« Home Renovation Tips - Bath Design Basics | Home | Cedar Gazebos Give Your Garden A Facelift »
Top Gardening Tips: Vines In The Garden
By Frank | April 12, 2008
A good way to decorate your yard is to use vines. They so not require much maintenance and look good on almost anything. If you’ve got a pergola, fence or trellis in the garden, then growing a vine over it can be a fast and visually remedy. And, there are many species of vines for different sites, whether you are trying to grow it up the front of a property, along the ground, or up a tree.
There are lots of different ground vines available. These species grow easily and strong. They are very simple to direct, so they can form a border around your garden, or simply weave in and out of other plants. They can be used as a hardy ground cover if you just want some green on your dirt or mulch. You can find a variety that is resistant to being trodden on. It’s like a leafy, nice alternative to grass. Even if you have kids or a dog, it should have no problems staying alive.
Another variety of vine that is available is a “twining” vine. This refers to their method of climbing. Twining vines require a pergola or trellis or other equally porous surface to climb up, since they are not sticky at all. They simply climb by sending out small tendrils to loop around whatever is nearby. They can also be used for climbing up trees, or any type of mesh. Usually you have to guide them a bit more during their early stages, and after that they will climb wherever you want them to.
Vines not only look good on the ground or on a pergola or trellis, you can blend them in to the very architecture of your home. This is generally achieved through the use of vines with small tendrils that have sticky tips. They extend from the vine and attach themselves to almost any surface. If your garden is next to to your house and you would like something to camouflage the big unsightly wall, it’s an excellent idea to start out a few vines near the base. If you have a vine such as the Virginia Creeper growing, then your entire wall will be covered in a matter of months. But, there are situations where the vine can get out of control. After that, you have little choice but to watch the vine take over your entire house.
One of the vines that you would probably recognize is Ivy. You see it around a lot, generally because it is so versatile. Out of the types mentioned above (ground, twining, and sticky pads), Ivy can fill in for pretty much anything. It provides a great ground cover, and will grow up about any surface you put it on. Although it grows fast and strong, it is not recommended for growing up your house. This is because buildings which have had ivy for many years have found that it has been degrading the building.
So, no matter what you want to do with a vine, you should have little problem getting it to grow.
Topics: Flora & Fauna |
