"Summer vines"

There are some pretty summer-flowering climbers adding colour to our gardens at the moment.
Sunday, 16 January 2011     

Passiflora Amethyst

For some years in early January - probably because I was liberated from looking after children for a few days - I made a concerted effort to visit nurseries and gardens to see what flowers were in bloom in midsummer. I was at the point of moving from a spring-oriented garden to one that had a longer season of bloom: from summer through to autumn. Through my research, I was gradually able to introduce a number of summer-blooming specimens into my garden - see my new website feature on the homepage that lists 'What's out' in January, which I hope to continue through the year.

One of the delights of the summer garden is the number of interesting climbing plants that are in bloom. As my garden has become more semitropical in nature, the vines I grow are generally from such warm places in the world as South America, South Africa and Mexico. They often have a flamboyant form, heady perfume or brilliant colouration of their petals. They offer options for decoratively clothing a pergola, a pillar, a fence or a wall, or failing that, simply being allowed to ramble through other plants, as some of my lighter-weight ones do.

The Australian native Pandorea jasminoides(ht 4.5 m) is an excellent twining climber for a pergola or trellis, and blooms over a long period, from late spring until autumn. It belongs to the Bignoniaceae family of plants, which contains a couple of desirable vines for our Sydney climate, including Clytostoma callistegioides, as well as a few monsters that ideally should probably never be deliberately planted, such as Tecomaria capensis, Podranea ricasoliana and Campsis species, as they can truly go berserk! My Pandorea has never become too rampageous. Its glossy green leaves and bold trumpet flowers are right at home hovering above my borders of Salvia, Dahlia and Canna. It is sometimes known colloquially as the bower vine. The basic species has pale pink flowers with a deep purplish throat; I also grow the white cultivar 'Lady Di'.

A slightly similar-looking climber - Mandevilla sanderi (syn. Dipladenia sanderi) - which comes from South America and is sometimes known as Brazilian jasmine, actually belongs to a different plant family (Apocynaceae). It has pretty, funnel-shaped flowers in colours of pink, white or red from late spring till autumn. I have never grown this plant but I have admired it in several gardens - it seems to do best growing in a large pot, kept well watered in summer. It is said to grow to 4.5 m in height but I have never seen one of that dimension: in our climate, where they are at the lower end of their comfort zone, they are quite compact and can even be grown as a sort of pendulous shrub.

Another warmth-loving creeper is Lophospermum erubescens (ht 3 m), sometimes known as the climbing gloxinia, which hails from Mexico. Its pink flowers are rather like foxgloves, held amidst downy, heart-shaped leaves. It may become deciduous in suburbs with cold winters. It is related to Maurandya barclayana, which has dainty pink, purple or white tubular blooms. I have just planted a Maurandya in a garden bed with the aim of allowing it to ramble through other plants.

I have used this same approach with another lightweight twiner, the Brazilian firecracker (Manettia luteorubra, ht 2-4 m). It has small but electrifyingly coloured tubular flowers, which are brilliant red with yellow tips. It winds through my hot-coloured border, creating vivid highlights amongst the other flowers.

In the same border, the glory lily (Gloriosa superba, ht 1.5-2.5 m) from tropical Africa and India rambles in a similar way, and has just started opening its amazingly exotic blooms, which resemble some sort of unearthly insect. Gloriosa grows from a tuber (which is toxic if ingested and can cause skin irritations) and clambers by using tendrils at the end of its leaves. It dies down during the cooler months.

Other warm-climate vines in bloom at the moment include the beautiful ornamental passionflower Passiflora 'Amethyst' (pictured at the start of this blog), with its stunning blue and purple flowers; the waxy, pristine white, fragrant trumpets of Stephanotis floribunda (ht 3 m); and the sculptural posies of Hoya carnosa, suitable for twining along shaded fences. There are also huge clouds of Bougainvillea - but they need plenty of space!


 Reader Comments

1/7  Dorothy - 4060 (Zone:11A - Sub-tropical) Monday, 17 January 2011

Hello Deirdre, Your vines look absolutely amazing. I never realised there were so many. They would be growing well in the garden up here right now if I had any. Kind regards, Dorothy

I hope you are not affected by the terrible floods, Dorothy? Deirdre


2/7  Carole - 2230 (Zone:10 - Warm Temperate) Wednesday, 19 January 2011

Hi Deidre, more lovely ideas, thank you. I used to have a mandevilla laxa in Tasmania but havent succeeded in finding one here. The perfume is wonderful. Best wishes for 2011. Carole

Thanks, Carole. I have seen Mandevilla laxa growing in Sydney and it is pretty, though I believe it can be rather vigorous here. Deirdre


3/7  Jill - 3941 (Zone:10 - Mediteranean) Thursday, 20 January 2011

The new 'What's out in January' is such a good source of information. Thank you. Jill

Thanks, Jill. It is Sydney-based but hopefully should still be relevant for other areas. Deirdre


4/7  Zeta beilby - 3250 (Zone:10 - Mediteranean) Monday, 07 February 2011

I agree that Mandevilla laxa is rather vigorous, but the perfume more than makes up for having to restrain it a bit. When my garden has been open in summer, it and Cotinus Notcutts Variety have been the most commented on plants in the garden.Zeta


5/7  Margaret - 2067 (Zone:10 - Warm Temperate) Monday, 21 February 2011

Hi Deirdre, I love your blog. The summer vines are lovely. Do you have any idea where I could obtain Antignon or Coral Vine? I have seen it in a couple of gardens this year and had forgotten how pretty it is. Margaret

Thanks, Margaret. Yes the coral vine is very pretty. It's hard to find these plants these days. You could perhaps contact the Friends of the Botanic Gardens nursery (9231 8182) to see if they might have it. Events like the Cottage Garden Club (which meets at St Alban's Church Hall, Epping - next meeting 26 February 2011) or the Rare Plant Fair at Bilpin 16 & 17 April) may have someone selling it. Sorry I can't be of more help. Deirdre


6/7  Bren - 2540 (Zone:10 - Warm Temperate) Monday, 14 January 2019

Juanulloa mexicana (Gold finger vine), is a very attractive climber that seems to be non invasive, which I bought at the Plant Collectors fair in Richmond. There is one vendor that always has it on sale and I"ve never spied it elsewhere. Bright orange flowers with tidy foliage, and it flowers all summer; very tropical looking!


7/7  Robyn - 3226 (Zone:10 - Mediteranean) Monday, 21 January 2019

Hello Deidre, My Pandorea Lady di has not flowered since it"s 1 season although it has grown ok. Any suggestions would be appreciated.


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