Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-03
BOWERS, ARRoRs AND VINES


The quick-growing annual vines that
will provide a shady retreat by mid
summer from seeds sown out of doors
now are planted everywhere as screens
for old fences or shelters for porches;
but they are almost never given a
framework of their own where they
can plait and twist and wind them
selves into a dc lightful verdant canopy,
cool and refreshing as veritable
greenwood tired. We sit primly upon
porches wishing for rustling boughs
overhead and regretting that we are
not and cannot be in the woods, when
for a quarters worth-yes, for a nick
els worth-of seeds and little tinker
ing on a framework to hold the plants
aloft, the tracery of branch and leaf
will stretch its'slf against the sky for Us
in any scrap of'yard where the sun can
shine.
In selecting climbers for a bower or
an arbor the leaf, rather than the flow
err, must of course govern the choice OF
the principal ione, but others of snowy
bloom can be introduced If one wishes
both shade and blossom. The simplest
framework for a temporary arbor Is
made of four seven-foot uprights-
rough 2x4 will do, but saplings are of
course more attractive-braced at the
bottom and tied together at the top by
q stringer or, ribbon" securely nailed;
this braced vertically by struts spring.
ing from the uprights and horizontally
by similar struts cutting the angle or
each corner. over this stretch a roof
of chicken wire and also carry mar
row width of it from the ground to the
roof at each upright.
The vines may be placed just at the
corners before the uprightS as they may
extend along the sides of the 1nclosure
and be carried out to the corners as
they grow upward. The aim is con-
stantly to restrict the plants as they
ascend, keeping the spaces at the sides
free and open, then to encourage the
spread of the branches overhead.
The Japanese hop-humulus Japoni-
cus-easi leads all ANIMALS in the
beauty and luxuriance of its foliage,
and Is absolutely unrivaled for quick
results in screening and shading. Sow
seeds at once where the plants are TO
grow. They branch freely and will
need guiding to KEEP them on the up
ward way; without such guidance they
will spread at the sides until they cover
practically a square of space. For this
reason they are excellent to use at the
back or side of an arbor that one may
wish to close in completely. Plant In
full sunlight and water freely; their
record Is fifteen to twenty feet In
height.
Next to the Japanese hop comes the
moonflower-Ipomea grandifiora-regal
in the pale beauty of its blossoms. as
we'll as most effective in foliage. This
belongs to the morning glory family,
and a hard-shelled lot they are. Cut or
file a notch into each seed before plant
ing, else most Of them will never germ
Mate. Soaking overnight in warm wa
ter answers sometimes, but the notch Is
the surest way.
The cypress vine-Ipomaea Quamoc-
lit-is so delicately fine in leaf and
scarlet flower that it hardly seems
possible to consider it relative, yet
it is. 1t is less sturdy in growth, too,
never going above ten feet, but for
contrast 1t Is most effective. A low
railing inclosing the arbor would show
it to good advantage, the said railing
to be a width of chicken wire drawn
between the corner supports and held
with one or two stakes between.
A vine which is not raised from seed
yet, but which is so rapid in growth
and so exquisitely fragrant in bloom
that cannot omit it is the Boussing-
aultia aselloides-otherwise the Ma
deira vine. 1t is propagated by tubers