Honeysuckles are known to be aggressive... that is you need to cut them back often. I don't believe this is an invasive plant but it does require some maintenance to check on growth. It also needs help to climb so a string trellis would help. If the tire needs full coverage, I suggest planting 2-4 vines to help cover it from all angles - perhaps consider a mix of different vines to give it interest.

As for zones -- well can't say for certain. Some loniceras are great up to zone 2 (like dropsmore)or zone 4 (Mandarin), and some that I've seen up here in Ontario are good for zone 5. I'm sure you can find that information by googling it. or give it a try.

Ianna

Thanks Ianna, I have googled the honeysuckles but wasn't finding out to much information on the hardiness of the Coral Vine Honeysuckle for zone 5b.

I'm really wanting to try to plant something on this tire that will be attractive to hummingbirds. It needs to be an all purpose vine: feed hummingbirds, cover the tire, give us something to look at with hopefully an all season interest. That's a big order to fill for any plant in my zone. Since there is going to be plenty of other vines and flowers to feed the hummers in the area I can consider dropping that criteria from the list of what it needs to do.

Maybe this summer I should plant some fast growing annual vines, just to see if covering it up is going to give us the look we are after.

This whole area is under development into a bird/butterfly garden and it's around 75 x 100 feet.

Thank you again for your reply.
Cindi

I though it might help if I posted a picture of this tire, maybe spark some inspiration.

{{gwi:524905}}

cindra,

You have to admit. That's one funny piece of art...it's very exposed and I have a feeling in this case, the microclimate might even be lower to a zone 4. Let's get creative shall we... You can plant vines like the dropsmore honeysuckle vine (up to zone 2) or the mandarine kind (up to ZOne 4). Check out the Sheridan Nurseries online garden guide so you can see what these look like. May not be the same as your coral vine but I think it's close enough. Also how about explorer roses and perhaps a clematis. The new dawn is also a hardy plant. My point is - why settle for one kind of vine. I do this all the time. This way, you have continuous blooms month after month. I also like to plant annuals climbers alongside perennial vines, like moonflowers... etc.......

You can plant evergreens(cedars, hollies) besides the tire, forming a natural archway... Bend the tips over and above the tire..in time it will look natural. I think you made an nice entrance, despite it may be suited to people of shorter stature (kids).... You have plenty of opportunity here to design a 'magical garden'... straight from a hobbit's home.... or perhaps you will have created a circular window looking out into a scene... In Asian mythologies, circles are considered good luck.

You could also cover exposed areas of the tire with sphagnum moss, chicken wires and plant hens and chicks - which are great in open zones such as yours.

I accidently found out the history of this tire when I mentioned to my neighbors how much we wish it wasn't there and told her that we are trying to figure out what to do with it. She quietly mentioned that they used to own this property and her DH cemented it there years ago for their children to play on. Sometimes, my mouth gets me in trouble. :(

I don't think she took offense though however, I also suspect they are the ones who planted the spruce tree at the front of our house...6 inches away. 20 years later and 30 feet taller it has to bid farewell very soon!

I agree with you that planting different vines may just be the way to go since we cannot dig it up. If I knew how to cut it in half I was thinking of making a bench out of it. I'm not sure there is a saw blade in the world that will go through it very easy, it's pretty thick!

As much as I hate this tire-you have inspired me and gave me hope about the situation. Thank you!

Cindi

Hi Cindi,

I have Lonicera sempervirens and can send you a cutting when the weather is better.

ahhhh Thank You Joe, that is so sweet of you! I think I owe you postage from seeds you sent. Let me know how much and I will send it to ya!

Cindi

I suspected this was something to do with kids. Good luck on this project and do post a follow up picture because I'm curious to see the results.

As for the blue spruce -- I quite agree. It needs to come down. This has happened far too often. I've seen one tree over a hundred ft tall dwarfing the house 'underneath it'..... People don't realize what these giants can do to a basement, to pipes or what a fallen limb can to to roofs...

Hi Cindi,

I'm in zone 5b and have 2 honeysuckle vines which seem to come through the winter fine, although my site looks to be somewhat more sheltered than yours...

Maybe a neighbour has a chain saw you could borrow to cut upper part of it off ? That way it might not be so conspicuous:-). You would still need a trellis of some sort though..

good luck with it!

Debs