Sunday, April 22, 2001		Garden Life

EXCEPT from having weak stems, climbers are strong in all other areas. They grow fast, need minimum maintenance, highlight. Architectural plus-points and hide unwanted patches. Their flowers, too, are beautiful.

Climbers can be grown anywhere. They have modified stems, leaves, roots and other modified structures that help them climb and reach even inaccessible places. Climbers like ivy, ficus repens etc provide the much-needed green relief. Climbers are an excellent substitute for hedges. Besides needing minimum maintenance, they provide a spray of bright flowers.

For growing climbers, first of all see whether the place where they are to be grown is sunny, semi-shady or shady. Climbers grown in semi-shady or shady places are valued for their foliage. Asparagus plumosus that has spine-like shinning and attractive foliage is one example. Other climbers, that suit such locations are monstera, money plant, various kinds of ivy, clerodendron etc. The latter also bears showy clusters of crimson flowers. Monstera, money plant or ivy can also be grown around the trunk of trees. Such climbers use aerial roots which emerge from their nodes as aids to climb up. Such climbers should, however, be kept under control.

The golden shower as a fast-growing climber needs special mention. This is best suited for camouflaging any structure or for achieving a screening effect. As a substitute for a hedge, it has no match. However, it is suitable for only sunny locations where it can flower profusely. At its peak time of blooming, that is February-March, the red orange flowers entirely cover the foliage.

It is, however, essential to not let climbers go astray. Given a proper direction to grow they follow it obediently. The climbers should be given training and direction right from the day of planting. Usually, they grow properly for a few years and then their tendrils extend to reach overhead wires from which point there is no stopping them. This not only hampers power supply and disrupts telephone services but is also dangerous. Similarly, sometimes vines, e.g. vines cucurbits like ghia etc.,cover trees like mango litchi or even grape vines. This deprives the trees of sunlight which is essential for photosynthesis and result in a poor crop.