Twisting Twining Vine Choices by Eileen Schilling
Late Spring 2004, Vol. 17, No. 2

Hardy vines can be real problem solvers. They create soft curtains of green and fragrant walls of color.

Choose a vine by first assessing your site, soil and the surface you wish to cover. Some vines are more rambunctious than others and some delicate varieties are perfect for small spots. While many vines flower, the flower season is often short, so be sure you find the foliage attractive.

Even though vines naturally want to grow up and twine around something, you often need to get them started. Clematis, for example, will climb all over itself unless it is led up a trellis by thin wires. Hydrangea vines need to initially be attached to the wall you want them to cover. Wisteria and Bittersweet grow amazingly fast. They quickly find a surface to cover. Both have escaped at the nursery and now dangle from the limbs of locust trees.

Most vines need yearly care to keep them looking attractive and within bounds. Thin out vigorous growth. This will ensure good air circulation and a more uniform leaf coverage. Prune out dead wood. Pinch ends to encourage a bushier, fuller plant overall. Learn the appropriate time to prune your vine. Prune suckers that sprout from roots. Wisteria in particular can send up a lot of shoots. Keep the roots healthy by fertilizing yearly with a slow-release organic fertilizer. Plant your vine away from foot traffic to avoid soil compaction. Some vines prefer their roots to be cool and moist, shaded from the sun, while their branches need to be in full sun. This is accomplished by planting behind a low bush, planting on the north side of a low wall, or mulching well.

In our extensive collection, you will find a vine for every vertical surface. Be it a brick wall, clapboard siding, arbor, trellis or fence, we've got you covered.
For cultural information on the vines listed below, please refer to our garden catalog.
Five Leaf Akebia
Shirobana Akebia
Three Leaf Akebia
Porcelain Berry
Dutchmans Pipe\Trumpet creeper
Bittersweet
Clematis (17 varieties)
Wintercreeper (2 varieties)
Hydrangea Vine (2 varieties)
Honeysuckle (3 varieties)
Virginia Creeper
Boston Ivy
Maypop Passionflower
Magnolia Vine Wisteria (3 varieties)

download Late Spring 2004 Newsletter (pdf 1.6mb)