Date: Fri 17-Jul-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: CAROLL

Quick Words:

Gardener-Bleach-vines-clematis

Full Text:

SUBURBAN GARDENER: More Vines Than You Can Shake A Stick At

By Anthony C. Bleach

I love our sweet autumn clematis that is now 15 feet up in a decaying tree. In

September it flowers white like a cascading waterfall, cooling the dusty

season.

However, when every April we spend hours untangling the mass of last year's

vine and this season's new growth, I wonder if it is worth it.

An annual vine would be a cleaner alternative, and we could choose a new one

every year. I was brought up to look no further than nasturtiums to cover the

rusting shed or rotting stump, but today we have about 20 to choose from. Here

are eight from Shepherd's Garden Seeds' excellent selections:

Cardinal Climber (Ipomoea x multifida). Cardinal climber's lovely flowering

vines offer both tropical-looking foliage and a profusion of pretty little

crimson blossoms that are irresistible to hummingbirds. Leaves are dark green

and palmlike in shape, deeply cut in sections almost to the midribs.

As the plants grow, their tendrils twining upward in the long, warm days of

summer, the intricate leaves unfurl to cover the supporting structure. The

shapely 1«-inch bright red flowers with open starry faces bloom thickly in

clusters in the leaf axils of the handsome foliage for a beautiful vertical

garden display.

Cathedral Bells (Cobaea scandens) . A dense vine with oblong leaves that

climbs effortlessly from tendrils at the end of each leafstalk.

By midsummer, you'll enjoy truly spectacular two-inch flowers, shaped like

slender cups with softly curving rims, that age gradually from creamy green to

a striking rose-violet. They are posed like teacups on their dainty,

saucerlike, green calyxes, hence their other name, Cup and Saucer vine.

Cathedral Bells was a cottage-garden favorite in the Victorian era and

deserves much wider appreciation today.

Exotic Love (Mina lobata) . Native to Mexico, this rare vine is a vigorous and

enthusiastic twiner with pretty, dark green, three-pointed fleur-de-lis-shaped

leaves.

At midsummer, the lovely foliage is decorated with an abundance of graceful

sprays of showy tubular blossoms that graduate from crimson-scarlet to creamy

yellow. Exotic love will continue to provide this visual feast for weeks on

end.

`Painted Lady' Runner Beans (Phaseolus coccineus). This 19th Century heirloom

is a piece of living history. The big, mocha-colored bean seeds with rich

chocolate markings have also been called "magic beans" and are great to grow

with kids.

`Painted Lady' vines make a charming flower screen, yielding lots of beautiful

edible blossoms with pretty bicolored coral and creamy white petals.

The showy flowers have a crisp texture and delicate beany flavor that enhance

salads, sandwiches or any savory dish. They are followed by thick juicy pods

to cut in one-inch lengths for cooking in the traditional English manner.

Hyacinth Bean Vine (Alblab purpureus) -- This fast-growing and

tropical-looking beauty, not a true bean, has distinctive purple stems and

forms a dense canopy of large, purple-veined green leaves. At midsummer it is

covered with gorgeous spikes of 1«-inches, deep violet blossoms that resemble

bean or pea flowers.

The long-lasting flower spikes are followed by shiny four-inch seedpods in a

brilliant royal purple color. A heat lover that soaks up the sun, hyacinth

bean vine is a stunning plant at all stages.

Moonflowers (Ipomoea alba) . As if to emulate the summer moon itself, these

open six-inch trumpet flowers unfurl in slow motion every night just at

sunset.

Pure white with faint green tracings, moonflower's exotic blossoms are richly

fragrant with a haunting exotic perfume that is delicious on summer evenings.

In full morning light, the flowers retract into dense, heart-shaped foliage.

`Early Call' Morning Glory (I. nil). This wonderful morning glory has a

compact habit and begins to bloom when it's just a few feet tall, then

continues growing and blossoming throughout the season.

The radiant flowers are huge, up to five inches across, with clear colors that

make a spectacular show in luminous pink, magenta, blue, white and lavender,

many with white edging around their delicate fluted trumpets.

The beautiful leaves have an entrancing fleur-di-lis-shape that sets off the

satiny flowers. Flowers remain open much later in the day than those of other

morning glories, another plus.

Sweet Pea Early `Mammoth.' Exceptionally beautiful, large ruffled blossoms

with graceful curling tendrils characterize this improved American strain

developed for form, vigor and early bloom.

The tall vines climb quickly, with unusually long stems of sweet-scented

flowers in lovely colors -- pink, rose, carmine, salmon, lilac and white.

Showy, tall `Mammoth' vines create a wall of outdoor color and will provide

bouquets for several months.

Apart from being the throw rugs or screens of the garden, vines can give your

garden dramatic vertical emphasis. They can elevate the garden to whatever

dimension you wish.

Most annual vines are easy to grow and can be planted directly in the garden

now. Lexington Gardens in Newtown also has a good selection of annual vines

for transplanting.

(Anthony C. Bleach coordinates the horticulture degree program at Naugatuck

Valley College in Waterbury.)