Homeowner has many flowering choices for trellis
Q: I have a tall trellis in the back yard that I’ve never used. This year I’m determined to grow some sort of flowering vine on it. Where I have it envisioned the spot will get quite a bit of sun. Would you offer a couple of plants that’ll take sun and offer plenty of flowers? — G.U., Albuquerque A: My first thought is old fashioned morning glory. This easy and quick-growing annual should cover a tall trellis easily this year and offer gobs of blooms! Two things I admire about the morning glory are the varied color choices available and that you’re able to gather seed to store and plant next year! You invest in the seed once and then, as long as you harvest the seed in the fall, essentially they become free.
Most recognize the morning glory as wearing blue blooms but like I say you can find types that offer brilliant white flowers, some that are deep purple and several in the pink to rosy-pink colors. Now-a-days growers have hybrid plants that’ll offer striped blooms, too. Lots of choices in the morning glory world!
Now since the morning glory typically blooms in the early hours of the day, consider planting a cousin of theirs called moonflower. Again they are a quick, easy grower but they flower at dusk and the blooms typically last longer. The moonflower bloom is such a brilliant bright white they can be noticed and admired well into the night time hours!
A secret about planting either the moonflower or morning glory is to soak the seed for a couple of hours before you sow the seed. The seed coat is tough so give the seeds a leg up by softening them a smidgen before they are planted.
Now for something you’d might not thought of … how about pole beans or peas? The sweet little flower is so cute! Added benefit you get “fruit” to harvest as the season progresses. As long as you harvest the bean pods the plants can continue to bloom for you all summer.
A really fun and different variety of bean — Scarlet Runner Bean — offers a brilliant scarlet-red colored sweet pea shaped bloom that is a show stopper! The leaves are pretty green and have a near heart shape to them. Again, as long as you harvest the bean pods it’ll continue to flower all growing season long.
Another nifty thing about the Scarlet Runner is the bean itself. Imagine a “normal” pinto bean you know sort of grayish with brown pinto spots? Well the scarlet runner is the prettiest shade of lavender with dark purple spots. Such a pretty seed/bean!
One more annual that might not get as big as you’re looking for but makes quite a show is Black-eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia alata). The few I’ve grown did best in a protected semi-shade environment but just might be the ticket for you. The bloom is remarkable. Brilliant bright orange shallow trumpet-shaped flowers that have a dark black throat, or eye, that is very showy! You’ll want to guide the vine to keep them on the trellis but that’s not hard to do.
In the perennial world there are a couple of jasmines that would work and you could consider honeysuckle, trumpet vine and of course climbing roses. Most honeysuckle and trumpet vine would need to be pruned back yearly as they can easily grow outta’ control and try to take over the world!
Know too that there are a myriad of plants available that list themselves as perennial, and in some climates are, but that won’t always be the case in our climate. So do the proper homework for whatever you decide on to plant so you will be most successful!
Another thing … remember to get the trellis mounted securely in the ground. If it’s wobbly whatever you choose to grow on it could come crashing down by the weight of the plant life. Be sure of the trellis’ stability. Happy Diggin’ In!