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Nature has a way of taking care of eyesores. Tree stumps left behind after storms such as Irene are expensive to remove but they will disappear quickly under glorious climbing vines.
If there's an old - or new - tree stump in your garden, plant a Clematis next to it. This vigorous climber quickly covers unsightly objects with lush foliage and star-shaped flowers in shades of purple, white or red.
Among the many varieties are Sweet Autumn Clematis, which bursts with abundant fragrant white flowers in late summer and can reach 30 feet. Clematis Rosemoor grows up to 10 feet and has five-inch wine-red blooms from early summer to fall. Clematis Diana's Delight's lavender blue blossoms appear twice in the growing season, in May and June and again in September. This compact variety (up to six feet) can be grown in a pot.
These climbers are easy to grow. Most Clematis prefer sun though some varieties do well in partial shade. Fall is the perfect planting time because it allows the vine to establish a strong root system before the spring growing season. For more information check the About Clematis website. For advice on which variety is best for your needs, visit your local nursery.
Do you have an eyesore that you'd like to cover in your garden?
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