Climbing Plants and Vines To Enhance a Landscape Design

If you want to know what's up in gardening trends, look no further than climbing plants and vines!  Climbers are a great element to include in a landscape design.  They can be trained to climb numerous structures of your choosing such as trellises, arbors and pergolas, decks, railings, and more.  Climbing plants and vines can be strategically placed throughout the garden to cast shade or provide privacy as needed.  Best of all, climbing plants will draw the eye upward, adding a vertical element to a horizontal landscape.

If you want to get started with climbing plants and vines, it's a good idea to evaluate the options first.  Your climate, soil type, and particular situational needs should all be taken into consideration when choosing a climbing plant.  So what are some common types of climbing plants and vines?  We'll explore some of the more popular options that you might want to consider.

Wisteria:
Wisteria is a beautiful flowering vine that grows rapidly in the sun.  If you live in a climate that experiences winter, wisteria is a good choice, as it's hardy up to Zones 4 or 5.  As it grows, wisteria can become very woody and dense.  After a few years of growth, wisteria will need a strong supporting structure.  Be careful where you plant wisteria.  Because of its rapid growth, size, and weight, you'll want to be sure to plant it somewhere where it won't do any damage to your home or property.  Large wisteria vines, when left unchecked, can easily collapse a deck or other structure.

Trumpet Vine:
Trumpet vine can be found in two varieties, Chinese trumpet creeper and standard trumpet vine.  The former of these is a tropical, hardy only to Zone 8.  The latter, common trumpet vine, is hardy to Zone 5.  Like wisteria, trumpet vine is a rapid grower and prefers a sunny location.  Trumpet vines will produce beautiful, showy flowers in midsummer, and colors vary from scarlet or orange to yellow.  Trumpet vines grow and cling to their supporting structures with root-like attachments.  It's important to provide good support for trumpet vines when they are first getting started, as they can grow quite large and heavy over time.

Ivy:
Almost all of us have seen buildings that are partially obscured by ivy growing up them.  There are several different types of ivy, but all are fast growers and will cling easily to walls and stone work.  Take care when planting ivy, however, as it is famous for damaging the structures that support it.  Ivy roots can ruin the masonry work on a building, particularly when the vines are removed.  Ivy is also very dense, which means it will cast shade on the building's walls.  This can lead to mold growth on siding or shingles.

Clematis:
Clematis is a very popular climbing plant, and for good reason.  There are dozens of varieties to choose from, many are hardy to Zone 5, and all produce beautiful flowers throughout the spring and summer months.  Clematis is generally easy to grow.  It prefers shade on its feet and sun on its vines.  While this may sound complicated, it's easier to accomplish than you might think.  Simply plant your clematis in a sunny location, and then plant a small shrub at its base to provide the needed shade on the lower part of the clematis.

Wisteria, trumpet vine, ivy, and clematis are just a few of the popular climbing plants that can be found across North America.  Don't limit yourself to these four plants, but rather consider them as a starting point from which you can branch off into other species and varieties.  Whatever climbers and vines you choose, be sure to plant them in an appropriate location and provide plenty of good support, if needed.  Your climbing vines will reward you over time by becoming a beautiful focal point in your landscape or garden.