivens over the arbor into the shade garden.

I talked about my red honeysuckle in my last posting, How I Beat the Heat.

Honeysuckle Lonicera sempervivens

I also have a yellow honeysuckle. You may remember this photograph from a previous posting ...

 L. sempervirens  'John Clayton'

 Honeysuckle will tolerate some shade, but finding vines for shade can be  a challenge. I have four: climbing hydrangea, schizophragma, Virginia creeper and black-eyed Susan vine. Black-eyed Susan vine is an annual. Some years I plant annual vines in full sun, such as Morning Glory and Sweet Pea, however I have had no luck with the latter.

The slow growing climbing hydrangea has not bloomed for me yet. Actually, it may never bloom as it is in full shade, and it would like to receive a little sun. The attractive cinnamon bark in winter makes it very desirable.

Climbing Hydrangea Hydrangea anomala

Japanese Hydrangea Vine Schizophragma hydrangeoides

Virginia creeper grows profusely in the Woodland Walk. It makes a thick groundcover as well as vining up some of the trees there.

Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia

My favorite annual vine, black-eyed Susan vine, grows in a planter in the Stone Garden where I plant it every year in full shade. I place the planter in this spot to hide the air-conditioner unit.

Black-eyed Susan vine Thunbergia

It often flowers more profusely through the back of the trellis, which we can see from the dining-room window ...

Finally, in the kitchen garden, pole beans provide vertical interest, and make a wonderful tepee for our grandchildren ...

 

What is your favorite vine?

Happy gardening!
Pamela x

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