Does anyone know of a vine I could plant in my shade garden? I think it would soften up the walls in the background.
How much shade are you talking about? Part of a day or complete shade, all day long? Honeysuckle comes to mind but be sure you want it because they can really thrive and grow. I planted a honeysuckle vine in my pergola area for the hummingbirds and it grew to the top of the pergola in one season.
Probably quite a bit of shade, the way that corner is situated it only gets late afternoon, early evening summer sun. I thought about honeysuckle, is there a certain species that does better than others? I also thought about trumpet vine or hummingbird vine. Our growing season is so short that things do not become invasive or "take over" ,except for creeping buttercup
I have a lot of shade and have had success with periwinkle/vinca. Search for periwinkle ground cover. This is a very pretty vine at this time of year as it blooms with blue flowers. They don't last very long but the foliage is very pretty. I like it because it spreads ( at a nice medium rate ) so that it covers but I can contain it. And I can attest that it grows nicely over walls. I am in zone 5 and it is a perennial for me.
Just thought I would follow up my previous post with a photo of my vinca surrounding a bleeding heart.
I planted an Euonymus vine last year and it is in deep shade. It's still alive but hasn't grown much but it is fighting all the fir tree roots also.
Virginia Creeper is one that grows remarkably well in shade, and is super hardy. In the fall it turns brilliant red. It's very easy to control and remove too if it gets out of hand. A US native as well.
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper) is a good one. If someone offers to give you some, just make sure they know their plants and they aren't giving you Poison Ivy instead....they have a lot in common.
Are you looking for something with vertical climb to cover a wall only, or ground cover? If you need a ground cover, I've got barren strawberry (Waldsteinia ternata) that will thrive in full shade (can even be invasive). You have to really watch it though, critters have been transplanting it where I don't want it, and you have to pull it out before it takes hold. I planted English Ivy once, and it took over everything and I spent two years pulling it. Can't recommend that, super invasive. Sweet Autumn clematis would also do well even in the shade imo, but reseeds like wildfire and you'll be pulling it constantly (which I do because I like it). Mine gets cut to the ground every year.
I will also go with Virginia Creeper. It crept up here form Virginia and does quite well crawling up trees. Hmmmm.....I have a pix somewhere.....don't go away.......found it. It puts out tendrils that allows it to climb up trees and walls Jerry
I agree with Donna. I love vinca! It takes full sun and shade. For some added color, you could mix it with the variegated variety.
Thanks y'all I have Virginia creeper growing all over the tractor shed but cannot get it to transplant to save my life!! I've tried cutting after cutting and obviously I'm doing something wrong I'd like a wall climber with flowers and am quite interested in the sweet autumn clematis, I'll have to google it. What did we ever do before Mr. Google?