Where do you grow your MGs?

I love seeing the vines in the environments people create for them. I love seeing pictures showing context in vertical Gardening. This thread idea is also suggested on the Clematis forum and I would love to see how you all present your MGs in your gardens.

Here is a yard full of possibilities for things that climb and twine toward the heavens. I'm in the middle working on a low lattice border fence for MGs & Clematis to encircle my round iris bed where the kids pool used to be... (Good Kids!) I want to get on the roof when everything is blooming and take some pictures from above.

This message was edited Mar 23, 2008 7:58 PM

I wound some mature Will Goodwin & Guernsey Cream around the bamboo and others on the Lilac and other bushes. can't wait for that and for the antique trellises and the handmade screens to fill up with blooms. I have wire strategically patterned on huge trees and solid fences. I got carried away with ideas for every vertical surface so that there would be backdrops for the daylilies & irises of certain colors. It's like little art installations everywhere. I hope to take 'after' photos of these 'before' spots.

I built these pergolas myself. I depended on MGs & moonvines last year because the clematis were so new. I got the coolest hummingbird moths last year on the moonvines.

I'm limited in what the landlord will let us attach to the house. In order to work around that, I've been working on making my own trellis out of kitty litter containers and pvc. My DS kept me company, and helped while I was attaching the plastic fencing to the pvc.

just a couple of strings and an occasional climb on the roof to assist the MGs in covering the whole studio ("the cabin"). Once a friend grew reds on one side of her garage and blues on the other side and as they grew together in the middle at the peak they actually turned purple when they met! It was the coolest thing I had ever seen.

if you sit in here in the evening, you get almost drunk on the smell alone!
So I tried to arrange the big pergola with the MGs in the morning, the clematis in the afternoon and the Moons at night. Early bloomers (Montana Rubens) then on to others that bloom 'til frost. A constant show.

I tried to take photos of the point in the morning where the moons were starting to close while the MGs were opening, but I can't find that one.

Syrumani, I've done something similar, but instead of putting the ends of the pipes in containers, I hammered down slightly larger pipes 6 inches in length into the ground and put the ends in those then put a screw in. It holds up better in wind.

that is a great anchoring idea! an elegant solution for a few projects I have too.

I'll keep that in mind for next time, X. However, I don't think I mentioned that I filled the bottom 1/3 of each container with cement. Seems to be working great with the wind gusts we've been having the last 2 weeks.

Lol .. well yes I think the cement will do the job!!

X

I was tired of stepping over the bag of cement in the garage, but didn't want to throw it away (not that I could lift it anyway!) . . . I'm thinking next week I'll use the rest of it to make some papercrete, and try and disguise the containers, so they won't look like the kitty litter containers they are.

why not bury them?

X

or nail together some stained boards like raised beds around them?
it would hide them and you could use the middle to plant a few seeds?

X - The ground here is heavy clay. I'm lucky to get down 8" in any one spot, let alone four. It would be easier to do your suggestion the slightly larger pipe in the ground first. Next time for sure, since I'm finally low on cement!

Soulja - Raised beds around them would be nice . . . but I'm trying to use what I have on hand. Someday, though, when we have our own place, I'll be making raised beds w/trellises.

Soulja--I love your photos of your 'viney environment'! So beautiful! And your pergola is wonderful!

I'm just getting started with vines and thought I was doing pretty well finding some (too smallish) trellises at Big Lots for $10 each.

Nothing, though, compared to your project!

We brought our trellises home and spray painted them a rusty brown color this week. Now I'm looking for some big pots to paint in an arty way that will complement the Japanese morning glories.

We're also scavenging the woods for some nice limbs and twigs to make willow style 'wigwams' that I saw on another thread (cottage garden forum, maybe?)

Here are our bargain trellises setting out to dry...

Souja, I love your photos...what beautiful pergolas and morning glories!

I sowed my first MG seeds 2 weeks ago. They're already just about ready for thinning! I'm thinking of running some fishing line up the front of my porch to see if I can train them there.

outstanding! I've got to get to one of my old favorites: Big Lots! and I love those arbors made of branches. There was one I have to look up and post here.

Have fun KaylyRed! Get ready to get addicted! You can also get stainless steel wire at the hardware store in a couple different colors and it might be sturdier than fishing line because the vines get really thick. I used thick garden twine in two rows for the ones on the cabin, and they were pretty heavy on there.

here's an awesome link for rustic arbors, trellises & furniture

www.risingmoonrusticfurniture.com

check this out! from the link to the company above.

another i would love to have. or make!

this would be fabulous for any vine.

Oh, those are perfect for my yard!! Exactly what I want to make (or buy)! Thanks for posting the pics.

I'm going to forward them to my DSon and DH!

Maybe they will get the hint in time for mother's day!

Wow Soulja, very nice. Your backyard looks cozy and inviting. Great job.

I was planning on growing my MG's on the fence. I Am inspired to build something now thanks to this thread though!

you can make the fence too!

thanks for the compliments. I wish I made this one... maybe ... someday ...

i did throw this together. old trellises from the architectural salvage yard and raised beds with Avante Garde (red) clematis and red columbine to shade the roots in one and the other has Violet Charm and blue columbine. I can't wait to take the "after" shot in about a month and a half... maybe a dwarf MG to climb from the middle.... hmmm....

edited to say i think those are actually window frames.... (?) whatever they are, i like 'em!

This message was edited Mar 23, 2008 7:54 PM

Soulja - Your pergolas, trellises, and all the great vine supports are AWESOME! Really!! I am so impressed!! You've given me some new ideas! Thanks for sharing your photos of your "Vine Heaven"! You've come up with some lovely and creative ideas!

The Rising Moon website is amazing! I wonder what kind of tree they get their branches from?

Nichole - That's really neat what you have done with the PVC. Did you add something more to your PVC such as vinyl trellis panel or fencing to make a trellis arbor? (If so, can you post a photo of what it looks like?)

I just finished up my backyard patio area with the arbor and picket fencing. I could really use some ideas. I want to plant Sweet Autumn Clematis to climb along the fence and up the arbor. But I also want to plant MGs as well. Maybe both together. I would love to hear everyone's suggestions as to whether I should just plant one cultivar of MGs or plant several different cultivars? Maybe Moonflowers? Not sure. I NEED SUGGESTIONS!!!

This message was edited Mar 23, 2008 9:23 PM

We have a weeping willow that had to be cut down last fall to make way for a new mound septic system. We tried very hard not to lose it, but alas...there was just no choice. The tree wasn't quite cleaned up before the snow fell, so much of it's still out there in our backyard. I pointed out this thread to my husband and I'm going to see if he can put some of his woodworking skills to work building some trellises and maybe an arbor. I can't think of a better way to pay tribute to that beautiful old willow. Thanks for all the images and links, Soulja! They're a great inspiration.

Becky - I had a roll of plastic fencing that I used to attach the two pvc arches. I will take some close ups tomorrow after work, and post them so you can see.

...not to mention that fantastic deck garden its fab!!!!!
:Darren
fernman23

Hi folks! thank you so much! I had been wanting to do a thread like this for some time and the clem people forced my hand.

Becky, I love the picket fence and the arbor! I wanted one for my iris bed but then I priced them.... I already have too much invested in fences for now so I'm goin with the homemade $5 lattice mostly to keep the dog out but also to grow the Morning Glories!

I would do a less invasive Clematis on the Arbor (IF (!) you want MGs on there too), like the Montanas. They grow fast but not quite as abundant as Sweet Autumn, and you can depend on the MGs or Moon Vines to cover up the arbor the first year, then just remove them in the fall and by the following Spring the Montanas (Rubens is lovely) should be flowering to the top. But the Sweet Autumn puts on a good late show and the smell is divine. I never saw the problem with them if you keep them trimmed, but i see you have raised beds below and you can bet the seeds will fall into there and you'll have more SA than you thought you wanted... that won't happen with other clems. but this guy from gardenweb made this and i think it's SA. looks good.

KaylyRed: I was wondering about the pliability of branches one would need and it seems willows would be extra good for the rustic workability! Yes recycle it! and thanks for checking in fernman!

here is a link with an image gallery of technical stuff for making the joints and preserving the rustic pergolas and arbors. just click on *next for the illustrations


www.motherearthnews.com/multimedia/image-gallery.aspx?id=72604&seq=0

Becky - here are the pictures I took last night. It's not much to look at close up . . . but you can see the Wedding Bells starting to reach for it.

Here's a view of the top:

Here is one of my MG, Tievine climbing in the roof in my porch
Sylvia

Well... I show andersonii and setosa *lol*

This message was edited Mar 25, 2008 1:31 PM

My tuberosa, I hope it start to flower this spring.

And here is Rebecca

i can't wait to see the arch by the end of summer syrumani! keep us posted with photos of the progress! I wish you could do a time lapse series. what kinds will you grow on there?

and amazing vines hoobyodlaren! nice presentations too.
I knew I had to have a Rebecca! awesome flowers!!!

Soulja - so far I have I. wrightii, Dracula, Wedding Bells, and Heian no Izumi. My understanding is the Dracula does not get very tall, so if I need space filler, I may add another pot of something . . . don't know what it would be yet. My DH has already said I can make more arches if I want . . . but this time I would use X's idea above.

you might go from one arch to a whole tunnel!