Gina Parkinson describes how she was seduced by the leaves of a Virginia creeper.
Early last spring I bought a Virginia creeper for the garden.
Spotting it on York Market I was sure a place could be found but truth be told the leaves were the attraction and where the plant would go secondary to the desire to have it.
Pathenocissus henryana is a lovely deciduous specimen with three or five-fingered dark green toothed-edged leaves with distinct white veining.
The foliage hangs neatly from creeping stems with self-clinging tendrils and which will cover an area of three square metres after about ten years, so it is fast growing once established.
Some young stems may need to be temporarily fixed to the wall to encourage them to cling, while older heavy stems may need more permanent support.
Along with other members of the family, P.henryana has good colour with leaves turning from dark green to purple red in summer and bright orange and scarlet in autumn. Mine has stayed firmly green at present, although there is a hint of red about some of the newer leaves - perhaps a cold snap will persuade it that autumn is here and a colour change is required. It also has clusters of flowers in spring, but these are insignificant and difficult to spot with tiny green or yellow green petals.
Bluish black fruit is sometimes carried in late summer/early autumn.
While it is generally used as a climber on a bare wall or fence, P.henryana can also be used to cover small trees.
In a large space it can even be used a ground cover where the stems will quickly cover a bare area. It will grow in alkaline or acid soil, as long as it is fertile and moist enough to support the rate of growth in spring and summer, and in any aspect, although some shade in summer will produce better leaf markings.
This plant can be left to climb and ramble as it likes, but is also a good specimen to be trained into a fan shape. Tie each stem into position as soon as they are big enough and prune back as much as is necessary in early spring to keep the shape. Rambling plants can also be pruned at this time to keep them in bounds if needed and also keep a good supply of large leaves - foliage can get smaller on older plants if left untended.
Relatives of P.henryana include Parthenocissus quinquefolia which is also a deciduous woody creeper with good autumn colour. The large hand-shaped leaves are mid green on top and blue grey underneath when young but, in autumn, turn vivid orange and red. It is a very fast grower, almost twice that of P.henryana, and will cover a space of at least five metres square in ten years. To keep this in check, especially if grown on a house wall, it should be allowed to reach its desired size then cut hard back around windows and doors in spring and cleared out of gutters if it has reached there. New growth will soon fill the bare patches. In extreme circumstances it can even be cut to the ground from where it will take two or three years to come back.
The variety Engelmannii is similar, but with smaller leaves, and there is also a new variety listed in The Plant Finder called Guy's Garnet. Both these plants will have to be sought from a specialist nursery.
Weekend catch-up
Continuing on the climbing theme, annual climbers like morning glory and nasturtium are beginning to look tatty and untidy and can be pulled away from their supports and disposed of. Check for seed on the nasturtiums and collect it up to sow next year. Some is likely to have already ripened and fallen, but this won't matter as it will come up in spring and, since the seedlings are easily recognisable, they can be lifted and replanted if they have appeared in an awkward place.
Golden Hop, a perennial climber can also be cut back, although its stiff woody stems need to be cut carefully away from their support as they are stuck firmly in position at this time of year.
The plant will stay dormant until next spring when purplish buds begin to push through the soil.
Garden news
The Ancient Society Of York Florists will be holding its last show of the season on Sunday, November 7, at Askham Bryan College near York from 11am to 3.30pm, admission 50p. Like many similar societies, the Ancient Society Of York Florists relies on a committee of volunteers to organise its four annual shows which, since the move to Askham Bryan College, have become increasingly popular with exhibitors.
Committee members do not have to be experienced exhibitors or growers, but simply be willing to be part of a team determined to keep the oldest existing horticultural society in Great Britain flourishing and see that the 236 years of unbroken annual shows continue. Further details from Arthur Robinson, tel 01904 631866, or see him at the show.
Gardening TV and radio
Sunday, October 31: 6.35am, BBC Radio 4, Living World. Brett Westwood visits South Harris in the Western Isles to see the unique wild flower-filled grassland or machair that is one of the rarest habitats in Europe.
9am, BBC Radio Leeds, Weekend In The Garden, with Joe Maiden and Tim Crowther.
Noon, BBC Radio York, Down To Earth. Presented by William Jenkyns. (Repeated 5pm).
2pm, BBC Radio 4, Gardeners' Question Time. From Somerset with Bob Flowerdew, Matthew Biggs and Anne Swithinbank, who also offers advice on caring for orchids.
Friday, November 5: 7.30pm, BBC2, Hidden Gardens. Chris Beardshaw helps with restoration of the garden at Boveridge House School in Dorset.
8pm, BBC2, A Year At Kew. Alan Titchmarsh takes the viewer through October at the garden.
8.30pm, BBC2, Gardeners' World Goes Native. Chris Beardshaw looks at some of Britain's most treasured wild flowers.
Updated: 16:10 Friday, October 29, 2004
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