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In my last article I had discussed the versatility of climbers in a garden and profiled a couple of popular ones. Here are a few more attractive climbers to choose from: Beaumontia grandiflora: is a twining climber of 15 feet or more with large white trumpet-shaped flowers in Spring. A native of India it can be trained along walls, over trees or better still over an iron umbrella-like frame work training it like a standard. Bignonia venusta: is popularly known as Golden Shower. During February-April, clusters of its tubular brilliant orange flowers adorn the walls of the Rashtrapati Bhavan Mughal Gardens. The leaves are bright, dark-green shiny above and rather hairy beneath. Trained over an old tree stump, along a fence or wall—it remains effective throughout the year being an evergreen. It needs full sun. Clerodendron Splendens: is a colourful climber of great beauty and versatility as it is one of the few flowering climbers which do well equally in sun or shade. Massed heads of scarlet flowers develop in November- December and adorn the plant for several successive weeks till early April. And evergreen with deep green shiny leaves, it is ideal for shady porches, patios and walls facing northern aspect where nothing else may grow well. Large clusters of flowers bloom profusely, covering the entire plant, which has an impressive size and shape. Being a fast growing plant, it would cover the area in two seasons only. Grown in tubs, it can even cover a trellis on a terrace-garden giving you privacy from the neighbours while offering an attractive display of flowers in winters with a leafy screen throughout the year. Propagation is done out of root cuttings which are planted in spring and rainy season. Passiflora or passion flower: belongs to a large genus of tropical and subtropical climbers with tendrils. A native of Brazil, the semi-evergreen climber has intriguingly shaped fragrant flowers almost 3-4 inches across. Passiflora coerulea in shades of blue and O. racemosa with vivid scarlet flowers are the two varieties popular in our gardens. They like a well-drained humus-rich soil in a sunny location and are propagated by cuttings of firm young shoots in July-August or even from seed. Water liberally, even syringing often, during active growth and keep fairly dry in winters. For fruits mostly pollination by hand is required. Trachelospermum jasminoides: an evergreen climbing twining shrub, which has leathery deep green leaves and fragrant white flowers, which remind one of jasmine, is a native of China. It grows up to 20 feet high and is excellent for growing over pergolas and patios as also inside a tall well as it not only provides an evergreen cover but also has clusters of highly fragrant flowers. It likes a well-drained humus-rich soil and is propagated by cuttings of firm shoots. Thunbergia:
another beautiful luxuriant evergreen tropical twining climber that
can be trained up pillars of the house, walls or pergolas is
Thunbergia which has pendent tubular flowers borne on branches
opposite every couple of inches. Thunbergia coccinea (white and
scented) and grandiflora (blue) are the varieties that are cultivated
more. Even though a perennial, these give better results if cut back
severely during dormancy or used as annuals. T. alata is a beautiful
variety with yellow flower having deep purple throat. It is propagated
by division.
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