Annual vines can be the affordable stars of the garden

When it comes to showstopper plants on a budget, it’s hard to beat annual vines. These fast growers are also great problem solvers, rapidly screening unpleasant views, serving as centerpieces in containers, softening fences and railings and adding important vertical accents to garden spaces.

Many of them are easy to grow from seed, although a grow light and warm growing area are required for many of the vines that hail from Central and South America that require a head start.

A wide range of annual vines fit the bill for most uses and sun exposures, although unsurprisingly deep shade is not a place where most flowering vines thrive.

And few plants will do so much in such a short period of time.

Every year I try a couple new varieties if only to enjoy a good experiment, but of those I grow a few have become must-grow favorites.

Ornamental sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) get the credit for not just getting me started growing flowers from seed but also igniting my love of annual vines. I start seeds in early March, and unlike most of the other annual vines I grow, they germinate and grow best in cool temperatures between 55 and 65 degrees. Any warmer than that and you’ll get weak, spindly seedlings.

Planted out early — typically a week or more before the last average frost — sweet peas can grow and bloom into August as long as they get consistent moisture and temperatures don’t get too hot.

The easiest of my favorite vines to grow is a purple hyacinth bean (Lablab purpureus) variety called ‘Ruby Moon.’ The large seeds germinate and grow quickly, so it can be started outside. It quickly grows into 6 to 10 foot vines with dark green to burgundy foliage on purple stems and racemes of pink and purple flowers that are followed by brilliant purple seed pods.

Purple bell vine (Rhodochiton atrosanguineus) is far less rambunctious than purple hyacinth bean and features small, neat leaves with nodding bell flowers. This Mexico native likes it hot, so it often sits around doing very little until late June or early July when it takes off and makes up for lost time.

I’ve had limited success growing it from seed, although I keep trying. I usually buy small plants online to make sure I’m not without it.

Black-eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia alata) packs a floriferous punch. Several new varieties introduced in recent years expand the usual orange and yellow options to pinks and white.

Not every annual vine has been a winner for me. Cup and saucer vine (Cobaea scandens) is an aggressive grower with interesting flowers that come so late in the summer I don’t find it worth growing. I was wooed by the gorgeous flowers of corkscrew vine (Cochliasanthus caracalla), but two attempts at growing it yielded not a single flower. I suppose our Wisconsin summers just don’t produce enough heat for this vine to show off.

This year I’ll grow Cypress vine (Convolvulacaea), whose feathery foliage is as much an attraction as its star-shaped flowers. Time will tell if it is added to the must-grow list.

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