VinesVines are rarely associated with gardening: the first image we have in your mind when we hear the word “a garden” is either vegetables, most probably tomatoes, or a patch of beautiful tulips (violets, narcissus, lilies... the list can be continued). However, they will always add a finishing touch to your garden, and will serve so many other purposes! They will bring a special charm, brightening your garden with colors and elegance, they will extend the moments of enjoyment, and even provide the safety to a great extent. They can be both annual and perennial. Perennial vines are also called hardy Vines. In any case, they are a great and cost effective way to soften the line of the buildings, edges, fences, helping them to merge with the landscape and special settings in your garden. If you want to decorate unattractive spots on the walls of an old house, there is hardly any better solution than to cover them with these plants. If you want to create a ground cover, they will make an excellent natural carpets to cover the banks and foundations. In general, the stone walls and metal fences will look more cheerful and friendly if covered with these plants. Different ways for Vines to climbWhen you buy, pay attention to the way they climb. Some of them support themselves with the help of tendrils, so they can reach any objects to grasp. The other ones have little adhesive fastening discs, so they can stick to the stone or brick surfaces. Some varieties hold to walls with the help of tiny aerial rootlets. And there are also those which usually use twining around the branches of other plants. Be careful with these last ones as they have a tendency to cover completely a bush or a small tree. SupportThey should be supported, and here you can use your imagination by creating all sorts of trellises, pergolas and arbors. You can give them any shape which would fit into the arrangement of your garden in general. As for the material, natural wood will do best, and it is not even necessary to paint it as it usually looks exquisitely beautiful as a background for your plants. PlantingIf you choose to plant an annual Vine plant, it will be sufficient to dig it in a well drained soil. With perennials the things are different: you plant them as any shrub. If you want to place your plants near the foundation, pay attention to the soil as it can be rather poor. Make the planting hole approximately two square feet large. Mix the soil with peat moss or bone meal. If you plant near the house, make sure they are not placed under the eaves. They will not benefit if water drips continuously on their leaves. It is especially unpleasant in late autumn, when the weather can be frosty in the evenings, so the wet leaves would eventually freeze and die off. If planted on the sunny side of of your garden, the plant will need frequent watering. Types of VinesVines can be a challenge at times, but once you overcome any difficulty and master the vine the rewards will be great. Don't let me scare you off. You can train your vine into many shapes and have it trail down just the way you want it. You'll have fun. Among the most popular which are usually chosen by the gardeners there are Morning Glories, Honeysuckle, Boston Ivy, Lemon Lace, Mountain Fleece, Yellow Trumpet Creeper, Boston ivy, Virginia creeper, English Ivy and so many more.
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