"One for the Vine" - Genesis, 1976

John and I finally had the chance to plant some vines today...vines which we bought a week or so ago and just hadn't had the opportunity to put in the ground until today.

I've always wanted to try growing Virginia Creeper. Throughout my life, I've admired the vivid reds produced by the vine in the autumn, as the leaves change color. When I first moved to Oxfordshire, I noticed a lot of Virginia Creeper, so I know it grows well here.

We have a chain link fence all the way down the west side of our property, as on the other side is the village's primary school. Behind the fence is a taller wooden fence that's on the school property. Most of the fence line is covered with plants or vines already. But behind the garage, there's a stretch of the fence with nothing growing on it. We're hoping the vines will take, because I think that the color will show from the front of the house as well...that's how high the fence is. I think it could be stunning!

So here are the two vines that we planted this afternoon...




For my UK-based readers, the vine on the left is Jeremy, and his brother Tim is on the right. And if it turns out that the one on the right is creepier, then we'll switch the names around.

Oh...speaking of vines....a little farther down from Jeremy and Tim, a vine is growing over the fence from the schoolyard side. I've never seen anything quite like it. It has pretty purple flowers and clusters of green grape-like "berries". Do any of you recognize what this is?




Janet