LIFESTYLES |

SOMEONE ONCE said, ‘‘The function of the landscape
architect is to cover up the mistakes of the architect.’’
Although totally. unkind and almost totally untrue, there are
some operative words in there somewhere.

The words ‘‘cover up’’ could be
considered to be appropriate, but
not in the sense of hiding mistakes,
flaws, or other unforeseen pro-
blems with structural design (even
though it has been known to hap-

pen).

I see it more as an opportunity
to clothe a newly created creature
of beauty. It may help to separate
the word landscape into its two
component parts: land’s cape.

But I wax poetic, and what I re-
ally wanted to talk about is the use
of vines.

This extremely important group
of plants: can make’ dramatic dif-
ferences in the overall appearance
of the garden.

Covering up the cold lines of an
empty fence or the starkness of a
bare wall can turn a barren en-
vironment into a place of warmth
and beauty.

But before you run to the
nursery and entangle your garden
and your lives, it would be advis-

ma

PRIMA TOR et a eta Rr ae

able to learn a little about some of
the vining plants. How does it
climb? How fast does it grow?
What conditions does it like? and
so on.

Vines or climbers can ‘‘climb’’
in several ways.

Some, like-the ivy family, have
smail, aerial roots with which they
attach themselves to structures,
trees, rock faces, etc.

Others have twining tendrils or
leaf stalks like the grape and
clematis.

In plants such as honeysuckle
and beans, the entire vine will
twine itself around a convenient
support.

Roses and blackberries will sim-
ply push their branches through a
trellis or a convenient neighbor.

If you are not careful, your new
vine could take over your life as
well as a large area of your garden.

The silver lace vine (pofygonum
aubertii) can grow 30 feet in a
single season. ;

If you aren’t ready to engage in
regular pruning sessions, you may

find yourself with a new room-
mate. So be sure that the vine you
select has enough space to do its
thing.

Here are just a few of the plants

worth considering:

Actinidia chinensis is the twining
vine responsible for Kiwi Fruit. It
is a vigorous grower that can reach
heights of 30 feet if left alone.

A mature female can produce up
to 300 pounds of fruit annually if
the weather is right and a male is
nearby. Even without the fruit this
plant’s handsome, deciduous

garden gate

Hy

25 — Friday, July 15, 1988 - North Shore News

foliage makes it worth having.
Give it sun or partial shade, rich
soil, strong support, and ample
water and fertilizer.
Campsis radicans, also known as

Geoff Tobiasson

the trumpet vine, can produce
beautiful clusters of scarlet/orange
flowers in the middle of hot sum-
mers.

Its glossy-green, deciduous
foliage give it a distinctively trop-
ical appearance. It has the aerial
roots necessary to cling to most
surfaces, but should be pruned
back occasionally or else it may

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| LIFESTYLES

TOLER ORS ROTTER TEE

eauty

become top-heavy and pull away.
It needs full, strong sun in order to
produce flowers. :

There are too many plants in the
Clematis family in order to name
them all, so 1 suggest further
research here if you want just the
right variety.

C. armandiis the only evergreen
form; this combined with the ear-
ly, white, fragrant flowers make it
very desirable.

All forms of.clematis do best
when the roots are planted in cool,
shady, rich soil with good
drainage.

They do not like acid soil, so
give them bone meal in early spr-
ing and mid-fall. They usually
flower best with the top growth in
full sun.

The Hederas or ivies is also a
very large group that needs closer
investigation.

All forms are evergreen, but
there are many different leaf forms
and colors available. Ivies will
grow just about anywhere, but do

Sea Climbing
Page 26

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