Vines for a five foot obelisk?

13 years ago

I'm trying to find a vine that will grow on my five foot tall obelisk. I was thinking of honeysuckle or clematis, but I don't know if they'd get too big. I've been growing annuals, but I'd like to try something that will bloom earlier in the summer.

According to the Lowe's website, this is 65", but by the time you put it into the ground, it's probably a little under five feet tall. I have two in the kitchen garden...and a close up, from the Lowe's site.

Thanks for any ideas! I really want something that will bloom most of the summer, but not overwhelm the obelisks :)

Featured Answer

ginny12

13 years ago

Your obelisk is really nice and will be very attractive in your garden. But five feet is very short for planting vines. Most get a lot taller. If you try to keep a plant short by pinching, it will completely hide the obelisk.

I have a couple of obelisk-type features. I use them in large containers on the ground (not hanging baskets). I plant mounding and trailing annuals in the container and then stick the obelisk in as a vertical element. They are really eye-catching that way.

I'm sure others with have other ideas too.

Comments (13)

lavender_lass
Original Author
13 years ago
Ginny- I'm having the same problem...everything I see online is too big for my little obelisk.

I have grown climbing peas on it before, which looked nice. They're about four feet tall with lavender flowers. Maybe I'll do that again and plant something else with them :)

On the larger arches (I have two more now) I'm thinking clematis might be pretty. They're not too heavy and no yellow jackets (my mom's allergic).
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Lilyfinch z9a Murrieta Ca
13 years ago
What a great obelisk! Did they just come out with those at lowes? I got a deal at my favorite nursery on 3 mismatched ones so I have the same dilemma. I noticed on brushwood nurseries web site they have a lot of Clematis that get around 6 ft tall to8. And personally I never expect things to do that well so that was my plan ! Plus they can be trimmed to fit or woven thru. Also black eyed Susan vine seems to not mind being cut back so that might work. I planted one on my chain link last year ad it didn't seem too vigorous.
Have u thought about spraying it a different color? I sprayed a trellis a beautiful champagne gold color and love how it looks with my pastel plants.
hosenemesis
13 years ago
Clematis or a small mini climbing rose?
Renee
pippi21
13 years ago
What about Convulvulus ensign seeds? Maybe Pitimpianai can advise you as I think she showed these in her beautiful garden in Chicago. Talk about a green thumb, this lady has one..check the pictures of her gardens out. You'll wish spring were coming sooner!
girlgroupgirl
13 years ago
On my smaller obelisks I've used some of the little yellow morning glories that like to knit themselves together tightly, and also Japanese morning glories. They will take occasional training to stay on a smaller obelisk.
I love the idea of the newer patio clematis. So pretty!
christinmk z5b eastern WA
13 years ago
-LL, did you have luck with the morning glories last year? I have tried and tried but never had much luck with them.

What about staggering some annuals? Sweet peas for spring and a climbing nasturtium for summer? Nasturtiums never seem to take off for me until it heats up, so by that time the sweet peas should be done. Keep trying to think of a small perennial vine but am not coming up with anything at the moment!
CMK
aftermidnight Zone7b B.C. Canada
13 years ago
All I can think of are annuals, to name a few...
Mina labata (Firecracker vine)
Tropaeolum peregrinum (Canary Creeper)
Thumbergia alata (Black Eyed Susan Vine)
Rhodochiton atrosanguineum (Purple Bell Vine)
Ipomoea x multifida (Cardinal Climber)
Cobaea scandens (Cup and Saucer Vine)
Asarina scandens ( Snapdragon Vine)

Some of these you can pick up priced quite reasonably and already started at garden centers in the spring.

Annette
lavender_lass
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you for all the suggestions! :)

I went seed shopping yesterday (always fun) and decided to keep the climbing peas on the obelisks and got some canary vine and climbing black eye susan vine, to add for summer. I did the climbing edible pea vines, with the canary vine a few years ago...and they were really cute together.

On the arches, I was planning to try pole beans or cherry tomatoes, but it takes so long for them to get tall enough...and then my season is over. So, instead, I'm planning to try sweet peas, followed by morning glories. I just have to make sure the kids know they can't eat those plants! The tomatoes and beans will go on the other side, where the kids can 'graze' to some extent...as long as I'm with them :)
ronda_in_carolina
13 years ago
I have grown black-eyed Susan vine. I was able to thin the vine out as the summer went on to keep it in check. Here it is about ready to be thinned(only picture I have--sorry). You can control it by just pulling off the excess and cutting the vine. Mine bloomed all the time and was very pretty.

{{gwi:640130}}

Parks Seed has black-eyed Susan vine in coral/pink shades. I ordered some to try this year.
ianna
13 years ago
I vote for the black eyed susan. Clematis is nice too but something that you can cut down every year - otherwise instead of a nice obelisk, you will end up with Cousin It.
ginny12
13 years ago
Cousin It--I love it!! I've had one or two of those in my garden which is why I don't plant vines on small structures anymore but YMMV.

OT but on last night's Antiques Roadshow in Des Moines, someone brought in a hideous item known in their family as The Thing. It was a pedestal about 30" tall with stuff glued all over it, from marbles to coins to a gold bracelet. Too ugly...but it was worth a lot of money as folk art. Go figure.
ianna
13 years ago
I would call that antique the Thing from the black lagoon.. Hahaha..