High Risers

Is it just us? Or, is there something irresistible about a climbing vine? Spilling over an arbor, scaling a kiosk or draped on a fence (chain link be gone!), these plants never fail to delight. With some judicious coaxing, a climber is more than willing to highlight a pretty arbor or obscure a less than pretty neighbor. From dainty to wanton, climbers come in numerous shapes, sizes and colors, some with flowers, some not.

Nurseries sell perennial vines as bare rooted or container-grown plants. The first are best set out in early spring while they’re still dormant. The latter can be planted any time, although having months to settle in before the new equinox is always a good thing.

Just as with kids, early training is essential to move vines in the proper direction. Other than that, general rules, you’ll note, call for well-prepared soil rich in humus to satisfy the deep roots, a well-balanced fertilizer applied spring and summer and an organic mulch to help retain moisture. For most, watering is essential or, at least, until they are well on their way. To discourage creepy crawlies, once in awhile give them an overhead shower, too. Some pruning is mandatory.

Try our sampling of upwardly mobile, au courant plants to help you find one, or several, to complement your personal taste and gardening style:

DUTCHMAN’S PIPE

RESUME: One and a half inch purplish-brown blossoms shaped like tiny meerschaum pipes give this classic climber its name. (Not to be confused with the Rhode Island wildflower Dutchman’s Breeches, which sports itsy-bitsy trouser-shaped blossoms in May.) The glossy, heart-shaped leaves, up to twelve to fifteen inches long, are the real draw. Most times, in fact, the petite flowers, hidden by the lush foliage, come and go undetected.

Spied as frequently in urban neighborhoods as country settings, Dutchman’s Pipe forms a daunting screen grown alongside the edge of a porch. “I clearly remember the two my grandfather tended,” recalls horticulturist and big pipe fan Richard Clark, owner of Clark Farms Garden Center in Wakefield. “I have one now and, recently, I’ve had more customers requesting the vine.”

LIKES AND DISLIKES: Unlike most climbers, which need a minimum of six hours of sun for optimum growth, resilient Dutchman’s Pipe is fine with either sun or partial shade as long as it also has well-drained soil and a sturdy support. To encourage branching, pinch back the stems once or twice during the growing season. Should your Dutchman loom too large, experts suggest lopping the vine down to ground level in winter. In spring, it will rise up stronger than ever. Or, take a cue from what Mary and Doug Riggs do in their Newport garden: “We simply trim out the dead parts and the plant takes care of itself,” Mary says.

The Riggs’s exuberant Dutchman’s Pipe vaults over a high wood fence and cascades to the sidewalk on the opposite side. Their pretty garden has been featured on the city’s annual Secret Garden Tour for more than twenty years, but this upstart, a mere decade old, is among the show stoppers. “There’s something wonderfully tropical about it in a New England setting,” says Mary. The plant sits in shade, while the vines bask in light.

WHO KNEW: Dutchman’s Pipe is the larval host for the blue and black pipevine swallowtail butterfly. Not to worry; since there are more than enough luxuriant leaves to go around, sharing with a few hungry critters shouldn’t be a problem.

TRUMPET VINE

RESUME: Trumpet vine is in its glory from late June till frost with fern-like, bright green toothed foliage and masses of splashy trumpet-shaped flowers (red, yellow or apricot, three inches long, two inches wide) at the tips of its woody branches. A mad clinger, it will grab on to any kind of support including free-standing arbors and trellises, which can help encourage the formation of flower buds. Hungry in its pursuits, trumpet warrants a mighty support. Vines thicken with age and develop an awe-inspiring tenacity. Since all vines retain moisture, think about a metal brace or one crafted of a rot-resistant material like Western Red Cedar. If you’re after shade, this is a good candidate for a pergola. Or how about this: grow the hardy vine as a ground cover. So long, homely patch of grass-defying yard.

LIKES AND DISLIKES: Full sun and well-drained soil, although never fussy, trumpet vine tolerates even poor conditions. “Regular watering will help get it going. Once it’s established, you can rely on the rain,” says horticulturist Jim Donahue at Green Animals in Portsmouth where the cheery yellow trumpet vine flava recruits crowds of visitors year after year. Plant vines at least two feet apart and allow plenty of space for future movement. Pruning should be done only in winter or early spring as the vine blooms on the current season’s growth.

WHO KNEW: Ruby-throated hummingbirds, Donahue tells us, are mad for the flowers. And should you fall in love and want more flowers and birds, the vine is easily multiplied by rooting the cuttings of parent plants.

HOP VINE

RESUME: It’s unanimous. Hop may be the most super-charged climber of all. According to the Jung seed catalog, “no other vine is faster growing or more effective as an ornamental screen.” The annual vines zoom forth from a permanent root stock or crown and die back each fall. With deeply lobed green or yellowy foliage and papery, straw-colored catkins, hop also has plenty of visual appeal. “Chartreuse-colored Aureus is a particularly handsome choice for our area,” says Sarah Partyka, owner of The Farmer’s Daughter in South Kingstown.

LIKES AND DISLIKES: Sun or part shade, well-composted soil and light watering for the first year. Most plants are started from roots or rhizomes, but you can also launch them in pots and then transplant as soon as weather permits. The roots are set much like potatoes in hills, two roots per mound, with buds pointed up. Cover with an inch of loose soil and mulch. “A shot of high-nitrogen fertilizer, added in spring, will help push more growth,” Partyka advises.

WHO KNEW: Hop’s elongated flowers or catkins are used in beer making. But a far more clever idea, we think, is to do as the Riggs have done and use the vines (in this case six vines, one placed at the base of each support) to create a charming outdoor retreat where you can sip a cool beer. The couple designed their iron structure to resemble a stand of trees coming together at the top in a nature-like pose. Cement pavers echo the look of a tree’s interior, rings and all, and make a sturdy base when they want outdoor furniture.

CONCORD GRAPE

RESUME: Concord grape is among several types of grape grown for their ornamental value. “I have two on a simple trellis and they should cover my garage wall with beautiful summer foliage in just a couple of years,” says Clark. “They’re bug proof and they don’t need winter protection.” Named after the Massachusetts village where the first of its variety was cultivated, Concord grape is also long-lived once established. The specimen at Green Animals, for instance, has marked its centennial. Pruned each year, fruit will keep coming. (Clark makes jelly.) But when dramatic foliage is what you want, let the grape romp and cut back only enough to keep it within bounds. Grape vine climbs horizontally as well as vertically. Stellar in summer, the generous leaves morph from green to ruddy orange in fall.

LIKES AND DISLIKES: Full sun. Grapes will tolerate a range of soils, but a slightly alkaline one (the norm in Rhode Island) enriched with organic matter is best. Space plants a minimum of eight feet apart to prevent overcrowding and facilitate air circulation. Holes should be large enough to allow for the roots to be well spread out. After the first year, regular fertilizing will promote foliage.

WHO KNEW: Caterers use grape leaves as a base for displaying finger foods. Rolled in a clean, damp dish towel, the leaves will stay fresh and pliable for a number of days stored in the bottom of the fridge.

CLIMBING ROSES

RESUME: Channel your romantic side, but be forewarned: climbing roses are only for those willing to work. Some can be relied upon to produce bunches of flowers in early summer and intermittently on into fall. A few make a grand stand again in autumn, and still others bloom only once, but with such grace nobody faults them. “It seems to me,” says Donahue, referring to Dr. Van Fleet and 1000 Shine, two glorious climbers found at Green Animals, “that our roses bloom heavy one year and light the next, switching on and off.”

Happily, there are some types out there like American Pillar, William Baffin and double-flowered, pale pink New Dawn (which mimics courtly Dr. Van Fleet) that are beautiful, stalwart and disease resistant, making them a fine choice for neophytes.

LIKES AND DISLIKES: No less than six (eight is better) hours of sun per day. Morning light is particularly valuable as it helps dry dew and prevent disease. If you’re planting more than one, space them five to ten feet apart to increase air circulation. Roses relish well-drained, humus-enriched soil. Where soil is less than desirable, raised beds are an ideal solution. Regular feeding is a must for healthy root development. And these flowers are thirsty. Nix the hose spraying, which is an invitation for trouble and water deeply instead.

Lacking the tendrils of true vines, roses must be firmly affixed to a support. Think fan shape and tie the canes horizontally to wires. New flowering shoots will grow along their lengths. Pruning? It’s a thorny subject. Rule of thumb: Climbers need haircuts to maintain their shape and deadheading to generate more roses. Immediately after blooming, cut out the old and dead canes and, at the same time, remove any inward crossing branches. Ask the garden center or nursery where you buy your rose for instructions. Some—Clark Farms is one—give their customers printed hand-outs full of pruning instructions to take home with their plants.

WHO KNEW: Yellow roses, as pretty as they are, are rumored to be more prone to pests and diseases like rust and yucky brown spot.

CLEMATIS

RESUME: Clematis has earned a faithful following. Available in scores of colors and flower sizes and literally hundreds of varieties, the vine reaches heights of anywhere from six to thirty feet. Basically there are three groups, explains Partyka. There’s the early flowering type, clematis Montana Elizabeth, which blooms on last year’s growth and should be pruned after flowering. Then, there are mid-season bloomers such as deep purple Jackmanii, which flowers on both old and new growth. This kind is pruned after flowering with a framework of old wood maintained. The late summer to early fall clematis flowers on the current year’s growth. Prune these—sweet autumn or clematis paniculata is a hardy example—in winter down to the first pair of buds.

To extend the flowering season, our experts suggest partnering an early bloomer like pink Nelly Moser with dainty Sweet Autumn. Tuck them in side by side in front of your garden tower. To cool the roots, plant shade-loving impatiens at their feet.

LIKES AND DISLIKES: Good soil, average moisture (be careful not to over water) and sun. “Set the root ball three inches below the surface,” says Partyka. “This will encourage more roots, more basil branching and will make for a sturdier plant down the road.” Like roses, clematis needs to be gently but firmly tied to a support to head skyward. Another equally decorative option? Position clematis alongside a portly shrub and let it weave itself in and out as it pleases. The vine gently twists its petioles (leaf stalks) around its host, but won’t strangle it. Fertilizing in spring with a high phospherous fertilizer will boost blooming.

WHO KNEW: These vines are also eye-catchers in the cold months. Clematis tangutica produces feathery seed heads that provide handsome winter interest. “They’re especially lovely with frost on them,” says Partyka. Many floral designers also consider vines an essential ingredient in flower arranging. The vine’s loose quality gives bouquets that sought after just-picked air. According to west coast-based pro Ariella Chezar, clematis and wisteria hold up well. Those that don’t cut it in the centerpiece department include morning glory and trumpet vine. Try Chezar’s technique: Combine clematis with, say, roses, ranunculus and smoke bush, winding the clematis in and around the container to suggest movement.

WISTERIA

RESUME: Deciduous wisteria is available in heart-stopping lavender or pristine white. The first is more common, but treat yourself to the last and you’ll never look back. Voluptuous flower clusters—as long as your forearm if you choose lovely longissima alba—descend from layers of lacy foliage. When the wind blows, mature petals are whisked off to float snow-like across the grass. Japanese wisteria is the most fragrant. Old time gardening books sometimes suggest planting it around a window frame to waft scent into the house. Chinese wisteria lacks the perfume and has smaller stems. To shorten the wait for flowers, purchase three- to four-year-old container plants that have previously bloomed.

LIKES AND DISLIKES: Sun and well-drained soil. Plants should be set, with the crown level to the ground, about a foot from their support with their branches tied from the get-go to temper the unruliness. Remember, if you’re attaching the plant to a pergola or arch, to make sure the structure is high enough (seven feet is minimum) to allow for easy passage when the climber flowers. Typically, pruning is done in winter or early spring and again after blooming. Be aggressive with those shears. Minus pruning, wisteria will eat up its support, including your garage. And avoid overfeeding. A surplus of nitrogen will result in yards of growth and skimpy blossoms.

WHO KNEW: Woody wisteria is known for its longevity. Fuller’s Brewery, one of the oldest breweries in London touted for its beer and ale, is said to have a plant more than 300 years old. In Japan, the record reaches even higher. One word of caution, wisteria seeds are poisonous.