Vines

I cannot imagine a garden without vines, in our garden, nearly every tree has a vine, some have more than one, we scramble them through shrubs and even build the occasional trellis, although I much prefer the natural look. They are also great as ground covers. If a tree they are growing on falls just peel off the vine, it will hide the stump and make a great ground cover. Most vines want shade or at least to have their roots in the shade, although they may not flower until they climb up into the sunlight of the upper canopy. Some are programmed not to flower until they are no longer touching anything. If you think about it, evolving the ability to climb sort of implies something to climb on. Sun loving vines tend to have fewer climbing adaptations. Vines are also a royal pain in the grass from a nurseryman’s perspective they grow into one another and into nearby plants, and whenever someone wants to buy one it takes forever to disentangle it.