Versatile vines functional, yet don’t take up much space

Vines are versatile plants. They perform functions no other plants can do: They shade, screen, shelter, obscure, add color and fragrance and take up very little lateral space. Yes, vines are ideal for our postage stamp-size landscapes. Here are some of my favorites:

Grapevines: We grow grapes for fruit, but they are attractive landscape plants. Grapes climb, but you must provide supports. I use grapes to soften the monotonous walls surrounding my yard. The vines become very vigorous if overwatered, but that limits fruit production. Prune the grapes annually to keep them under control.

Cat's claw: This fascinating, self-attaching vine thrives under the hottest conditions. Once started, it grows with increasing vigor to form interlacing vines covering surfaces in unique ways. It does best where it gets the most sun. Cat-clawed tendrils cling to almost any material -- plaster, brick, concrete, wood or stone. Do not worry about claws damaging walls, as they easily come off when removing the vine. Large, yellow, trumpetlike flowers appear throughout summer. It will take drought, because the underground tubers store water.

Lady Banks' rose: This is a great vine. In the late spring, a profusion of small pale yellow or white popcorn-looking flowers smother the vine. Glossy, leathery background leaves accent the blooms even more. It will cover fences, walls and arbors. If you want a dense covering, shear the plant often.

Trumpet vine: Stunning clusters of 3-inch long, orange to red, trumpet-shaped flowers plaster the vine during late spring, lingering until frost for that tropical mood. The dark, glossy foliage accentuate flowers even more. Use this aggressive vine to cover patios, fences, walls and utility poles. Overfeeding this climber decreases flower production.

Hall's Japanese honeysuckle: Honeysuckles excite thoughts of twining vines splattered with sweet fragrant flowers primarily in the spring and then occasionally through summer. The unique flowers change from white to yellow as they mature to add to its drama. It is excellent for covering fences, arbors and eyesores in landscape and thrives in poor soils. If allowed to grow without restraint, it will become a nuisance so prune annually. Also, provide a strong trellis and do some training to get more out of this vine.

Creeping fig: It does best on the southeast side of the house, away from the afternoon sun. During young stages, it will give very little indication of its potential vigor. However, those delicate heart-shaped leaves will wallpaper themselves to a wall in a short period of time and later into large, leathery leaves as plants mature. There is almost no limit to the area it will cover.

Hacienda creeper: It resembles Virginia creeper, but is much smaller and slower growing. This self-climbing vine has bright green palmlike leaves. With adequate fall chilling and sufficient sun, it will turn a deep red. It forms a dense screen when grown on a chain-link fence and is suitable as a groundcover or espalier. It adapts to full sun to partial shade, poor soils and drought conditions.

Lilac vine: This evergreen vine loves heat and dry conditions. This prolific flowering vine produces deep intense, blue to purplish pea-type flowers on dangling clusters in early spring. Beneath flowers, twining stems covered with dark-green leaves get about four inches long. You get the feeling it is very fast growing but starts slow, gaining momentum as roots sink deep into soil. As this happens, the vine will cover a patio, wall, or gazebo in short order. It needs some support on walls, and if it latches to a tree it will climb. Or turn it loose to become a dense ground cover. It is often referred to as the "happy wanderer."

DRIP IRRIGATION

This is a free hands-on class where you learn everything, including how to assemble a drip system. Let Water Authority experts show you how at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Springs Preserve 333 S. Valley View Blvd.

DR. GREEN THUMB SPEAKS

Fall is for planting in Las Vegas. That includes planting vegetables, flowers, trees and shrubs and many other activities. Join me for this free class for tips of things to do in September at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the Preserve.

Linn Mills writes a gardening column each Sunday. You can reach him at linn.mills@springspreserve.org or call him at 822-7754.