Twiners
These are plants whose soft and flexible young growth twines round the stems of their host – clockwise or anticlockwise – and which used to be called ‘bines’. Woodbine, the climber of the woods, is the old name for honeysuckle. Whenever a young shoot of a climber touches another stem, it immediately starts to encircle it. The dreaded bindweed is an all too familiar example, and others include the annual bindweed relative, morning glory (ipomoea). Wisteria and honeysuckle cling in the same way, as does the golden hop (Humulus lupulus ‘Aureus’), whose stems are very roughly textured and also help provide support.
■ Top twiner: Ipomoea ‘Heavenly Blue’ is a half hardy annual with the most beautiful blue trumpets you’ll ever see.
■ Growing tip: Shoots may need tying in once, at first, to make sure they head in the right direction.