Climbing Vines

Arbors and trellises make wonderful additions to most gardens. However, to complete the beauty of your garden architecture, you may like to let nature inspire you further. One practical and popular way to beautify your garden is by filling out arbors and trellises with climbing plants.

The large array of climbing plant options available for your arbors and trellises prompted us, here at SimplyArbors.com, to provide some basic information about climbing plants, including selection, care, and precautions. For more details, simply click on the links provided to websites that we found helpful and informative.

Climbing Plant Uses The term climbing plant roughly applies to any plant that needs external support to continue growing. For instance, while it is helpful to brace small trees and other vulnerable plants in the early stages of their lifecycle, it is not necessary once they reach a standard size. A plant such as a grapevine must have a brace or support such as arbors or a trellis to reach a sustainable and mature size. While climbing plants can sometimes become a nuisance if they take over an unwanted area, they can also be used to create areas of shade if used properly. Also, many vines and climbing bushes produce beautiful flowers and exquisite scents which, when grown on standard arbors, can create a glorious entryway that will enchant your friends and visitors. Bench arbors, when covered in a flowering vine, can create the perfect oasis on a beautiful summer day.

For more information, take a look at Flowering Vines 101.

Choose Wisely
Some basic precautions should be considered when buying climbing plants for your garden, arbors, or trellis. Your goal is to have a controlled climbing plant that accents your garden trellis or other decor, not a small patch of garden that accents your climbing monstrosity. Spend a reasonable amount of time researching plants that interest you or talking with the people at your local nursery, so you can be prepared to care for them properly. If you are an absent-minded gardener, then you might want to select a plant that grows at a relatively slow pace in order to keep it under control.

You will want to determine what type of climber works best for your arbor or trellis. Climbing plants use different means of securing themselves to arbors. Some will wrap their entire stem around nearby support, while others will use aerial roots, thorns, or tendrils. Determining how they climb will help you to choose will most likely thrive on arbors or trellises.

Another suggestion is to find out what climbing plants are native to your area, not only to preserve a local flavor, but also to protect these species from invasive and potentially destructive plants. The National Park Service keeps a list of plants that should be avoided or carefully controlled at http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact.htm. While it is highly unlikely that any plant you purchase from a national nursery or garden store would cause a problem, this is a gardening question that comes up frequently.

When I Grow Up...
Many varieties of climbing plants grow fast enough that you don't have to wait long to enjoy their beauty on your arbor or trellis. This link offers information on the growth rates of some common climbing plants. It also includes basic information on flowering characteristics, preferred soil conditions, and care: (http://www.hintsandthings.co.uk/garden/climbers.htm).

Growing a vine on your garden arbor or trellis should not be a difficult task, as vines are very durable and grow quickly. It is part of a vine's nature to extend itself and to seek sunlight by climbing toward it, turning its leaves to the sky and reaching its tendrils upward while wrapping around a supporting structure.

The Ultimate Garden Charm
For an absolutely charming effect, vines are the perfect accent for garden arbors or a trellis, creating a quaint and homey atmosphere. While some people stray from decorating their landscaping with climbing plants because of their unpredictable nature, you might just find a great sense of comfort in the splash of artwork that nature can provide.