Climbing Plants 



By S. R. 



The time has now arrived when some useful cHmbers 

 must be selected, so that the beaut}- of the house can be 

 completed the coming year, as bare spots should always 

 be covered and, where possible, with flowering or 

 showy climbers; or if not with flowering subjects, as 

 least with plants that produce a good wealth of foliage, 

 giving a house that ver\- necessar}' cooling effect for the 

 hot summer davs, with perhaps a good coloring in the 

 fall. 



We have now a big selection of vines and roses that 

 lend themselves for this purpose, and perhaps a review 

 of the best and most useful to plant would be of interest 

 to fellow gardeners. 



One at once places the finger on the "Boston Ivy" 

 {Ampelopsis Veitchi) as the best self-clinging creeper we 

 have for wall covering: but even this is at times very 

 slow to make a show, due jicrhaps to the fact that seed- 

 lings have been planted, which as a rule are slow in grow- 

 ing : or plants from overworked stock have been em- 

 ployed. \\'here quick results are required from this 

 subject grafted plants should be used, as they grow at 

 five times the rate of the cutting. The old Virginia 

 creeper should be the stock plant as they are strong 

 growers; plants of this nature cost more in the first place, 

 but the results are wortli the extra cost. 



We have now upon the market a better creeper than 

 the "Boston Ivy"; it has the self-clinging character of 

 the "Boston Ivy," but has the foliage of "Ampelopsis 

 quinquefolia," the "old wood vine" ; the creeper I re- 

 fer to is Ampelopsis Engelmaitni. The praises of this 

 plant cannot be sung too far, having such excellent char- 

 acter as it has, it is bound to be planted more in the 

 future. 



A climber that is much employed in New England is 

 Actinidia argtita, a type from Japan; it is a very fast 

 grower and will stand hard pruning and is extremely 

 hardy ; it gives a host of good green foliage and shade in 

 the hot summer days, produced by its long hanging 

 shoots; it does not require much attending; wires are 

 placed for it to cling to, and in some cases it will make 

 use of the water spout on its upward march ; its chief 

 feature is its foliage, as the flowers are very small. 



Aristolochia Sipho. "Dutchman's Pipe." This may be 

 regarded as a first-class climber. It is very free, giving a 

 pleasant green foliage of huge heart-shaped leaves, and is 

 very hardy, but loses its foliage very early in the fall. 

 The flowers from which it obtains the name, "Dutchman's 

 Pipe," are rather curious in form and very small com- 

 pared with some of the tropical species of the same 

 genus. This plant requires wire to climb upon as it is 

 of a clinging or twisting nature. 



Clematis. The Clematises that can be utilized for gen- 

 eral work where hardy plants are required, such as to 

 stand the Xew England winter, are many and beautiful, 

 but without doubt Clematis paniculata and C. X'irginiana 

 are the best, C. paniculata being a Japanese species 

 and C. N'irginiana a t_\pe from the U. S. A. The chief 

 character of usefulness of these two plants are their ex- 

 traordinarv flowering ability, as they become one mass of 

 flowers. C. Virginiana is the first to flower, but C. pani- 

 culata is considered to be the best, as its foliage will 

 remain green for some time in the winter. 



If the Dorothy Perkins rose and Clematis paniculata 

 are planted on the same wire panel one can obtain a 

 double crop of bloom and at the same time have an effec- 

 tive fence. 



Candler. 



Crtastnis orbiculatiis. This plant is coming more to 

 the front as a useful covering plant, but it is at home 

 when growing over some huge boulders ; it also will make 

 a good fence plant but must have sujjport. To insure a 

 good crop of fruit, which is the most effective part of 

 this plant, both male and female must be planted. The 

 plant will retain its fruit till quite late in tlie fall, long 

 after its foliage has fallen, then the red fruit with its 

 yellow capsule is very fine. 



Hydrangea petiolaris. This can be put to good use in 

 a sheltered i)osition as it is of a self-clinging habit and 

 therefore will require little attention, which is a considera- 

 tion. The flowers are small, borne in little clusters after 

 the hydrangea type: it produces a good foliage in the 

 summer time and is most useful for covering wall as high 

 as the first window sill of the house. 



Forsytbia suspcnsa. In the true sense of the word this 

 is not a climljcr. as it has no self-supporting characters 

 whatever, therefore it will require more attention than 

 the ordinary climber, but it repays for that attention sev- 

 eral fold, producing, as it does, its yellow flowers at the 

 first touch of spring. It can be used to good eftect on 

 pillars around the house or on the pergola, as flowering 

 climbers at such an early season are always appreciated. 

 This plant should be pruned after flowering as the flowers 

 are produced on the season-old wood. 



Luuicera Halliana, or "Hall's Honeysuckle," can be 

 called the most popular of the Loniceras, possibly due 

 to the lasting nature of its foliage, as when in a sheltered 

 position it remains green quite late in the winter and will 

 at times remain green all through the winter. This ])lant 

 requires wire su])])orts to climb upon as it is of a twining 

 habit. The flowers being produced in profusion are small 

 compared with such Loniceras as L. Ileckrotti. but never- 

 theless they have their charm. 



The climber that has a good future is Polygoiiii»i Bald- 

 seliiiaiiicinii. It has the good qualities needful, being 

 quite hard}-, a quick grower, very free flowerer and does 

 not require shade. The flowers are white and small. 

 Their flowering period is from I\Iay to September, during 

 which lime they make a bold show. It can be used with 

 charming efl'ect upon old tree stumps as the flowers will 

 hang in chain-like fashion in a most graceful manner. It 

 can be planted with safety as far north as Boston, but will 

 thrive better farther south. 



The "Trumpet line" should be seen in every well- 

 stocked garden, protlucing as it does those huge trumpet 

 flowers in the late summer, and from thence comes the 

 name. The plant appears to be known by many names, 

 as in the ".\rnold .Vrboretum'' it is known as "Campsis 

 radicans" : some authorities have it as Tecano radicans. 

 also as Bignonia radicans, but a rose by any other name 

 would smell as sweet and what we know it by does not 

 disprove its beauty and usefulness. Tecoma grandiflora 

 is a Chinese species, and where hardy proves to be a more 

 beautiful plant than our "Trumpet Vine"; and it is just 

 as free a flowerer. 



Wistaria Sinensis can claim to be one of the best flower- 

 ing climbers we have. /. e., where hardy: but to reap the 

 real beautv from this [)lant one must wait for a few sea- 

 sons, as its beauty adds with age. This plant is long- 

 lived and a slow grower and should be planted accord- 

 inglv. Wistaria multijuga is a far belter variety than W'. 

 Sinensis and should be always grown where possible : the 

 flowers hang in racemes from two to three feet long, 

 being most efl'eclive. Both white and lilac colors can 

 be had. 



