If garden space is at a premium, do I have a deal for you. We’re
talking vines here. Instead of looking down, look up.
If garden space is at a premium, do I have a deal for you. We’re talking vines here. Instead of looking down, look up. Walls, fences, lattice work, even tree trunks can be clothed with climbing plants that offer all the beauties of both foliage and flower.
These climbing plants can run up almost any vertical surface, simply by weaving around or attaching themselves with tendrils or little suction-cup-like branchlets. Often, they do their climbing at break-neck speed. If you don’t watch out, vines can get away from you … and quick!
Of course, the primary reason most people plant vines to begin with is because they want to cover something, usually very quickly. Whether it’s an ugly fence or a long expanse of wall, usually quick-growing vines are the answer.
Among the more common choices is jasmine. There are many different types, but the most common of all jasmines is the star jasmine Trachelospermum jasminoides). This little bugger can be used as a groundcover, as well as a climber. In order to climb, all it needs is something to climb on. When planted in an open area, star jasmine makes a great taller groundcover at about a foot in height. As it’s name implies, it blooms star-shaped flowers that are white and very fragrant.
Other jasmines to look for locally include primrose jasmine (Jasminum mesnyl), which bloom bright yellow flowers, and angelwing jasmine (J. nitidum), which have bi-color purple and white pinwheel-like flowers.
Honeysuckles (Lonicera) are almost as common as jasmines. The giant Burmese honeysuckle (L. hildebrandiana) features 6-inch-long tubular fragrant flowers that open white then turn yellow to dull-orange. They are widely planted in southern California, and also can be found locally.
Other popular vines range from wisteria and clematis to the tropical bougainvillea and even more exotic passionflower. Most bloom throughout summer and all can be planted right now! In fact, with cold-tender subtropicals like bougainvillea, it’s vital that you plant them as early in spring as possible in order for roots to get established before frost hits.
The true sign that spring really has arrived is when wisteria blooms on naked branches. The fragrant purple and sometimes white or pink flowers start blooming in early spring and usually will be through about now.
Probably the showiest of all vines are bougainvillea. The big downside of this subtropical vine is that it is extremely tender to cold winters. Plant them against a southwest-facing wall for the best frost protection. You simply can’t beat the bright red, purple or orange masses of blooms throughout summer.
Among my personal favorite summer vines are clematis and passionflower. Clematis offer flowers in all shapes and sizes – up to a whopping 9 inches in diameter. There are numerous varieties that will bloom from spring throughout summer and into fall. Flowers embrace the entire specturm apart from orange, pure red and pure blue. Speaking of pure blue, blue passionflower (Passiflora caerulea) really isn’t pure blue. But the flowers are so unique that you won’t care.
Give vines a chance because you won’t be disappointed.
Keith Muraoka lives and works in Gilroy. His award-winning column has been in this newspaper since 1984. E-mail him at ga********@jp*.net, or write him in c/o The Dispatch, P.O. Box 22365, Gilroy, CA 95021.
