Garden Centre

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Ornamental vines

I keep moving my ornamental vine – it doesn’t seem to mind, in fact it’s thriving in its latest spot, but the thing is, much as I love it, it just keeps taking over, so I went back and examined the horticultural information that I got when I bought it. The plant is called vitis vinifera and has beautiful foliage with – last year at least – an awesome number of small black and very bitter grapes.

The info says: A quick growing, spreading deciduous climber which will reach about 7-10 metre. New growth is green and slightly downy which matures to deep green in summer and gives beautiful autumn colour from orange, red through to purple. True grape-leaf shape to foliage. Ornamental fruit attracts birds.

Which is all true, apart from the birds, which never went near the grapes and having tried one, I can tell why!

Then it adds: Screening plant over a fence Climber over a pergola or arch providing shade in summer and sun in winter Works well as a backdrop. Likes: Full sun and well-drained soil Occasional pruning if required in winter to remove twiggy growth.

Not quite … it does grow 10 metres but mine does it in a year! Occasional pruning would leave me living in a house like Sleeping Beauty’s castle – I have to cut it back at least four times each summer and once in winter and that’s why I’m constantly trying to find a place it won’t like quite so much, just to try and slow its beautiful, but rather insane, growth.

Labels: grapevine, ornamental vine

The All Seasons Gardener at 9:17 AM

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