OK, I have just about finished fencing all around my garden. I used 5 ft 12 ga galvanized wire with 2" X4" connections. I also have an 8ft arbor as the only entry to the garden. I am trying to decide what plant I would like to climb up and over the arbor. Roses? Honeysuckle? Grapes might be messy. Any Ideas? I would like it to look pretty and smell great when someone walks through.
Thanks for any help or ideas.
Kirk
Vines for an arbor?
I still have a bit more work and clean-up, but here is what I have done so far. Hopefully next weekend I will finish the final two segments of fence. Kirk
Unless you just want flowers, I would plant Pole Beans there- if you want color, there are varieties that have red flowers-
Whatever you do, DON'T plant honeysuckle! That stuff is on the invasive list.
That is gorgeous Kirk, I would plant Crossvine, it is evergreen and carefree.
http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=BICA
Really beautiful garden, Kirk. I have a pergola and on it are climbing roses, passion flower vines, scarlet runner beans and Hyacinth Bean Vine. The roses are the only ones that are scented. I love Carolina jessamine for the fragrance and Confederate jasmine smells nice too. Bees really love Confederate J. and bees close to the garden is always a good thing. Evergreen would be a good thing to consider as well.
That looks great, you did an excellent job. I would second the cross vine.
C
Sweet Autumn Clematis what ? everyone knows I love it LOL or how about sticking with annualls so you can change it around the Cypress vine pictured will cover in about 6 weeks the second pic is a trombone Zuchinni fast growing and edible
Ok... I'm going to add my 2 cents here. I would do climbing roses. Why? Because any type of VINE (IMO) will multiply to the point where it'll eventually invade your other little gardens. They'll send underground runners (rhizomes?) which will come up all over the place. Or, if you plant jasmine (jessamine), the runners will root wherever they can and you'll have a mess.
I've been dealing with a red trumpet vine and five pink jasmine. It's not fun!
BTW - GREAT job on your back yard!
Last year I had to remove my beautiful MARMAID climbing roses from my back arbor because infected from Rose Rosette Disease.
DG members suggested CROSSVINE and I absolutely love it ! ... so much more than the roses I had before.
Thanks everyone, this last weekend I planted two Crossvine plants, one on each side of the arbor. From what was suggested and from a bit more reading I think that they will be perfect for what I had in mind :-)
Congratulations Kirk, you will enjoy them for many years to come.
Here are the crossvines that we planted, you can just see them on each side of the Arbor. I am glad that my son Jon was home from school this week, he helped me with the clean up and to load and level 2 1/2 yards of decomposed granite into the walkways of the garden. Now I need to get the remainder of my spring plants into the ground, a bit late but I was too busy when we passed the last frost date (although we did not have a freeze since last year).
In the back left you can see what remains of my fall lettuce which has now bolted. In the back right you can see my experiment with Purple Sprouting Broccoli, looking very healthy but no sign of the sprouts yet. I planted it back in early September.
Kirk
Kirk, your garden is beautiful, and I think you will love the crossvines. Where do you get your decomposed granite? I'm going to need a lot and am checking for sources in Central Texas.
Kirk, it is all gorgeous, but I am wondering why you need a fenced area withing your fenced yard?
Josephine.
The hummingbirds will be very happy that you went with Crossvine. :-)
Carla
I am using the fences (with2X4 galvanized wire fencing with a wood frame segments attached to posts) as a trellis and to help keep our dog out ( he is usually a good boy but for some reason he cannot resist Brussels sprouts when they are about 6 inches high). He eats them.
If you look close at the bottom of the middle of the three fence segments on the right you will see an Early Girl tomato plant that is tall enough to see. As she grows I'll weave her into the fencing. I have several other tomato plant and climbing veggies planted or planned in the raised beds just under each segment.
Bulk decomposed granite should be available at many stone places, usually just outside of town. I have purchased it at "Daniel Stone" and at "Geo Growers" here in Austin. Usually around $30 per sq yard (10 or 20 times cheaper than big box stores). For 1/3 of a yard I have them drop it into my little pickup, but for larger quantities I have it delivered. You should get a couple of local hits if you search "decomposed granite" on Google.
This message was edited Mar 26, 2012 5:27 PM
Well, that was a very smart idea Kirk, good thinking!!!
If you ever decide to go with Grapes, get the southern Muscadines. There are many new tasty varieties with Grapes the size of small Plums.
Isons.com
Beautiful job! If you are looking for showy flowers, I would add clematis as a vine. Some varieties are less fussy than others (viticella group in general flower well)
I was thinking the same ... CLEMATIS ...
In my arbor I have both Clematis and Crossvines ...
Now I am going to get you in trouble KirkH
Have a look at this website:
http://www.gardenvines.com/shop/large-flowered-clematis-3/index-6.html
oohhh ... can you resist ?
Thanks, Kirk, for the info on sources.
How pretty Kirk! Nicely done.
Oh, drthor, now I'm going to get into trouble!
sweetmommy
I went crazy looking at this picture for you )April 2011) ... but words cannot explain it.
Those are the Clematis I have ordered last year from Brushwood Nursery (just my first batch - many followed) ....
Look ! ... yes they did arrive by mail ! ... 1/3 gal. pot !! WOW !!!
Also, the plants were old and not just a cutting ... they all did flowered this year and I have lost NONE to the terrible drought of last summer.
And ... NO ... I don't own share of this company ... but I should.
Some of the Clematis in blooms now ...
some more ... I did mix them also with the Crossvine.
Next year it will be a great show !!
Dr.Thor: Are you sure you don't have some. Brushwood stock? :)
Which types were your favorites?
oohhhh
I love all of them !!
sweetmommy I sent you a pic of the blister beetle on the other thread that you replied to The Clematis is it's favorite food ,I once lost an amazing Clematis to the first Blister Beetle I had ever encountered..so for me it is war all out chemical warfare if that is what it takes to defend my clematis..
drthor- what are the names of your clematis ?
I ordered one c texensis this spring from
Brushwood and got way more than I expected.
VERY pleased !
Oh Baja! Isn't Brushwood awesome? I ordered two Mexican Flame from them, they were huge and perfectly packed.
I am ordering the Carolina Jasmine and the Crossvine from them next.
I will never order another vine from anyone else! I paid 12.00 for a Jasmine from some one else, that little tiny thing made me cry.
Awesome work Kirk!! I'm sure whatever you choose, its gonna look great Make sure you show us the "after" pictures, ok?
I planted two Clematis (one on each side of the arbor) to join the crossvine. What a surprise, all are doing well climbing up the arbor and I already have a bloom :-)
In the back you can see my crookneck squash. So far producing well with no sign of the dreaded vine borer that I struggled with last year.
Kirk
names .. hummm???
The bloom is from a Pink Champagne Clematis, the other side not seen in the pic is Rouge Cardinal Clematis. All the vines look healthy and are going up and intertwining well with the arbor :-)
The C Texensis is on sale at Brushwood, I think I will order it since you liked it Baja. :)
Yes I Had been wanting Lady Di
FOR YEARS, SO GLAD i FOUND
IT AT bRUSHWooD AND ON SALE !
iT IS GREAT VALUE FOR THE PRICE
I REALLY NEED TO GET INTO
Watchdog and review it
One year later, Crossvine is looking great but the Clematis did not make it.
So sorry for your Clematis.
Could it be to early ? Where the Clematis alive in December?
One of my Clematis just started to bloom today and others are budding.
My Crossvine is also in bloom and it is glorious !
Your looks great too !
Just checked again, all of the Crossvine old growth from last year is doing great as shown but I could not see any old Clematis with greenery, but...there is new growth from the ground on the Clematis, looks very healthy. It will just need a bit of time to catch up.