Short of standing in front of the house with a plate of chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven, there is no more welcoming way to greet visitors than with a bower of flowers. Here are nine ways to use vines and climbers to create curb appeal:
Frame a Fence
Above: If you have a high fence or gate that screams Keep Out, you can lower your voice without sacrificing privacy by planting a flowering climber. A billowy, fragrant rose such as Sally Holmes ($21.95 from David Austin) is a repeat bloomer that will grow as tall as 10 feet. Plant one of each side of the gate to make your fortress look charming instead of reclusive.
Mix-and-Match on a Wall
Above: A rambler and a climber mingle in Brooklyn Heights. Photograph by Erin Boyle.
To extend bloom time, plant two different varieties of climbing roses against one wall and let them mingle. For more ideas for curb appeal with roses in Brooklyn, see Design Sleuth: 7 Sources for Brooklyn's Most Beautiful Roses.
Shelter a Stoop
Above: Photograph by Justine Hand. For more, see 10 Easy Perennnials for the Seaside Garden.
Justine inherited a New Dawn climbing rose when she bought her summer cottage on Cape Cod. It serves the same purpose as a covered porch (and is better looking); it shelters visitors and adds visual interest to the facade.
"I wanted a rose-covered cottage, and I got one," Justine says. "All I do to achieve the profusion shown here is to fertilize my New Dawn once in the spring, and water only in the worst droughts."
A New Dawn climbing rose is a hardy repeat bloomer that will reach a height of 15 feet; $21.95 from David Austin.
Above: New Dawn also made Janet's list of 7 Best Climbing Roses because it's a profuse bloomer that puts on a big show. Another pest-resistant rose that loves bad soil and almost no water is the rambler Dorothy Perkins (ramblers are distinguished from climbing roses by the fact that most aren't repeat bloomers). Dorothy Perkins, popular in the UK, reaches a height of 12 feet and has sprays of pink flowers; £18.50 from David Austin UK.
Dress Up a Facade
Above: Photograph via A Country Farmhouse.
A well-behaved flowering vine such as a clematis (Shown) will add add interest to a plain vanilla facade without overwhelming it.
Above: Photograph via A Country Farmhouse.
One of our favorite varieties, a white Clematis 'Henryi' will bloom all summer and will reach a height of up to 14 feet on a trellis or against a fence; $16.95 from Burpee.
Cloak a Railing
Above: Photograph by Nicole Franzen for Gardenista. For more of this Brooklyn garden, see The Magicians: An English Professor and a Novelist Conjure a Garden.
A vigorous vine such as wisteria will grow fast enough to blanket a railing in a single season. (Keep it in check by keeping it away from the house.) The scent is glorious, but wisteria is headstrong. Choose a compact, non-invasive variety such as Wisteria 'Amethyst Falls' which can be kept happy in a container and you should have no trouble with it; $24.95 from White Flower Farm.
Fill a Crack
Above: A bleeding heart vine pokes out between two walls—and unites them visually—in Charleston, South Carolina during A Walk in the Neighborhood in Charleston. Photograph by Olivia Rae James for Gardenista.
Named for its red, heart-shaped petals at the center of each white flower, a Bleeding Heart Vine is $12.50 from Amazon.
Perfume the Air
Above: Antebellum mansions and iron fences wear fragrant jasmine in Charleston, South Carolina during A Walk in the Neighborhood. Photograph by Olivia Rae James for Gardenista.
Hardy in the South and other warm climates, Jasminum Officianale 'Fiona Sunrise' will reach a height of 20 feet; $14.95 from Brushwood Nursery.
Create a Color Story
Above: Photograph via Domino.
In a warm climate, plant a red bougainvillea vine next to a door painted a bright, clear color to create a pleasing contrast. A Red Bougainvillea in a 1-gallon pot is $25 from Amazon.
Hide a Problem
Above: Photograph by Meagan via Flickr.
If you have an ugly utility pole blocking your view, a fast-growing vine like a White Morning Glory will mask it quickly; a packet of 10 seeds is $1.99 from Everwilde.
For more of our favorite facades with flowering vines and climbers, see:
- DIY: Train a Wisteria Not to Eat the House.
- 10 Garden Ideas to Steal from Greece.
- The 7 Best Climbing Roses for Your Garden.
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