Cover Me! Summer Climbers
Dress up fences, arbors, trellises and any structure you want to add a burst of climbing blooms! Flowering vines are an easy way to make a big statement in the garden – giving you colorful flowers and vertical interest. Vines are ideal for hiding eyesores, providing privacy, softening the monotony of plain fencing and transforming a plain arbor or pergola into a focal point of your garden. Most require low maintenance and often draw the attention of colorful butterflies and delightful little hummingbirds. Consider these show-stopping climbers:
Clematis, an easy-to-grow, flowering climber is a favorite of both seasoned and beginner gardeners due to its versatile beauty. This summer-bloomer is available in a colorful variety. Try ‘Malaya Garnet’ (rose), ‘Jackmanii’ (purple), ‘Henri’ (white), ‘Ernest Markham’ (fuschia), ‘Multi Blue’ (purple-blue). These beloved vines look beautiful cascading over walls and fences or winding their way up trellises, pillars and mailboxes. Clematis is sure to dazzle year after year. Grows best in full sun and moist, well-drained soil.
Madison Jasmine, an easy-to-grow, evergreen climber produces beautiful clusters of starry flowers you can smell from feet away. The butter cream blooms are what makes this evergreen vine stand out in a crowd. ‘Madison’ is a cold hardy variety with glossy, dark green leaves that change to a rich bronze-red in winter. Madison offers year-round beauty… especially in summer when it’s flowering! It’s the perfect addition to any trellis or arbor, or planted along a fence. Prefers full to partial sun and rich soil well-drainage soil.
Mandevilla – a true summer favorite! This blooming annual vine offers stunning trumpet-shape flowers in shades of pink, white, or red paired with dark green foliage. These vines are a perfect way of creating a lush, tropical look in a flash! Mandevilla is fast growing and blooms heaviest in summer and periodically throughout the rest of the year. Mandevilla does great in containers and is the ideal on trellises, arbors or gazebos. This plant can also be used as a houseplant if provided with bright light and care. Prefers full to partial sun and rich, well-drained soil.
Carolina Jasmine is an evergreen shrub with fragrant one-inch golden yellow trumpet-shaped flowers in early spring. Although this vine has already had it’s peak blooming season this spring, you may get lucky and enjoy a sparser second bloom in mild autumn weather. Each plant can grow 10 to 20 feet tall, dependent on the height of its vertical support. The lustrous green leaves are 1 to 3 inches long and will develop a slight yellow-green or purple-green cast in winter.
