Sunday, October 14, 2007

Arbor before and after


Here is a before and after of my stick arbor. The first one was taken the first part of April.
This picture was taken this last weekend. Remarkable difference!

This is looking up on the inside of the arbor. Lot and lots of stems and leaves.

Here is what the flower looks like, if you hadn't seen it before. I have been rather disappointed with the number of blooms this year. In the past I have let it vine on the banister of the deck and the blooms would cover it at sundown. Now there are just a few here and there. I think there is just too much vine and leaves to see the blooms. Over all I am satisfied how the arbor looks and will need to decide what to grow on it next year.

9 comments:

Laurie and Chris said...

I love the arbor. To bad the flowers did work for you. It really did get full of leaves. Have a good weekend!

Andrea's Garden said...

Your arbor is great, Cliff, what a neat idea. Have you thought about "Blackeyed Susan"? You can get it in orange or terracotta color. This week should be slower, the visitors are gone and I had some time to do a new post today. Thanks for your entry on my last posting. We have had snow today. Thank God it didn't stick around. Hope all is well in KC.
/Andrea

LostRoses said...

Hi Cliff, what an amazing amount of growth on your arbor since April! I have the same problem with a lack of a profusion of blooms on the arbor, but I guess that depends on the plant. Most of my Heavenly Blue morning glories bloomed at the very top of the arbor rather than covering the sides.

I've noticed with roses that they bloom more profusely if you tie the vines horizontally to the framework of the arbor and continue to do that as they reach each new height level. Kind of a pain to do, but the blooms will "break out" of a horizontal stem better than a vertical one.

Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen said...

It's amazing how quickly plants can cover an arbor, isn't it? Yours looks great Cliff, pity about the lack of flowers. Have you thought of sweet peas for next year? They are scented and flower profusely and they are great in flower arrangements (small ones) too.

KC MO Garden Guy said...

Laurie & Chris, Thanks for the comment.

Andrea, Blackeyed Susan are one of my favorate. I am not sure if there is one that resists powdery mildew or not. I will keep growing them as long as they continue to reseed themselves.

Lostrose, I didn't know that about the blooms. Will have to see what I can do to tie the branches horizonally on my rose bushes. Thanks again for the information.

Yolanda, Thanks for the comment. No I hadn't thought about sweet pea. I have a few that grow with one of my roses on a trellis. That might work. Thanks again and I will keep it in mind.

Shady Gardener said...

What a nice, Sturdy arbor! Have fun picking out something to try next year.

Bob said...

Your arbor looks great, and especially like the before and after shots. In all your pictures through out this year I can see how hard you have worked in your garden. Your efforts show.

Also, thanks for the post and link regarding the cyclamen. I'm really glad you shared yours cyclamen. When several of us blogger post on similar plants it just reinforces how great that peticular plant is.
Besides great mind think alike. Or is it in the gutter? I think the latter is more true for me :)

MrBrownThumb said...

Your Arbor is very cool.

I actually like the shot of it without the vine. Try a vine with smaller foliage or blooms that stick out more like Mina Lobata "Spanish Flag" or the cypress/cardinal vines.

Iowa Gardening Woman said...

Lovely Moonflower, if I want to grow them here in Iowa I must start the seeds inside or they do not have time to bloom before the first frost, I did not grow any this year but I wish I had because with the warm weather and late frost we had here it would have a good year for them.