Container Gardens - Vines

Using vines in containers can help you achieve either the height (thriller) or the draping (spiller) components of a container garden.  They can also be used as a lovely specimen plant.  Used for height, they will require a triangular or trellis type support.

Eureka Springs, Arkansas (Wiese Acres photo)

You can use as fancy or as simple a support as you like.  Purchased obelisks can be found in sizes for just about every container.  Simple supports made from three twigs or bamboo stakes and tied together at the top are very simple and inexpensive to make.  You can also form shapes, like topiaries or hearts, and train the vines around them.  Most annual vines support themselves either by twining themselves around the support, like morning glories, or by sending out tendrils that wrap themselves around the structure to hold the main vine in place, like sweet peas.  They do much better on a support that has a bit of roughness to the surface to allow for better gripping by the vine or tendrils.

Regardless of the type of support you choose, it should be inserted in the container before you plant the vine.  This will protect the roots from damage that is likely to occur if you try to insert it after the vine begins to grow.  It also has the support ready for the vine to begin to climb as soon as it reaches climbing height.  Make sure the support is firmly anchored and of sufficient size for the type of vine you intend to grow in the container. 

Thunbergia

Annual vines which perform well in containers for me include morning glories; moonflower vine; thunbergia, also known as black-eyed susan vine; cypress vine; hyacinth bean vine; cardinal climber, and sweet peas.

I like to combine morning glory and moonflower on the same support structure.  That way I have the beautiful morning glories in full bloom early in the day, while the moonflowers bloom in all their glory in the evening.  Placing a container of sweet peas near walkways or the front door brings an inviting fragrance to you and your guests.  The light, airy foliage of the cypress vine leaves a nice, soft impression.  Last year, I planted thunbergia in the center of my raised bed with the swiss chard, lettuce, and radishes.  By the time the lettuce and radishes were done for the season, the thunbergia and brightly colored swiss chard became a nice, ornamental garden.

Regardless of the type of vine you choose, or how you decide to use it, vines are a beautiful addition to your container garden.