CLIMBERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 6, 7 July 1938, Page 30

CLIMBERS

Climbing plants of various kinds are of very real value. They may be used to cover unsightly fences, old sheds, stumps of trees, or for clothing arches, pergolas, or verandah posts. Where a fence is to be covered provision should be made for supporting the growths, as comparatively few are self-clinging. The best method is, perhaps, to strain wires from end to end, of the fence, an inch or two away from the palings, spacing the wires about a foot apart. A very common mistake in training climbers is to take the growths straight up, the result of such treatment being that the growth is all at the top of the fence while the lower part is bare. The correct method is to bend down the growths along the lower wires and train them along these, extending them to the higher ones as they grow. This will result in the whole of the fence being covered from top to bottom in a very short time. Another common mistake with climbers is allowing the growths to become tanged together, thus causing a dense mass. ' Growths should be regulated so that there is sufficient to cover the allotted space, all surplus growth being thinned out This is , especially important, with flowering climbers which will fail- to bloom satisfactorily if crowded. Pruning should be regulated according to the season and habit of blooming. Varieties which flower on young wood should be pruned in the winter, whilst those which flower on mature wood or on spurs should be thinned out as required. Most climbers are sufficiently hardy to withstand ordinary winters in this district and will thrive in ordinary garden soil provided drainage is adequate. It should be borne in mind that as a rule the ground at the base of a close boarded fence or the wall <f a Souse becomes much drier than out in the open and consequently it may be necessary to water the plants occasionally during the summer, especially in the early stages. Once they are established this is not so necessary

fas the roots extend /far beyond the I protecting wall. Bougqinvillea.—There are several varieties of these half-hardy evergreen climbers, which thrive in warm, sunny positions. Their beauty lies in the brilliantly-coloured bracts which surround the flowers. The colour of the bracts are mostly a rather hard shade of magenta or purple, hence the advisability of growing them away from other flowers which clash. Akebia quinata is another evergreen climber which has clusters of flowers of a chocolate purple colour with a pleasant spicy fragrance. Hardenbergia monophylla. — Evergreen. Has trusses of lavender blue pea-shaped flowers. Quite hardy and a twining variety. There is also a white form. i Clematis.—There are many very beautiful large-flowered hybrid (Varieties, which rank among the most beautiful of all climbing plants. The flowers are as much as 6 inches across and mostly either white or various shades of lavender or purple. These climbers are specially suited for growing over arches, pergolas, or trees. Lathyrus pubescins, the Argentine pea, with racemes of lavender-blue pea-shaped flowers#is always beautiful. The flowers are produced very freely and the plants are hardy and vigorous. Mandevilla suaveolens is a. decidUous climber, a strong grower which produces very fragrant, white, trumpetshaped flowers. Lonicera, - honeysuckle.—This is a good climber for covering an untidy shed or old fence. Requires rather severe thinning or becomes too dense. Rather subject to attack by aphis, which may be cleaned off by spraying with soapy water or Black Leaf 40. Bignonia.—There, are numerous varieties with different coloured flowers, mostly orange or pink. For warm positions they are admirable climbers—very attractive when in flower. Bignonia grandiflora has large orange-scarlet flowers, very attractive. This is a deciduous variety. Wistaria.—A strong-growing climber which might be more generally grown. The growths must be thinned out or flowers will be poor and scarce.