Flowering Vines

Silver Lace Vine in September

Is it possible that I grew this plant??? Amazing, right?

As you can see, it's a Silver Lace Vine growing above my seating area. It's about three years old and, just like a perennial, the growth leaped the third year. In fact, I'm going to have to watch (and maybe prune)  the woody vines to be sure they don't grow so large that they pull down the overhead support! But what a wonderful vine it has become.

My experience with this Silver Lace Vine encouraged me to try more flowering vines this summer.

Of course, almost all gardeners have grown Morning Glory at some time since it's so easy to grow and covers all manner of ugly fences, garage walls and compost bins. But what else is out there and able to reach the flowering stage in our limited Central Oregon growing season?

Have you ever grown green beans?  I've always been impressed with the luscious vine that a single dried green bean seed can sprout and the pretty white flowers that precede the bean pods. But this year I've finally planted some Scarlet Runner Beans in a container on my deck - the large-leafed vines are inter-twining everywhere they can: along the railing, up the tomato support in the next pot, even around the deck chair back braces. The red-orange flowers have gotten the attention of a few hummingbirds as a bonus.

Last summer on a whim, I tried growing a perennial Sweet Pea.  I've always grown annual Sweet Peas and doubted that the perennial variety would be as pretty but I was just delighted with the huge clusters of blooms that grew all over my archway trellis.  They don't seem to have the lovely fragrance of the annual Sweet Peas but make up for it with enthusiastic growth - I have had to tie them back a few times this summer just so I can walk under the arch. They seem to represent the abundance of summer.

My new vine this summer is called Cypress Vine.

photo: Renee's Garden Seeds

In some more temperate climates I understand it may be invasive but I'm growing it in a pot and letting it wind up a few bamboo stakes. I'm hoping the visiting hummingbirds will appreciate the red trumpet flowers.

And my old favorite, Thunbergia, the Black-eyed Susan Vine, is summering outside again.  It wintered over beautifully in a cool, south-facing room and even produced a few flowers when the sun warmed the room enough in early Spring. The bright-faced yellow flowers were such a joy to see in March and April and they're now lighting up a corner of the deck. They're a happy sight at our summer dinners.

Thunbergia: Black-eyed Susan Vine

 

Have you been growing any flowering vines this summer? Do you have any suggestions for a vine I can try next year? Where do your vines grow - on a trellis? an arbor? a fence? I look forward to reading about your experiences in the Comments.