HOUSE AND GARDEN 
ULY, I9IO 
Forsythia, which has slender, pendulous 
branches, is practically as much of a 
climber as either of these, though it is 
all too seldom used as such; this is suited 
to a similar location against a wall. And 
there are numerous hardy plants listed 
as prostrate shrubs which send out long 
runners quite the equal of many reputed 
climbers. 
Of course, only the class of climbers 
which actually hold fast to a surface by- 
disks or rootlets, are entirely independ¬ 
ent of a trellis or support of some sort; 
but on the other hand, this very quality 
of close surface clinging makes its pos¬ 
sessors unsuitable for use in many 
places. The grip of the tiny disks or 
rootlets carries the plant over and 
around an object until it is practically 
lost to view—and that is going a little 
too far. A shapely white column, for 
instance, is lovely when ornamented by 
a green tracery that shows against it— 
but clumsy when obscured by a thick, 
verdant blanket that destroys its outline. 
For, after all, though Nature is to be 
placated as far as possible, we cannot allow her to obliterate 
our abodes. 
Generally speaking, all porch vines should be provided with 
a trellis to climb on—and right here let me say that the orna¬ 
mental possibilities of various forms of trellis are rarely taken 
advantage of as I should like to see them, 
and as they very easily might be. There 
is a permanent beauty in a well designed 
and well constructed permanent support, 
that frankly takes its place and makes no 
attempt to hide when the plant which it 
supports does not conceal it, that deserves 
more consideration than it usually re¬ 
ceives. Strings and chicken wire are not 
to be despised in their place, but the dig¬ 
nity of heavy-growing and profuse-bloom¬ 
ing hardy climbers requires something 
worthier than these to support it—and 
this something should always be built. 
The architecture of a building will usually 
suggest the form and the design to be 
adopted, and some architects, indeed, in¬ 
clude such suggestions in their elevation 
drawings for a house. 
Vines over a porch, however, whether 
suported on a trellis or climbing directlv 
on the uprights which sustain the roof, 
should always follow the lines of construc¬ 
tion and should never cross the open 
spaces between columns or uprights, nor 
should they be allowed to fill these by 
hanging over them from above. 
Primarily a vine is a drapery and should be treated as such. 
Where it is wanted for shade it should be trained over an 
awning-like framework or extension to a porch roof, rather than 
in a dense, vertical wall that closes the porch in from light and 
For the drapery of columns select one of the 
lighter, more graceful vines that does not 
obscure its support 
The right and the wrong way to plant vines around a porch. In their rightful place vines should embellish and not conceal architecture, nor 
should they be so dense upon any part of the porch as to cut off the air 
