Introduction to Climbers Climbers in your garden
Just imagine a garden full of walls, fences, pergolas, screens and similar places without any beautiful plant covering them. We need to be indebted to all those gardeners of ancient times who recognized the value of climbers to add to the beauty of the garden while covering possibly unsightly structures.
The only problem is that as time went by, people stopped using their creativity in the matter of climbers and began to restrict the plants to just a small number in a stereotyped garden design. They forgot all about the amazing range of climbing plants, which were ready to be planted in your garden.
This book is going to tell you all about a number of plants, which are definitely going to suit your own particular gardening purpose. They are also going to add something new, both in beauty and interest to your garden.Climbers can be considered to be plants which like lots of moisture and nutrition. You can call them hungry. That is why the soil to which they grow should be enriched very well before you begin the planting. They also like soil, which has been well-drained.
Climbers are definitely not going to flourish in waterlogged areas.
This drainage can be obtained right at the very beginning, through proper digging and preparation of the soil. The breaking up of the lower soil is essential. If it is done well, it is going to save you a good deal of disappointment afterwards. Remember to work in plenty of organic manure, leaf compost, and other natural nutritive material to enrich the soil and keep it healthy.
We may not quite want such profusion of climbing foliage!
Remember that Climbers have been built by nature to live in forests and not to be trained artificially to climb up buildings or fences. That is why a large number of these plants are imperfect for domestic purposes. However, there are other varieties, which can be induced to forgo their natural habit. With the help of forced and cunning cultivation, that is going to be done and your climber is going to clamber all over the place.
It is this same natural characteristic of the really true climbers that has created the difficulty of making these plants climb on isolated trees. And that is why some people have reached the conclusion that there is something about this activity, which either they do not understand or the plant does not understand!
Pergolas
A pergola is any sort of arched structure, in a park or in a garden, which is made up of a framework. This framework is covered with trailing and climbing plants.
If you are constructing a pergola with oak and brick, it is going to turn out to be an expensive proposition. On the other hand, you can use wooden frames. However, if you use just wood you may find the upkeep to be really troublesome. So you may want to look at other frameworks in order to construct your pergola.
A really effective pergola is going to be on level ground. It is going to be straight. It should be sufficiently wide in order to retain the appearance of style and dignity. However, the slight problem with pergolas is that it is such a haven for insects, and they are going to be buzzing right by your ears, the moment the flowers come into bloom.
Popular Climbing Varieties
Clematis
Oh, for a house with a white picket fence, and clematis!
I started with clematis because this is the genus which has the largest number of fine climbers ever in the world. You can find a really good selection from these, because of the sufficient variety, which can meet almost all tastes.
Clematis likes to have the roots and stems shaded. The flowering portions need to be exposed to the sunshine. This is one of the characteristics of nearly all the climbers.
This peculiarity is natural because clematis in a wild state needs to rise up amid shrubs or trees and entwine them. Gardeners who do not understand this particular characteristic of clematis may be disappointed that the failure to grow this plant in their garden.
Clematis is accommodating as regards the soil. They enjoy lime. So if your soil is rich in lime, you are going be blessed with a flourishing clematis.
They also like moist soil, which is well mulched and rich in organic loam and humus.
Wisteria
It does not matter whether the Wisteria is blooming, or whether you are just standing there, appreciating its foliage – this is one of the most decorative and attractive of climbing plants available to you.
Give it a rich and good soil, and it is going to grow well anywhere. Just look at any building festooned with pale mauve flowers of Wisteria, of which some varieties are set to reach about 3 ½ feet in length. This particular characteristic is found in the Japanese Wisteria. multijuga/floribunda.
This is one is easy to cultivate, but the length of the racemes may make it less suitable for a wall, so plant them in a Bower walk or on a pergola. That means the flowers are going to be out of the way of your head!
This book has given you an introduction to some of the more popular climbers which you can grow easily in your garden. Remember that climbers like plenty of water. They also need lots of space to grow. Particular varieties prefer the sun. Other varieties prefer the shade.
Some varieties are native to your area. Other varieties may be exotic. So before you decide to plant them in your garden, you may want to find out whether the climate and the soil is conducive to that particular variety.
For example, there are plenty of climbers which prefer tropical climates. Others prefer the cold because they are native to that land. So start growing climbers in your garden, right now, and enjoy the beauty of their lovely luxuriant flowering and foliage bounty.
Live Long and Prosper!
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