From a postage-stamp-sized city backyard to the rolling hills of a magnificent country estate, there is hardly a garden or landscape where vines can’t be used to give the scene graceful beauty and vitality. And few other plants serve so many practical purposes as well.
Vines have character and individuality. Some are modest and attract attention to the patterned texture of a wall rather than to themselves. Some are bold and brilliant and command the eye. All give a fluid impression of movement no other plant form provides.
Vines In Small Spaces
Vines are adaptable, versatile, and can be trained to almost any shape or line, formal or informal, horizontal or vertical, sweeping or restrained.
And vines have variety in size, shape, color, contour, and texture. There are fast- and slow-growing, deciduous and evergreen, annual, and perennial vines. Some feature foliage, flowers, or colorful fall and winter fruit; some paragons provide all three.
Practically speaking, vines can do more for a garden yet require less space and less care than most people realize. They are generally strong-rooted, prefer not to be pampered, and are subject to relatively few diseases.
They occupy a small area, yet their tops are arranged to benefit from all available light and sunlight.
Decorate, Disguise And Transform With Vines
Name your landscaping problem, and there is undoubtedly a vine to help solve it. Limited space for flower beds?
A clematis or climbing rose will give a tremendous flowering display for small root space. Train one or both together on a pillar for a dramatic accent. Your garden doesn’t hang together?
Use vines to make a smooth transition from one area level to another to help create harmony and unity.
North – Perennial Vines For Where You Live
American Bittersweet (Celastrus Seandens)
Grows 20′ feet or more in sun or shade. Twines on any support—inconspicuous flowers; male and female plants essential for orange-red berries in autumn. Fall foliage is yellow.
Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus Tricuspidata)
Fast-growing vine that clings to brick, stucco, and stone. Three-lobed leaves are bright green, turning red in fall—attractive growth patterns; blue-black berries in winter.
Hybrid Clematis Recommended For The North
Henryi, Nelly Moser, Elsa Spathe, Ramona, Lord Neville, King Edward VII, Mme. Edouard Andre, Mme. Baron-Veillard, Comtesse de Bouchard, Lawsoniana, Duchess of Edinburgh.
Jackman clematis (Clematis Jackmanii)
A twin vine growing to ten feet. Five-inch purple flowers, July-August. Usually kills back to snowline but makes a rapid annual recovery.
Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis Paniculata)
Vigorous vine reaches 30 feet. Abundant clusters of fragrant, white flowers, September. Plume-like fruits in fall. Usually kills back to or near the ground but recovers rapidly.
Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera Sempervirens)
A rapidly growing vine for porches and trellises. Grows in sun or shade, any exposure; height 20′. Trumpet shaped orange blossoms, June-July.
East Central – Perennial Vines For Where You Live
English Ivy (Hedera Helix)
Evergreen, can also be used as a ground cover. Clings to whatever it grows on. Use in shade; east or north exposure. Hardier strains are Wilson and Romania. Leaf size depends on variety.
Clematis Suggested For The East
Henryi, Crimson Star, Lawsoniana, jackmani and paniculata.
Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus Orbiculatus)
Shrubby vine. More certain to fruit than the American bittersweet. Often reaches 30 feet. Orange-yellow berries.
Porcelain Ivy (Ampelopsis Heterophylla)
Fast grower for sun or shaded exposure. Use on fences or trellis. Lavender and turquoise berries in early fall.
Wintercreeper (Guonymus Fortunei Radicans)
Evergreen vine or ground cover, clings by holdfasts. Support is not necessary. Sun or shade. Fastest grower is Euonymus fortunci coloratus. For brighter green in winter, Euonymus fortunei vegetus.
Wisteria
Woody, rampant grower. Needs to be pruned heavily or it takes over. Plant only named varieties or grafted vines. It needs some sort of support.
Trumpet Vine (Madame Galen)
Is hardy. It clings. Gives colorful flowers that are larger than common trumpet creepers.
Heartland – Perennial Vines For Where You Live
Bulgarian Ivy (Hedera Helix Bulgarica)
Evergreen, used for covering brick and stone walls. Give north or east exposure. Withstands severe cold; hot, dry weather.
Chinese Bittersweet (Celastrus Loeseneri)
Grows to 20’ feet in sun or shade. Good for trellis, porch or fence. Prune or it takes over. Male and female plants needed for orange-red autumn fruit.
Climbing Hydrangea (Hydrangea Petiolaris)
High-climbing vine with bold dark foliage. Clusters of creamy flowers, June. Sun or shade. Covers walls, trees and trellises, Should be planted more.
Everblooming Honeysuckle, Variety Gold Flame (Lonicera Heckrotti)
Grows to 12’ feet with support. Fragrant blooms of rose and cream from spring to frost. Sun or part shade. Spray for aphids.
Hybrid Clematis Recommended For The Heartland
Henryi, Crimson King, Ramona, Melly Moser and Prins Hendrik.
Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus Quinquefolia)
Vigorous climber prized for foliage (turns scarlet in early fall). Blue-black berries in September. Grows in sun, shade, any exposure. No pests or diseases.
Silver Lace Fleece Vine (Polygonum Auberti)
Covers rocky slopes, fences, porches, or trellises. Dense foliage and abundant white flower clusters in August.
Mid-South – Perennial Vines For Where You Live
Carolina Jasmine (Gelsemium Sempervirens)
Evergreen, climbs 10’ feet or more on trellises, porches, and small trees. Fragrant yellow flowers appear in spring.
Sky-flower (Thunbergia Grandiflora)
Evergreen, rapid growing vine for trellises and porches. Grows to 25’ feet. Stays green in the winter in the coastal regions. Showy three-inch blue flowers from early fall until frost.
Southern Smilax (Smilax Lanceolata)
Evergreen, shiny-leaved vine for trellises or deciduous trees. Prune it to keep it from becoming a dense, prickly thicket.
Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis Paniculata)
Climbs to 25’ feet on trees, buildings, and trellises—best clematis for this area.
Trumpet Creeper (Campsis Radicans)
Woody rampant vine climbing to 25’ feet on the wire fence, brick or concrete walls. Scarlet-orange flowers, July-September.
Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera Sempervirens)
Evergreen makes a good screen on wire fence. Attracts hummingbirds: long blooming season, May-August. Scarlet to orange flowers contrasts with gray-green leaves.
Southwest – Perennial Vines For Where You Live
American Bittersweet (Celastrus Scandens)
Fairly fast grower good for informal screening or as ground cover. Prefers sandy soil and humus. Light green leaves turn yellow in fall—orange-red berries.
Clematis
Needs afternoon shade. Not too vigorous but will respond to good care. Blooms midsummer to fall. All varieties of large-flowered clematis can be grown. Clematis virginiana is especially good here.
Hall’s Honeysuckle (Lonicera Japonica Halliana)
Evergreen, vigorous grower. Needs support. Use it on the arbor, trellis, or in the espalier. Fragrant yellow and white flowers, June. Good for screening.
Silver Lace Vine (Polygonum Aubertii)
Fast-growing, dense vine climbs 25 feet. Easy to grow from tubers. Fragrant white sprays of flowers, August. Any soil.
Trumpet Creeper (Campsis Radicans)
A very fast grower and needs grooming to keep in bounds. Light green foliage, scarlet-orange blooms, July-September.
Wisteria
A deciduous, rapid, and vigorous grower and climbs to 40 feet. Requires supporting structure or a tree—showy flowers, white, purple, lavender, or pink.
Northern Plains – Perennial Vines For Where You Live
Baltic Ivy (Hedera Helix Baltica)
Climbs 90’ feet on brick or stone walls. Dense, leathery foliage tolerates cold winters.
Bittersweet
Best used along the edges of groves or on fences. Attracts birds.
Clematis
The native Clematis ligusticifolia is entirely hardy. Grows 10’ to 15’ feet high. Lacy white flowers, July-October. Clematis texensis is also good. Grows to 6’ feet, scarlet flowers. Large-flowered kinds can be increased if given excellent root runs.
Silver Lace Vine (Polygonum Aubertii)
Rapid growing, hardy vine. Profuse, showy white flowers in fall. Prune to control.
Wintercreeper (Euonymus Fortunei Radicans)
Evergreen, hardy but must be protected from excessive winter sun and wind. For north and east exposures. Orange bittersweet-like fruit that appears in fall stays on into late winter.
Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus Quinquefolia)
Train on trees or poles. Dense cover for walls or wooden surfaces. Scarlet fall foliage. Takes city conditions. Variety engelmannii has smaller leaves—a nesting site for sparrows.