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climbers wall Summer’s hottest climbers Any empty fence, wall or pergola is the gardener’s equivalent of a blank canvas. Even when the available vertical space is taken, there’s always a way to make more; many an obelisk, archway or trellis has been built in honour of a seductive climbing plant. Clematis hybrid 20 go gardening summer SCENT ED I n summer, climbers are more captivating than ever. Grown over pergolas they offer cool relief from scorching sun. When privacy is called for, a climbing plant is an ideal solution, especially if space is tight. Demanding minimal space compared to trees and hedges, climbers will quickly convert a fence or trellis into a green leafy screen. When choosing climbers for your garden, consider your soil type and climate, also the available microclimates you may have in your garden. For example, a frost tender climber can thrive in a cooler climate when grown against a north-facing wall that traps the sun’s warmth. Also consider whether or not you want year round foliage. A deciduous climber can work brilliantly if you want summer shade and winter sun. Fragrance Intensely fragrant star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is one of the most versatile and popular landscape plants and will cope with light frost. It will sprawl as a weedstopping groundcover or can be trained on wires as a climber. The dense evergreen foliage is covered in little white flowers from late spring through summer. Unlike common jasmine, this plant is not a weed pest. Read about vines that are a threat to our native bush on page 46. Gardeners in frost-free areas can enjoy tropical climbers such as richly scented Madagascar Jasmine (Stephanotis floribunda), a glossy Mandevilla laxa (top left) is a frost hardy climber, while Petrea (top right) and Colourwave Mandevilla ‘Pink Mini’ (below) need a frost-free location. evergreen with pure white waxy trumpets, and Herald’s trumpet (Beaumontia grandiflora), a larger vine with deeply veined, evergreen foliage and large white trumpet flowers. Another for a warm climate, Petrea volubilis is a picture in November when it is covered with long bunches of purple star flowers. Chilean Jasmine (Mandevilla laxa) is a super scented option for cooler climates. This tough deciduous vine makes up for its bare winter appearance in summer when it fills the air with its delicious gardenia perfume. The clusters of white 5cm trumpets are lovely against the deep green foliage. It’s not too rampant, so plant it where its scent can be fully enjoyed! HUGE BLOOMS Summer’s hybrid clematis cultivars have huge exotic flowers compared with its spring flowering cousins, but the plants themselves are nowhere near as rampant. These climbers are well suited to a small trellis or large pot. Flowers appear from late spring till mid-summer on the stems of the previous year’s growth. Meanwhile, new growth is being formed which produces more flowers during late summer and autumn. Success with climbers , Most climbers grow best with their roots in cool soil and their flowers in the sun. At planting time, mix in compost, plus blood and bone or slow release fertiliser. , Mulch to keep moisture in and weeds out. Fine bark is ideal. , Water newly planted climbers regularly over summer. , Be sure to provide appropriate support. Vigorous woody climbers, like wisteria, need a solid structure with posts set in concrete. Have flexible ties on hand for climbers like roses and bougainvillea that are not selfsupporting. , gogardening.co.nz 21 climbers Take extra care not to disturb the roots or break stems when planting clematis as this invites the killer wilt disease. Plant them where their roots will be cool and moist and add a layer of organic mulch, but take care to keep the mulch away from the stem. Clematis are heavy feeders. Add sheep pellets or well rotted animal manure at planting time and top up with slow release fertiliser every spring. If growing Clematis in a pot make sure it is a large one, at least 20 litres. Provided they are kept well watered, terracotta pots offer better protection against summer heat and winter cold than plastic pots. Apply slow release fertiliser or feed fortnightly with balanced liquid fertiliser. Extreme colour In vibrant shades of hot pink, red, orange and purple, Bougainvilleas are among the showiest plants of summer. They’re at their colourful best in a hot dry location. When grown in rich moist soil they tend to be more rampant, with lush foliage at the expense of flowers. Bougainvilleas are really more of a vigorous sprawling shrub than an actual vine but they are easily trained against walls or kept trimmed as shrubs in pots. There are some dwarf shrub forms, even more ideal for pots. Trimming during spring and summer promotes new growth and flowering. Long leafy ‘water shoots’ that grow from the base should be removed completely. Fabulous ‘Aloha’ and ‘Colourwave’ Mandevillas (aka dipladenia) have the flower power of a bougainvillea without the rampant growth habit. Dark green, glossy evergreen foliage creates the perfect foil for their flamboyant trumpet flowers, which keep on coming until late autumn. In the far north they may flower all year round. The best location is a frost-free spot with protection from the hottest afternoon sun. Free-draining soil is essential. The good news is that, if your soil is heavy or your winter frosty, you can grow mandevillas in containers. At just 2-3m tall, the modern ‘Colourwave’ and ‘Aloha’ hybrids can be accommodated in the smallest of gardens. To encourage bushy growth and prolific flowering, feed fortnightly with high potassium fertiliser and pinch out the growing tips. Varieties come in rich shades of pink and red, as well as white. Ideal for a slightly larger space in a frost-free garden, the charming Brazilian twiner, Mandevilla splendens ‘Alice du Pont’ never fails to impress with her striking pink trumpet flowers and attractive foliage. The big leathery leaves take on a puckered look with deep sunken veins. ‘Splendens’ means splendid. Edible It’s passion fruit planting time. Plant a young vine in a warm sunny location this November and you could be eating its delicious aromatic fruit within 18 months. Encourage side branching by pinching out the growing tip and train the new laterals along a trellis or wire support. Pruning off some of the old wood each year encourages vigorous new fruiting growth. However, a passion fruit vine only will fruit well for five or six years, so if you have one reaching retirement age it may be time to plant a new one. Grapevines not only provide delicious fruit, their foliage is beautiful too, ideal for summer shade. Romantic Above: Bougainvillea Right: Rose ‘Graham Thomas’ 22 go gardening summer Fragrant climbing roses are among the most seductive climbers of summer. Old ramblers like ‘Albertine’ are very romantic and profuse flowering, but they do take a lot of space and will flower only once (in early summer). When space is tight, choose from one of the many smaller growing, repeat flowering climbers such as deep red ‘Dublin Bay’, and golden yellow ‘Graham Thomas’.