Beware! - Climbing Plants Could Lower The Value of your Property
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By Jonathan Yaakobi
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Some of the most spectacular garden sights are those of the wall of a house or public building draped in the green of some climbing plant. It's worth pointing out though, that some of the worst decisions in the gardening world, and some of the more expensive too, concern the ill-advised use of a climbing vine like plant. Unsuitable climbers growing in the wrong place can make a small garden effectively unmanageable, cause the decline and eventual death of a great tree, cause roofs to leak, and even be responsible for properties to drop in value. So let's try and make some sense of this, because the right climber in the right place, can transform your garden from being ordinary and run of the mill, into being special. The sort of garden which apart from anything else may add value to your property!
Climbing plants can be grouped into two broad categories. Those that cling by themselves to flat surfaces, or wrap themselves round other things, and those that require support. The advantages of the former are obvious and often tempt the unaware to plant them by a wall of the house. They tend to grow quickly and are to all intents and purposes, maintenance free. The bad news is that they tend to be very aggressive, grow rampantly and cause a great deal of damage. So think three times before planting innocent-looking species, like Ivy (Hedera), Boston Ivy (Parthenossisus), or Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila).
They can however be very attractive. Boston Ivy being deciduous, often has spectacular fall colour, at least in cold-winter climates. The juvenile leaves of Creeping Fig are fascinating in their delicacy. Another beauty is the Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans), with its spectacular show of orange/red flowers. This plant can be monstrously aggressive and like other self climbers are best planted on free-standing or retaining walls, but best avoided as I've indicated, next to buildings, if you want to avoid trouble!
Another big mistake is to allow Ivy to work its way up a tree. From every point of view, a mature tree is the most valuable, the most irreplaceable element in any garden. Ivy will smother the tree's leaves, thereby reducing its energy potential and eventually the ivy's sheer weight can cause tree branches to collapse.
Climbers that require supporting need of course a lot more maintenance, but you can be in control of them, instead of them running wild, out of control. Furthermore the effort can be really worthwhile. Think of a purple Bougainvillea, or a delicate Jasmine. How about the Boudeaux flowers of a climbing Rose like the "Don Juan" variety, on a whitewashed Mediterranean wall? Absolutely fantastic. And don't forget the classic Pyracantha trained on a trellis that's been fixed to a wall. Does this mean a bit of work? I'm afraid so. There are also some fairly easy to maintain climbers like the fragrant Quisqualis indica, the once ubiquitous Honeysuckle (Lonicera), and the delightful, If slow-growing Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides).
Finally I think it's worth avoiding the type of vine that may not be dangerous, but just ends up being a tangle and a mess. Some are planted because of their spectacular flowers like Thunbergia grandiflora, others such as the famous Wisteria sinensis, can be unforgettable in the most skilled of skilled horticultural hands, but more usually, especially in small gardens, are pretty unmanageable.
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Author Bio Box: Jonathan Yaakobi
 My name is Jonathan Ya'akobi.
I've been gardening in a professional capacity since 1984.
I am the former head gardener of the Jerusalem Botanical Garden, but now concentrate on building gardens for private home owners.
I also teach horticulture to students on training courses.
I'd love to help you get the very best from your garden,
so you're welcome to visit me on http://www.dryclimategardening.com
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