5 Great Vines For The Garden

For the those wishing to add color to a terrace, walkway or any garden spot there are some truly stunning vines that can be trained over doorways, on trellises, on arbors or even on a wall. The following are a few of the easiest vines to grow.

Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans): Widely adaptable to heat and cold and an especially good choice as a perennial vine for Northern gardeners. Require strong support structure as they get quite heavy. Mature specimens make for nice winter interest. Hummingbirds and butterflies are attracted to its red, yellow or orange flowers. Flowering can take a few years to start and some pruning it required to keep the flowering well. Can grow to 40'.

Climbing Hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris): Climbing hydrangea is a deciduous vine that clings to garden walls and structures with aerial roots. It grows large so it needs string support. They produce their white flowers in June. Its dried flowers and peeling bark provide the garden with winter interest. Grows between 10 - 80'.

Morning Glory (Ipomoea tricolor): An old fashioned annual vine which blooms in a variety of colors. Easy to grow and it will twine around fences, trellises and arbors. Morning glory, as the name suggests, blooms in the morning as the flowers will close in the afternoon heat. Will self-seed readily. 10 -12'

Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis): The spectacular beauty and astonishing vigor of wisteria requires the support of heavy duty trellises and arbors. Large, fragrant flowers hang from soft green heads of foliage and sway with the wind. Wisterias are very forgiving of pruning mistakes as vigorous growth will hide any them quickly.

Clematis (Clematis sp.): Excellent for training on trellises, fences, porches and posts. Requires support such as a trellis or arbor to climb. Prefer evenly moist, well drained, rich, slightly alkaline soil. Ample moisture in summer and early autumn is particularly important. The foliage and flowers prefer a sunny location, while the roots prefer a cool shaded situation.

Related Articles: Clematis, Vine & Ivy, Garden Design, Garden Structures