Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-29
CREEPING BEAUTIES
The Climbing Plants That Add So
Greatly to Residence.
MERITS OF THE PRAIRIE ROSE.
American Ivy, Sweet-Scented CIematis and
other Nice Vines.
PRETTY AND HARDY PERENNIALS
MERITS OF THE PRAIRIE ROSE.
PRETTY AND HARDY PERENNIALS
WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPArcH.I

WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATcH.l
The climbing plants are natures drapery,
and many of the fine old malsions of this
country owe their beauty and stateliness to
the tastefuIly arranged ereepers, which have
voluntarily draped all of the unsightly OBJ
jects with their delicately shaped and col
ored leaves and tendrils Bold and pic
turesque effects can be produced better witt
the vines than with anything else in art or
nature. The ivy has won its way into the
hearts of all, and one must admire the lux
uriant wealth OF its foliage, and the cool.
refreshing appearance of its great masses Of
green.
In the Northern States the old-fashioned
prairie rose still occupies high position as
an ornamental climbing plant. This plant
was first raised from the seeds of the wild
roses of Michigan, which chamber over high
trees in the forests, and are remarkable for
the profusion of their beautiful double
flowers and their extreme hardness and
luxuriance of growth. The vines will grow
with but little care and need little shelter.
They simply require good soil, something to
run on, pruning and tying up once year, and
nature will attend to the rest. They will prob
ably give the greatest amount of beauty for the
least care of any vine; but they should bo
planted more Tor their flowers than for their
foliage.
Another Very Good Climber.
The Chinese wistaria is similar in its habits
to the prairie rose, and it covers trellis work
with wonderful masses of foliage and blossoms.
A few good plants will completely cover the
side of a house and produce at one time sew
eral hundred clusters of the most delicate bios
SONS, of a tint between pearl and lilac. each
bunch OF bloom shaped like that of locust
tree, but eight inches to foot long, and most
gracefully pendant from branches Just start
ing into tender green foliage. The wistaria is
favorite for cottage decoration all over the
country, and especially in the Northern States,
owing to its hardness and luxuriant growth.
In the Middle States, strictly speaking, the
Japan honeysuckle and the sweet-scented cle-
matis have largely taken the place of the wis
Iaria: but they are both little tender, and
often need protection on the north and east
The Japan honeysuekle is the queen among
these vines. and produces abundance. of
lovely delicate white and fawn colored blos-
SONS. Its foliage is rich and green, and the
flowers are blooming nearly the whole Of sum-
mer. For a change the sweet-scented clematls
is a magnificent honeysuckle and its type Of
flower is grace and delicacy itself. They are
scattered over The whole vine in midsummer,
and the perfume is the most fragrant and far-
reaching of all flower odors.
1t Dies in Finest Crimson.
The Virginia creeper, or American ivy, as ID
is sometimes called is one of the best draping
=
faster than the European ivy. and makes rich
and beautiful festOons of Verdure in summer,
dying off in autumn, before the leaves fail, in
finest crimson. Although pretty sight on the
side of a house or cottage, probably its greatest
effect is produced when trained MP among the
branches of an evergreen tree. Then the con-
trast in colors is very picturesque. mngling in
October the richest crimson with the brightest
green. The Virginia ereeper Is remarkable for
its hardness, and it will grow in the coldest
climate. and only asks to be planted to work
out its own problems of beauty without further
attention. For the decoration of stone walls,
churches and cottages, this fine American
plant is unsurpassed.
The Dutchman's pipe and the trumpet creeper
are welI-known vines. and in the lazy summer
days they produce striking effects with their
rich masses of green foliage and colored flow
ers. OF late years there have been many new
decorative vines. introduced in this country,
hut very few of them equal and none surpass
the beautiful effects that can be produced by
many of these old standard vines which have
been grown and cultivated almost from the
first in America. They still retain their popu-
lar hold upon all lovers OF trailing vines.
HELEN WHARBURDoN.