Anyone Have a Silver lace Vine?

[Nyboy]

At the end of my driveway I have pillars with lights on top. I have been tring to grow some kind of vine up the pillars. Problem is soil if you can call it that, is bad, mostly iteam 4. Clematis don't have a chance, planted about 6 all dead in weeks. Read about how impossable it was to kill trumpet vine, 4 never made it though winter. Hopeing silver lace mightbe answer. I have tried digging hole and filling with good soil, bath tub effect kills them. I tried bare rooting and planting in soil already there, no good. I really want vines growing up these pillars. ,

 

[Jared77]

Are you there regularly?

If you are what about a big decorative with morning glories and moon flowers in it?

They are such fast growers they'd cover the pillars in blooms. Worth a try as they are easy to get started.

Heck I'd probably even try them in the ground there. The plus died is they will reseed and you could pick new colors/varieties when you wanted a change the following spring.

 

[Nyboy]

LOL First thing I tried both seeds and pots from nursery. No growth just lingered.

 

[thistlebloom]

I don't know what this would look like, but could you construct a raised bed around the base of the pillars? It could be cement blocks, or wood, or some material that goes well with your pillars.

If you were able to give them at least 18 inches of depth they might do well. 12" wide might be sufficient.

I'm not familiar with the type of soil you described, but if it's hardpan, you might be able to punch holes through it with a jackhammer, enough to create some drainage, then construct a raised bed above that.

@lesa has a magnificent silverlace vine. Maybe she has some ideas and tips for you.

 

[Carol Dee]

My inlaws had a silver lace vine. I always that it was a type of clematis. (I can not get those to grow either.) They where prolific there and moved to several locations around the house. Smelled so nice when they where in bloom.

 

[Carol Dee]

http://www.hirts.com/Mandarin-Honey...NKKLDAwDHzD01endCOCXDU82M2QE1NI6yNxoCQ6Pw_wcB

See add above. ^ I believe this is the vine we have. It survived our very long and very cold winter. I think it is about 6 to 8 years old. It blooms very pretty in early spring then is only foliage the rest of the summer.

Close up of foliage and bloom.

In full bloom. Note the thick stem lower left of photo.

 

[NwMtGardener]

Silver lace vine is a pretty good choice for tough growing areas - here it naturalizes easily. We see it many places along the rivers when in our canoe, out in the wild. Not sure if it spreads there by seed or pieces of the plant but it definitely grows fine in the "wilds" of montana! My neighbor had one and it wanted to take over her entire garden, but if you mow the area around the pillars that should keep it in check.

 

[thistlebloom]

Yes, I've heard that it can be invasive too. But I think I remember Lesa saying she didn't have any issues with it spreading.
Maybe there are different varieties of it?

 

[lesa]

I loved my silverlace vine! I never would have believed it would die... It had grown successfully for many years- and practically had a tree trunk for a stem. After our ridiculous winter last year- it did not come back. Cut it off the fence-which was a real pain. I now see one or two stems growing again- but I don't have a lot of hope... I don't think you are as cold in your location, Nyboy- so I would give it a try! Did you attempt Autumn Clematis? I have mine growing in mostly rock-and it is huge and gorgeous.

 

[Nyboy]

lesa sorry about your vine. I have 3 sweet autumn and now a sweet summer in other parts of the yard and love them. This is a real problem area no soil all rock and next to street so road salt in wnter.