Climbing Plants That Hide Quickly

When you’ve got a great view, you might as well show it off, even frame it, with a sophisticated and seductive design. But what do you do when the view is less than beautiful? When you see a neighbor’s dilapidated shed, an endless fence, a featureless wall? You can, of course, plant young shrubs and conifers that will hide it… one day, but they grow so slowly. Isn’t there a quicker solution? Yes: plant annual climbers.

These miracle plants can reach heights of 2, 3 or even 9 m (6 to 30 feet) in a single growing season: enough to hide almost anything!

Support for Climbers

However, they need a support to reach these astronomical heights. As they are, with a few exceptions, voluble plants, i.e. plants that climb by twisting themselves, you need a relatively thin support around which they can twist. They’ll climb on their own on a wire fence or trellis, but on a wall or fence with wide slats, you’ll need to attach rope or fine gardening netting. If there’s nothing for them to climb on, use a trick learned from the Hurons: they used to insert three poles into the ground and fasten them together at the top to form a teepee for squash and beans. Simply replace the vegetables with ornamental climbers.

Which Varieties to Choose?

Morning Glory (Ipomoea spp.)

With its heart-shaped leaves and trumpets of different colors – blue, red, purple, pink, white, bicolored, etc. – it’s the most popular annual climber. – it’s the most popular annual climber. Its flowers open in the morning and close around midday.

Certain varieties self-seed, which can be a good thing in some, but some area considered invasive in specific geographic zones. It’s always best to verify if a plant is considered invasive in your state or province, or neibouting zones, before putting it in your garden.

Runner Bean (Phaseolus coccineus)

A very vigorous plant (it’s the bean from the story Jack and the Beanstalk), it produces scarlet flowers (more rarely pink, white or bicolored) in the shape of a bean flower. Hummingbirds love it! The long green beans it produces are edible.

Hyacinth Bean (Dolichos lablab ou Lablab purpureus)

Encore un haricot, mais cette fois aux fleurs roses et aux tiges, nouvelles feuilles et haricots pourpres. Et, oui, on peut manger ses cosses.

Capucine grimpante (Tropaeolum majus)

We forget that nasturtium was originally a climber before being modified by humans to become a dwarf annual. However, seeds of the climbing varieties are readily available. Colors are generally shades of orange, yellow or cream, sometimes with a hint of red. Flowers and seeds are edible, with a pungent taste.

Easy to Grow

These climbing plants are fast-growing: there’s no need to leave them in the house! Buy a bag of seeds and soak them in warm water for 24 hours before sowing (this soaking helps stimulate more even germination). Now, in a sunny spot, sow 3 seeds per hole, spacing the holes 30 cm (12″) apart. The depth of the hole should equal 3 times the diameter of the seed. Water and… get out before you’re caught!

---

Larry Hodgson published thousands of articles and 65 books over the course of his career, in both French and English. His son, Mathieu, has made it his mission to make his father’s writings accessible to the public. This article on climbing plants was originally published in Le Soleil on June 3, 2006.