Climbing plants in the garden can solve several problems at once. Firstly, they perform a decorative function. In addition, with their help, you can cover the unsightly walls of buildings located on the site, create an interesting hedge or ennoble the entrance to the garden. And with the help of beautiful climbing plants in the garden, you can arrange secluded arbors, magnificent arches and pergolas. What to choose - perennials or annuals? Which plants deserve special attention? About all this - right now!
Annuals or perennials?
All climbing plants can be divided into two groups - perennial and annual. The advantages of the latter include the fact that they grow and bloom rapidly over a long time. But all these advantages can be crossed out by one very significant drawback - a short period of life. That is, annual crops need to be grown annually from scratch.
But perennial creepers are just a godsend for gardeners: they tolerate winter colds relatively easily, caring for them is not so time-consuming. Of course, their flowering period is shorter, but a bright green carpet on the site appears already in early spring. We offer you a selection of delicious climbing plants for the garden!
Wisteria
The Japanese compare the gardens where this amazing plant is with a walk through paradise. This is not surprising: the flowering of this climbing plant for the garden is a riot of colors and aroma! Blue and pink, purple and white long clusters will turn any site into a magical place!
Wisteria cannot boast of its frost resistance, however, new varieties that breeders breed are able to withstand fairly low temperatures. So, the wisteria of floribunda will survive a decrease to -21 ° C, and the beautiful wisteria of macrostachia is able to survive even at -40 ° C. Wisteria is simply indispensable for vertical gardening: it takes up a minimum of space, while having an incredibly attractive appearance. With its help, landscape designers decorate walls, fences. It allows you to zone the site, get protection and shelter from dust and wind.
The genus Wisteria is represented by 9 species. The following are common in Russia:
- Chinese Climbing plant for the garden is 20 meters tall. The densely leafy liana is strewn with large inflorescences of a light purple hue (sometimes white). The flowering of this wisteria lasts throughout the summer season. Often gardeners note secondary flowering. This species easily tolerates the conditions of the city, experiencing short frosts.
- Abundantly flowering. The height of the plant is usually 8-10 meters. It can grow up to 6 meters wide. The inflorescences of the conical shape are quite large - 45-50 cm. The color is violet-blue. Flowering begins with the appearance of leaves, lasts until mid-June.
- Japanese This wisteria should be grown only in the Crimea or the Krasnodar Territory. The thing is that it is characterized by extremely low frost resistance. This plant is less decorative - the length of white inflorescences does not exceed 20 cm.
Wisteria can be attributed to one of the most unpretentious climbing plants for the garden. When choosing a place for it, preference should be given to a well-lit area. The soil for it should be light, fertile. Enemies of Wisteria - calcareous soil and high humidity. For winter, it is recommended to shelter the plant.
Momordica
There are other names for the curly plant of Momordica: it is called a balsamic pear, yellow cucumber, Indian pomegranate and even rabid melon! What is it? This is a winding vine belonging to the pumpkin family. Momordica is distinguished by carved leaves, fragrant flowers and unusual fruits, similar to bright orange exotic flowers.
In general, the birthplace of this climbing plant is India and Asia. But in Russia, it grows well, becoming a decoration of the garden. We offer to talk about growing momordiki. Plant seeds have a very high percentage of germination. A day before transplanting, they must be soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. When the plant reaches a height of 25 centimeters, it must be planted in a volumetric pot. This plant is planted in the ground at the end of May, it is important to put the plant in the hole along with the earthen lump in which it grew. The thing is that exposure of the roots is extremely negative for the plant. For the same reason, it is necessary to pour it as the soil is washed out. If the area is not particularly warm, the first time you should cover the momordic with a film. Where to plant a plant? Gardeners recommend choosing places where potatoes, tomatoes and legumes previously grew.
Speaking about the benefits, it should be noted that the cultivation of momordica allows not only to decorate the garden, but also to get a crop! The fruits should be harvested on the 8-10th day after they appear on the vine: they do not have time to acquire a bitter aftertaste. By the way, frequent harvesting stimulates fruiting. This plant, like all representatives of the pumpkin family, is susceptible to diseases and pests such as bacteriosis, powdery mildew, white rot, and aphids. You can treat them like cucumbers.
Sweet pea
This creeper is called by the gardener king of the summer. It blooms profusely, has a magnificent aroma and bright color. In nature, sweet peas are found on the islands of Crete and Sicily, the eastern Mediterranean. Pea is a vine, and therefore it will be required for this climbing plant trellis. With it, you can decorate balconies and verandas, a porch or special screens that divide the site into zones. Peas blooms from mid-summer until the first cold weather.
Choosing places for this plant, you should stop at areas that are open to the sun, but protected from the wind. Light penumbra is allowed. The soil should be neutral in acidity. In order for the flowering to be as lush as possible, it should be fed with manure two to three times a season, to remove peduncles that have already bloomed.
Clematis
The name of the clematis vine plant can be translated as "forest grapes" or "grape shoot." These bright creepers can grow up to three meters, turning the hedges into beautiful emerald screens. At the same time, clematis blooms for 3 months! Each vine is strewn with hundreds of large flowers that fill the air with aromas of almond and jasmine.
These perennial perennials for the garden are very unpretentious. However, in order for them to please the eye with their abundant flowering, it is necessary to properly care for them: fertilize, water and crop. Experienced growers recommend tying clematis only in extreme cases, usually a simple support is enough for them. The soil around the plant should be moist, during dry periods one adult plant will need about 14-15 liters of water. The lack of moisture leads to the fact that the curly flowers turn pale, fade.
In the first two years after planting, clematis develops roots, but shoots are almost not formed. Single flowers that appear at this time should be removed from the plant. Starting from the third year, the liana gains strength, a large number of shoots appear. Gardeners recommend planting marigolds or calendula near clematis: these plants secrete substances that repel pests. In addition, they protect the roots of the vine from overheating.
Morning glory
Among the most attractive fast-growing annuals is the beautiful Imopeia. In just a couple of months, she is able to grow vines, the length of which will exceed a meter! Imopeia is suitable not only for vertical, but also for horizontal gardening. If you do not install a trellis for a climbing plant, it will independently spread along the ground, braiding vertical plants and tree trunks. Ipomoea flowers are quite attractive, their shape resembles a gramophone. Usually there are varieties with a color of blue, burgundy, purple and pink tones. The buds open with the first rays of the sun, and already close at noon.
Popular varieties
The most unusual variety of gardeners is called Ipomoea Kvamoklit. Its leaves resemble spruce twigs, and the flowers look like little stars. Plant height can reach two and a half meters. In order for the Kvamolikt variety to please the eye at the beginning of summer, seeds for seedlings must be planted in March. The plant prefers soil fertile, moderately moist. The site where Ipomoea Kvamoklit is planted should be sunny, protected from the wind. Gardeners recommend planting this liana densely enough: this will achieve the maximum decorative effect. It is best to observe a distance of 6-8 centimeters between plants.
Another magnificent plant is morning glory purple. The height of the graceful creeper can reach 8 meters! The leaves of the plant are heart-shaped, the flowers are funnel-shaped. Morning glory is indispensable when you need to create an original living green screen as soon as possible. She will be able to decorate the arches, disguise unsightly buildings. Growing morning glory purple is a simple process. Liana wraps around any support that gets in her way. In addition, it is unpretentious: it needs only loose calcareous soil and moderate regular watering. The place where morning glory grows must be protected from the wind, because strong gusts can damage not only flowers and leaves, but also the stems of the plant.
By the way, you can only admire the beauty of this creeper in the afternoon on cloudy days: morning glory is sensitive to lighting, and therefore, with its excess, the flowers close.
Bougainvillea
The plant of incredible beauty is widespread in South America. Here, with its help, walls, arbors and hedges are decorated. In general, bougainvillea is a heat-loving plant, and therefore it should be grown only in the southern regions of our country. Gardeners choose curly varieties such as naked bougainvillea and wonderful bougainvillea. A climbing plant spreads its whips, covered with thorns, to a length of five meters. The leaves are narrow, slightly pointed. Bougainvillea looks especially spectacular during flowering, when purple, white, lilac, yellow inflorescences (or rather bracts) almost completely hide the foliage.
Caring for Bougainvillea
The plant needs bright and sunny places, sometimes even in summer it does not have enough heat. With a lack of sunlight, bracts lose bright colors and turn green. The soil must be well-drained, stagnation of water can cause yellowing of the leaves. Do not worry if bougainvillea has dropped its leaves: in the heat and in the sun, with proper care, it recovers very quickly, giving a large number of young shoots. As for care, then in the summer the beauty will require abundant watering and the introduction of weekly dressings containing phosphorus.
It will take cropping. It is best to spend it in the fall or early spring. Removal of the main branches and diseased shoots stimulates the development of new lateral shoots with lush flowering. These curly flowers can tolerate short-term temperature drops of up to 0 ° C, and rare night frosts also endure. White bougainvilleas experience the worst of winter.
Ivy
When choosing evergreen climbing plants for a garden, you should pay attention to ivy. It is incredibly decorative and at the same time completely unpretentious. The plant is represented by more than a dozen species, but only two species are best suited for landscaping the site - common ivy and Colchis.
Ivy ordinary takes root practically anywhere, tolerates frosts well. This species does not lose its decorative effect even in shady places. Choosing this plant for your site, you should certainly prepare a support for it. The length of the vine is usually 20-30 meters. Gardeners know many varieties of ivy. All of them differ from each other in the form of leaves, the presence of veins on them. Please note: specimens with green leaves prefer shady areas, have greater frost resistance. But variegated species will need sun and heat: during severe frosts, shoots freeze. Soil and watering are not particularly significant.
Colchis ivy grows more slowly, and it does not differ in special frost resistance. However, outwardly it is much more attractive! The length of its dense leaves is usually about 20 centimeters. When rubbed, the leaves emit a strong nutmeg smell. Colchis ivy blooms in small flowers, which subsequently form berries. As a basis for climbing ivy, a brick wall, a mesh, a wooden fence can act. Young shoots must be tied up, later they themselves will be able to climb to a sufficient height. Branches should be directed and periodically pruned.
Girl's grape
On a hot summer afternoon, the arbor, covered with a carpet of girl's grapes, becomes a real salvation. Lush greens look impressive, gives coolness. In addition, this climbing plant does not require special care.
Decorating the buildings with girl's grapes began in the XVII century. Then, as in our days, a climbing plant twined arbors, balconies, terraces and arches. The shoots of parthenocissus (as gardeners call this plant) can reach a length of 15-20 meters. In the summer months, grapes are covered with dark green leaves, which by the fall acquire a bright purple hue. The plant has many advantages: it is not afraid of frost, is well established and does not lose its decorative effect on any soil. In addition, girl’s grapes can grow in the shade and in sunny areas, grows abundantly, creating a dense bright curtain. It is also important that pests and diseases are not afraid of him.
Planting parthenocissus is a simple process. It is enough to prepare a hole, fertilize it, place the stalk and water it. The plant will develop rapidly, gardeners say, you only need to cut off the extra lashes!