Page 6 - FEB2020
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- BeautifulClimbers
Vines are wonderful additions to every garden. They are especially
useful for covering bare walls, creating lovely shady pergolas, and
to screen off unsightly areas. Here are some of the easiest and best
vines to grow in Botswana.
Mandevillas are easy to grow, and they have lovely trumpet-like flowers in
a range of colours. Pyrostegia venusta, Golden shower, is spectacular when in
flower (usually from winter to spring), and is an especially important food
source for bees. Parthenocissus quinquefolia, the Virginia creeper, is a fast
growing vine, with the added advantage that it doesn’t need support, as it uses
small forked tendrils with adhesive pads to climb structures; plus the autumn
colours are magnificent. Jasmines, like Jasminum polyantha, and J. officinalis do
well, and have the most delightful scent in the garden. Star Jasmine,
Trachelospermum jasminoides has a lovely Jasmine scent, and is commonly used in
commercial landscaping, as it tolerates a wide range of conditions. S.C
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