Vines add height and color to a garden by elegantly climbing an arbor or trellis, creating a lush green backdrop to the space. If you would like to add height to your garden quickly, along with interesting and colorful flowers, consider planting annual flowering vines. All these vines are easily grown from seed—either started directly in the soil, or indoors 4 to 6 weeks before planted outside and after the threat of frost has passed. Annual plants complete their lifecycle in one year and will not survive the chilly winter temperatures in central Illinois.
Most annual vines climb by tendrils or twining (twisting their stems or leaf stalks) up any support such as a fence, trellis, or arbor. By planting them to creep along the ground, they can also create a colorful ground cover. These vines are sun-loving, easy to care for, and have very few pest issues—an all-around great plant! While you don’t need to prune annual vines, they may need limited “redirection and guidance” every so often. Many of these plants easily reseed in gardens, which may result in uninvited seedlings the following year. Here are some of the tried-and-true gardener favorites.
cardinal climber (Ipomoea multifida) - This vine will add unique color and texture to the garden. It has palm-shaped leaves and grows 10 to 20 feet long. The abundant bright red tubular flowers are perfect for attracting hummingbirds.
hyacinth bean (Lablab purpureus) – Purple lovers, this plant is for you! The leaves are greenish-purple with deep purple veins and purple stems. Fragrant purple flowers turn to shiny red/purple pods when mature on the vine. The plant grows 10 to 15 feet long.
black-eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia alata) - A less vigorous vine than others, it grows 4 to 8 feet long. Velvety, 3”-wide leaves form a dense canvas for the black-eyed Susan-like flowers. Blooms may be orange, yellow, or white, all with dark centers.
scarlet runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus) - The vine foliage may look similar to a garden pole bean, but the cluster of scarlet flowers and 3-5” red pods distinctly set it apart. The vine can grow 8 to 12 feet long. The flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. The pods are edible as snap beans or shelled later.
For a fun addition to any garden, make a teepee out of poles and plant vines along the outside for a green summer hideout for the kids or grandkids. While not typically grown for their flowers, gourds are another great, easy-to-grow annual vine to try out. The vines produce ornamental fruit that can add an interesting size, shape, and texture to the landscape, making them perfect for fall decorations. Gourds will need substantial support to bear the weight of the fruit though.
Whether you have a newer garden that needs some maturity, or a mature garden that needs a pop of color or height, annual vines may just be the perfect plant for you. Check out the seed catalogs and gardener centers for some inspiration!