Vines

Originally published July 3, 1999 in Canton Daily Ledger

I enjoyed talking to many of you last Saturday at the Canton and Farmington Garden Walks. The response to the walks was overwhelming. Thank you to the garden owners for sharing their beautiful gardens with us. I know you all worked hard to prepare, and the results were just spectacular. Mostly I want to thank the two Master Gardeners who did all the preparatory work: Judy Hollaway and John Taylor.

All the gardens had something to offer and I learned something at each location. What really struck me, though, were the number of vines and their uses. When used properly, vines really catch the eye by adding a new dimension to the garden.

In Canton, I was at the Meade residence most of the day. The most common question of the day was “What is that growing on the fence?” The vine they were referring to is Porcelain Vine (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata). Kevin and Terry Meade have the variegated one called ‘Elegans’. Porcelain vine is named for its handsome fruit that is probably unrivaled by any other woody plant in vitality of color. The ¼” diameter berry changes from yellow to pale lilac and finally to bright blue; often with all colors present in the same cluster. ‘Elegans’ leaves are variegated white, green, and pinkish. This cultivar is especially nice because it is not as vigorous as the species.

Also, at the Meade residence was the unique and somewhat rare Arctic Beauty Kiwi (Actinidia kolomikta). This particular Actinidia has uniquely decorated leaves. They are pink at the tip, white in the middle, and green at the base. The White Flower Farm catalog indicates that they “offer male plants only, because they have the best coloring and note that leaf color takes a year or two to develop.”

Several locations displayed the Mandevilla (Mandevilla x amabilis) vine. This woody twiner has large showy pink flowers and blooms in profusion over long periods. The dark green, glossy leaves are also attractive.

Other vines displayed included clematis (pictured), wisteria, honeysuckle, trumpet vine, and many different groundcovers. The Martin residence in Farmington had both clematis and wisteria. Clematis is available in many flower colors from white to pink to dark wine-red to lavender to deep purple. The selection is almost endless.  This vigorous growing vine grows well on walls, trellises, fences, or any supporting structure.

Wisteria flowers are outstanding and often fragrant. As an added bonus, the twisted woody trunks add character to the garden. Wisteria is easy to grow, but sometimes difficult to get to bloom. The reasons vary including too much nitrogen, winter injury, and the need for pruning. Too much nitrogen promotes excess vegetative growth and few flowers. Sometimes it helps to cut vigorous growth back to 3 or 4 buds since some species bloom on the current season’s growth. It is also usually advisable to use named cultivars rather than seedling-grown material.