But the news isn't all bad, of course. New places create new learning experiences and new opportunities. Since arriving in Florida seven months ago, I've learned by trial and error a fair amount about plants that thrive here but were difficult or impossible to grow in Virginia. I've fallen in love with quite a few of them, including succulents--the subject of my last few articles.
Now I'd like to focus on another new favorite, vines. Although they were part of my gardening experience in Virginia, they're much more a part of life here in Florida. In fact, more than 90 percent of the world's vines are native to the subtropics and tropics.
There are a multitude of reasons Floridians should include vines in their landscape designs. Vines add height to garden rooms and act as "soft furniture," much the way curtains do in your home's interior. Vines unite tree canopies with the vegetation below, creating a rich, multi-layered tapestry from top to bottom.
In addition to providing ornamentation, vines have more practical benefits. They're invaluable for covering up chain-link fences and softening the hard landscape of privacy fences. They can be used to screen utility areas as well. Think of how much more pleasant it would be to see greenery and flowers than a trash can or recycling bin. Vines also can be used to provide privacy, sheltering you both visually and aurally from your neighbors or the noisy street.
Vines can be valuable ground covers too, particularly when used on dry banks or in coastal areas to help prevent erosion. Perhaps most importantly, vines provide shade -- an item that's often in short supply here.
Some vines, such as Stephanotis floribunda, (see http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/car... ) bear fragrant flowers, which can enhance your enjoyment of a patio or sitting area.
In choosing vines, it's important to consider the size of the area needing coverage. If you have a small garden, select a well-behaved, slow-growing vine such as Mandevilla (see http://www.plantsfromhollon.com/ymandevi... ) or Gloriosa Lily, Gloriosa rothschildiana (see http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consu...
Estate gardeners, or homeowners desiring to camouflage chain-link fences, may prefer to choose more vigorous, rapid-growing vines such as Antigonon leptopus, the Coral vine, (see http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/car...
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