Climbing to New Heights: Add Impact to Your Cape Cod Landscape with Climbing Vines

Nothing can make a landscape look flat than a garden with no height in it. Unlike trees, a climbing vine can add height to an area within just one season. They’re also a space efficient method of creating impact virtually anywhere; on the side of home, around an arbor close to the street, to camouflage an unattractive area. If your home is cedar-shingled sided, be cautious in placing any climbing vine directly against an exterior wall as the vines can easily grow up into the shingle siding. Opt for a freestanding trellis set a few inches from your home and prune any vines that grow too near the shingles.

For areas with full sun:

Cape Cod Roses: These seem like a likely place to start. There’s a reason these soft pink and hot pink blooms can be seen growing on the side of the road virtually everywhere on Cape Cod – they love it here. They prefer full sun and sandy soil and will require frequent watering the first month they’re in the ground. Once established, a thorough watering twice a week will suffice. The canes that support the blooms can become quite thick over time so a sturdy trellis is needed.

Clematis: With big showy blooms that last for weeks, clematis is a great addition to the garden. With the exception of a couple of varieties which can tolerate part shade, such as ‘Nellie’ and ‘Henryii’, clematis needs full sun to maximize the blooms. You’d get decent overall growth in a part-shade location, but the number of blooms would be minimal. Purchase at a least a one-gallon size to get blooms the first season they’re in the ground. They prefer slightly alkaline soil which is kept moist. The tendrils which allow it to climb are short – less than half an inch long – so a wire trellis works well. If you’re working with a wooden trellis, plan on periodically tying up the vines with twine.

For part-shade locations:

Climbing Hydrangeas: Hydrangeas are a great addition to any Cape Cod landscape. Hydrangea bushes typically prefer sunny locations, but climbing lace-cap hydrangeas are one the few varieties that do quite well in a part-shade location. Like Cape Cod roses, climbing hydrangeas can get quite large and heavy – they can reach heights of more than 50 feet – so they require a substantial structure to climb. A metal trellis is an idea option.

Trumpet Vine: The trumpet-shaped blooms arrive later in the growing season than many other plants so they can provide a much-needed burst of color when other flowers have already gone by. Trumpet vine is a prolific multiplier, so be sure you choose a spot with ample space or plan on aggressively pulling up new sprouts. A hefty main trunk needs the support of a sturdy trellis while the lengthy vines will gracefully – and quickly – spread out. Once it’s been in the ground for a few weeks, trumpet vines require minimal care except pruning as desired.

For shaded areas:

Wisteria: While the plant itself requires a decent amount of sun, wisteria vines – which are the portion that flowers – can be easily trained allowing you to have those glorious, showy flowers thriving in a shaded area (the blooms will actually last a little longer if they’re in the shade). The vines will grow up or across nearly anything which makes wisteria a great option for adding some visual interest to a pergola.

Boston Ivy: So named because it adorns the ancient walls of many of Boston’s Ivy League schools, Boston ivy won’t provide your garden with flowers, but it will give you a thick covering of glossy green leaves which turn a brilliant red in the fall months. When siting Boston ivy, take the time to get it right. Once it’s established, Boston ivy is difficult to move making home maintenance problematic. A lightweight trellis set away from your home’s foundation would work and an ivy-covered fence or arbor is always a great look.

Happy planting!