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There are mainly two types of climbers a garden-lover can choose from—the annual and perennial types. While the annual ones can be selected for quick results, the perennials give a gardener pleasure for many years. Ideally, different varieties of climbers should be chosen so that there would always be one in glorious prime. However, colours of the climbers should be kept in mind while selecting the site so that they do not clash with each other. This is a good time to plan and prepare for the perennial climbers. Holes two feet deep and two feet in diameter can be dug in June and the soil exposed to hot sun. After the gap of a week or two, these can be filled up with a soil mixture consisting of two parts garden soil, `BD part sharp sand and 1`BD part of well-rotted farmyard manure, allowing a couple of days for the soil to settle down. If the level of ground goes down, add some more soil mixture. Most of the climbers will do well if planted seven feet apart, starting with the first one only 3`BD feet from the corner. When climbers are not of self-clinging type and need to be fastened to the wall with the help of wires, special care should be taken to make a network carefully driving the nails in the walls. A few climbers, which give very good results in gardens in plains of north India are: allamanda, antigonon, beaumontia-bignonia venusta, bougainvillea, clerodendron splendens, gloriosa superba, passiflora, rambler roses, tecoma, thunbergia, trachelossperrum jasminorides and vitis. Most of these are planted either in March or during monsoons—the latter being a better season as the new plants may not survive the heat of summer if not well established before the advent of a very hot season. Allamandat: is a beautiful climbing evergreen from South America that has been widely cultivated in many parts of India. A fairly large climber, with upright growth pattern, it can attain considerable height. Cathartica: the deep rich green glossy foliage forms an attractive contrast with waxy yellow trumpet-shaped flowers that can be produced for a prolonged period under suitable conditions. The flowers grow from short- stemmed side-shoots in profusion during summers to monsoon. The interestingly twisted buds, which are lime green and bronze coloured, turn golden yellow on maturity. The versatile plant can be grown as a climber trained over rafters, trailer or hedge (trained over an iron screen) as well as a specimen plant in a tub trained to cascade over a frame or obesik adding colour to a terrace-garden. Allamanda violaceae: is purple or brownish purple. For prolific flowering,
prune the previous years’ growth drastically and propagate by
three-inch cuttings from young shoots in spring. The Allamandas do not
like temperatures dipping down below 13`B0C and may need shelter of
grass tents to protect them frost.
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