Plant Gardens 101

Newly constructed homes as well as older ones benefit from a well-manicured lawn and landscaped gardening, whether planned and detailed, or wild and inspired. Many beginning gardeners have trouble thinking outside the box, planting only vertically growing plants such as roses, peonies, pansies, and the like. A whole new world of adventurous and inspired gardening can be accessed by planting hardy vines and perennials, broadening and enriching the texture and increasing the dimensions of your garden in exciting ways.

One of Americans’ favored vines because of its hardiness and trainability is the clematis. Clematis will climb and coil its way around erected strings or framework, basically whatever is provided. There are many different types of clematis, one favorite being the Jackman clematis, adored for its oversized blooms that can be over six inches wide at their peak. The Jackman can grow to over ten feet in length, and provided it as ample sun and moist soil, it will give the better part of three seasons of healthy green growth and attractive blooms. (more…)

While climbing vines do their part to add layers and depth to the landscape of your yard and garden, they do demand attention at certain times of the year, to keep them growing healthily and vigorously. Whether your vines are climbing an old fence, the handrails of your front porch, or an erected trellis in a beautiful garden bower, certain sections of these vines must be snipped and pruned in order for the healthy areas to continue with their growth, beautifying your garden space.

Make sure you have the proper tools on hand before you begin pruning your climbers. Pruning clippers/shears must be extra sharp in order to do their job. Dull shears can actually damage your vines by leaving jagged cuts or splintering branches instead of providing the cleanest of cuts. Dully cut branches are not only less attractive, while these cuts are healing, they are easy prey for insect infestation or disease. Late winter, after the last snow and frost, is the best time to prune many of your hardiest vines such as various types of clematis, grapes, wisteria, and roses. If you are planning on tackling your roses, of course a pair of thick gloves should be on your shopping list as well. (more…)

A great way to decorate your garden is the use of vines. They are very low maintenance and look good on almost anything. If you’ve got a fence or separator that really stands out in the field of green that is your garden, then growing a vine over it can be a quick and aesthetically pleasing solution. However, there are many types of vines for different situations, whether you are trying to grow it up the side of a house, along the ground, or up a tree.

Many different ground vines are available. These types grow fast and strong, and just inch their ways along the ground. They are very easy to direct, so they can make a border around your garden, or just weave in and out of the plants. I suggest using these as a hardy ground cover if you just want some green on your dirt or mulch. Usually you can find a variety that is resistant to being stepped on. It’s like a leafy, nice alternative to grass. Even if you have kids and a dog, it should have no problems staying alive. (more…)

One glance through a gardening magazine, and we are showered with images of pristine gardens, beautifully appointed with hundreds of varieties of plants, trees, and shrubs. While many of us aspire to have yards as beautiful as those in a magazine, few of us have the time or resources to achieve such perfection. However, with a little work and some good planning, even those of us with the blackest of thumbs will feel good about our efforts in the garden.

When reviewing your outdoor space, try to identify those areas that you’re not very happy with. What do you want to change about them? Do you need some additional flowers or other plants? Perhaps the space doesn’t feel balanced? Climbing plants may be just the answer you are looking for to solve a variety of common problems in outdoor areas.

Many plants, both annual and perennial, fall into the category of climbing plants. The more common climbers are clematis, morning glory, ivy, and honeysuckle. However, many plants that spread along the ground like creeping phlox and periwinkle can provide coverage for unsightly spaces in your outdoor area, as well. (more…)

If there is a place in your house that you would wish to put out of sight rather than showing off, you can cover it with vines to look beautiful. A sequence connected barrier, a hut, metal stimulating boxes, etc., is not good-looking and can be enclosed up. Your terrace or backyard will look much more normal after planting climbing vines over these things.

In addition, these bougainvillea plants can provide you shade. The shade will lessen the energy use by making your house cooler. The vines as well can decrease dust, wind, and the sound from the neighborhood or the road. These vines can also add ample of privacy to your house. They can manufacture attractive flowers, and even fruit. With the advantages of privacy, prettiness, and food, vines are wonderful plants. Vines mainly meant for themselves, grow very rapidly, and are very simple to be concerned for. You have to observe that they don’t extend too far, instead help them to grow more rapidly. (more…)

As with all plants, a little research is necessary to decide which vine to choose for your growing needs, and where and how to plant the selection. Vines grown in cooler northern areas may not be adapted to warmer regions. Conversely, many tropical or subtropical vines will not survive the winters of the north. Choose a vine according to the function it will play in your landscape. Do you want the vine to be used as a screen or to soften the look of a dividing wall? Do you want the vine to show color or attract hummingbirds and butterflies? A thing you should also consider is planting one or more vines together so that when one finishes blooming, another begins, creating a tapestry of foliage and flowers.

Many vines, such as Cross Vine and Trumpet Creeper, will grow as tall as their support will allow so you must think of the kind of support you want. If you choose a trellis, remember the height of this support determines where the most foliage and flowers will occur. Often vines are sparse near the ground and the greatest concentration is near the top growth. The chosen trellis or other support should be placed several inches away from walls. This placement allows air movement between wall and vine reducing the possibility of mold and mildew to grow on the surfaces. Vines should be kept off of roof shingles and siding to avoid any damage to buildings.

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Ever since the great plague of the phylloxera in the 19th century, the ground was permeated by those destructive aphids and it remained quite impossible to grow the old-style vines. American vines, however, were more resistant to the phylloxera, though the wine produced from their grapes was considered inferior. To get the best of both worlds, American stocks (riparia) or, more frequently, hybrid stocks bred by crossing American with native vines, were planted and when they were established the native vines were grafted on to them.

A great deal of work has been done on establishing the best stocks compatible with a soil that is so high in calcium. The grafts were made at ground level and were protected by heaping earth up around the plants. Big growers began to use bench grafting, planting cuttings that are already grafted in nurseries. (more…)

To keep things growing well, sometimes you have to prune, or cut back your plants. It’s not just that way with plants, actually as some say to get your hair to grow really well you have to trim it back. But when pruning you can’t just drag out a pair of pruning shears and cut away. You have to have studied the methods of pruning before you begin to cut away. Same as you wouldn’t want someone to just go cutting on your hair if they didn’t know how. And when pruning grape vines it’s not different, you have to know what you’re doing.

Pruning grape vines is not hard to do once you know the right time and length in which to do your pruning. For instance, you will need to prune your grapevines before Christmas because if you prune after Christmas the vines will “bleed” sap. Once a vine begins to bleed sap there is no way to cure that problem, although when the leaves begin to emerge and grow, it will decrease. By saying that keep in mind that if the bleeding happens it will never stop, further weakening the plant, which could result in a dead vine. That would really be terrible. So remember, try to prune grape vines before you go hanging your holiday ornaments.

The main problem that is seen with pruning grape vines is that people who grow them for home use seldom prune enough. When you go to prune your grape vine you will need to cut back approximately seventy-five to ninety percent of the new wood that had grown in the previous season. (more…)

Unfortunately, clinging vines have had a bad connotation deriving from the age-old fairy tale about Jack and the climbing beanstalk. But it is now time to put that child’s story away and discuss all the virtues of flowering vines and other attractive climbers and creepers. Flowering vines are used in landscape design for both aesthetic and utilitarian purposes. The versatility of flowering vines is truly impressive. A lot of that versatility has to do with the fact that vines can either stay close to the ground functioning as ground covers or climb and be used to decorate trellises, arbors, and fences.

Being that many flowering vines attract hummingbirds, a characteristic that appeals to both gardeners and bird watchers, whole garden landscapes are focused on this aspect now. Bird watchers desirous of attracting hummingbirds with flowers dripping with nectar need not sacrifice landscaping beauty. Climbing vines, to name one, the trumpet vine, adept at attracting our attention with its bright orange color, is also considered among the best to attract hummingbirds, hungry for the food that they bear. Magnifica Honeysuckle, a low creeper vine with large scarlet flowers also attracts hummingbirds. Many flowering vines are rich nectar sources for not only hummingbirds, but for butterflies too.     (more…)

Annual climbing vines are a great way to add a splash of color to your garden. Most annual climbers grow quickly, feature colorful, showy flowers, and then die off and can be easily removed in the fall. Planting an annual vine is also a great way to test out the idea of having a permanent climber in a certain location. If you like having a climber in that spot after a season or two, you can go ahead and plant a perennial climbing plant that will come back year after year.

The following is a list of the top 10 annual climbing vines you should consider for your garden or landscape.

1. Sweet Pea Sweet pea is a very popular climbing plant that comes in literally hundreds of varieties to choose from. Sweet pea does not grow extremely large; it will climb to approximately 6 feet tall in a season’s time. It does prefer cool temperatures and it needs plenty of moisture to thrive. Sweet pea climbers will reward you with colorful blooms all summer long.    (more…)

If you want to know what’s up in gardening trends, look no further than climbing plants and vines! Climbers are a great element to include in a landscape design. They can be trained to climb numerous structures of your choosing such as trellises, arbors and pergolas, decks, railings, and more. Climbing plants and vines can be strategically placed throughout the garden to cast shade or provide privacy as needed. Best of all, climbing plants will draw the eye upward, adding a vertical element to a horizontal landscape.

If you want to get started with climbing plants and vines, it’s a good idea to evaluate the options first. Your climate, soil type, and particular situational needs should all be taken into consideration when choosing a climbing plant. So what are some common types of climbing plants and vines? We’ll explore some of the more popular options that you might want to consider.

Wisteria: Wisteria is a beautiful flowering vine that grows rapidly in the sun. If you live in a climate that experiences winter, wisteria is a good choice, as it’s hardy up to Zones 4 or 5. As it grows, wisteria can become very woody and dense. After a few years of growth, wisteria will need a strong supporting structure. Be careful where you plant wisteria. Because of its rapid growth, size, and weight, you’ll want to be sure to plant it somewhere where it won’t do any damage to your home or property. Large wisteria vines, when left unchecked, can easily collapse a deck or other structure. (more…)

Nothing will add more instant beauty to a garden than climbing vines. Climbing vine plants tend to grow pretty much carefree while adding a point of beauty and interest to a trellis, wall, fence or tree trunk.

Climbing vines can make a bland garden picturesque during its first growing season. Nothing will add more beauty to a tree in your garden than a trail of Morning Glory streaming up its trunk, or maybe the sweet smell of Honeysuckle or Jasmine Tobacco overhanging a patio. (more…)