A Post on Posts

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This display on a telephone post is made up of Virginia Creeper ( Parthenociccus quinquefolia) and Bittersweet ( Celastrus scandens).


The old adage about planting vines is pretty true to the mark, "First they sleep, then they creep, then they leap". There are a few variations on this truism, as it was with my Clematis rehderiana which slept for several years in one place only to leap this year after being moved to a better location, it seemed to have missed the creeping stage altogether.
There has been a lot of leaping going on this year in the vining community, although in such slow motion that I hardly noticed it until the colouring of the leaves over the last few weeks. Suddenly there seemed to be rampant vertical displays everywhere, all the more vivid when viewed against clear blue skies.



How could I have missed the Morning Glory that had climbed up through the centre of a hollow post of a street sign, reappearing ( probably around June) at the four foot mark and then dissappearing back into the post until it reached the very top where it flowered for the rest of the late summer.


The Morning Glory reappearing from the interior of the post and then going back in to resume its climb to the top.


Virginia Creeper ( perhaps it should be renamed Virginia leaper) is a bit of a pest around the shared vegetable garden, but can be briefly forgiven when it completely covers a telephone post and puts on this display in the Fall.

Comments

CallieK said…
Great photos. The last one so resembles a tree at first glance, it gives me ideas...wouldn't it be fun to creat "trees" like those in places that can't otherwise support a tree- like rooftops?
October 22, 2010 at 5:42 AM
Barry Parker said…
Hi CallieK,

Thanks for the comment. You're right, this would be a great way to have trees growing where they were impossible before. Also a much quicker way of getting a mature looking specimen.

Come to think of it Marion Jarvie ( an Uber-gardener in this city) has created a beautiful golden columner tree by training an Euonymus up a sturdy post.
October 22, 2010 at 6:03 AM
Anonymous said…
Dear Barry, What fun pictures you show here. And, how well they illustrate that other gardening truism which is a 'fussed over plant' rarely thrives whilst the neglected rampage through the borders with avengeance!!
October 22, 2010 at 9:12 AM
Barry Parker said…
Dear Edith,
More and more the 'fussed over plants' are being banished from the garden. I hope that these pictures show that you can make an ordinary plant do something extraordinary and make an exceptional addition to the garden picture.
October 23, 2010 at 6:31 PM
Sarah said…
I love these, Barry. We have a couple like this in our neighbourhood and they are very difficult to photograph well. Would be fun to have a collection of these. Coffee Table Post book.
October 25, 2010 at 5:10 PM
Barry Parker said…
Hi Sarah,
It's one of the (dubious) benefits of our above ground hydro supply.. we are in fact a city of posts.
October 25, 2010 at 6:42 PM
Anonymous said…
Barry, I'm totally charmed by the morning glory growing out of the top of the sign post. The fact that it's obscuring the speed limit probably doesn't matter, since surely people slow down to get a better look at those lovely flowers! -Jean
October 29, 2010 at 8:34 AM
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