We love the lookbut are they doing serious damage?
Climbing vines are synonymous with stately houses, historic estates, and beautiful architectural design.
The short answer is: It depends.
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Untended, vines can run rampant.
They can rot wood, destabilize decor, and take over completely.
Left unpruned for long enough, vines can do insidious things to structures.
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However, under the right conditions, vines can be just fine.
Here’s the truth about plantingclimbing vinesnear your home and which varieties to stay away from.
The Grumpy Gardener makes the argument that while thesemonster vinesare often beautiful, they are also unstoppable.
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Asian species of wisteria can pull a gutter off a house and bend iron railings.
PlantAmerican wisteria(Wisteria frutescens) instead.Japanese honeysuckle(Lonicera japonica)wanders way past where it’s planted.
Trumpet honeysuckle is a better alternative.
Trumpet vine, also known astrumpet creeper, grows in any soil and is drought-tolerant.
It grows quickly in one season, making it ideal for covering sore spots in your garden.
Its trumpet-shaped red flowers attract hummingbirds to your yard.
But it grows quickly and spreads fast.
It can’t be controlled.
Annual Vines to Consider
For a commitment that’s not long-term, consider annual vines.
They come in blue, pink, and white.
This vine works fast to cover an arbor, trellis, or fence.
Before planting, keep in mind both of these vines are toxic tohumansandanimals.
They work well on trellises, arbors, and other structures.
The climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala) is one of the few flowering vines that can tolerate shade.
It gets heavy, so keep it pruned to maintain the shape and space you want it to take.
Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) doesn’t cause damage that many other vines can.
It grows quickly and provides a good cover as a screen, with fragrant yellow flowers in early spring.
It’s also deer-resistant.
Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea) and mandevilla (Mandevillaspp.)
Bougainvilleas range from compact to much larger varieties that grow 100 feet high or more.
Mandevilla vines aretropical plantsthat can be grown as annuals in colder regions.
Let star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) and trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) spread as a ground cover.
Star jasmine’s fragrant star-shaped flowers attract bees and butterflies.
Grow this vine in sun or shade in moist, well-drained soil.
Vines or no vines?
Some combinations are recipes for disaster (i.e.
What are your favorite vines to plant?
Do you have any growing on your home, and have you had trouble tending them?
