Do you have a chain link fence you’d like to hide? Cover it with evergreen vines. Evergreen vines are not only a great way to cover an eyesore, but they can also add vertical interest to your garden and even serve as a living privacy screen. Many of them have showy flowers, some even fragrant.
Here Are Three Vines to Consider
Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides): Star Jasmine has attractive glossy green leaves year-round. In spring, it puts on a show of starry white flowers starting in early May. These flowers are sweetly fragrant too.
Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) has star-shaped blooms that are sweetly fragrant.
Ginger Long, ©2023, Clemson Extension
If that weren’t enough to convince you to grow Star Jasmine, it is also salt tolerant, so it grows well in our coastal regions, and it is not likely to be eaten by deer.
Star jasmine attaches itself to its support by twining. Guide the stems around their support several times throughout the growing season.
Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) can quickly cover a garden arch.
Ginger Long, ©2023, Clemson Extension
Light requirements: Sun to Part Shade
Size and growth rate: 20 plus feet long, grows rapidly, can be pruned to the desired size.
When to prune: Prune right after flowering since it blooms on old growth.
Zones: 8-10.
Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens): Our native trumpet honeysuckles have bright green leaves throughout the winter. Flowers appear in spring, as early as March, and continue flowering through May. The species has bright scarlet tubular flowers with yellow inside. Cultivar ‘John Clayton’ has solid pale-yellow flowers.
A cultivar of our native honeysuckle, (Lonicera sempervirens) ‘John Clayton’, has yellow flowers.
Ginger Long, ©2023, Clemson Extension
Trumpet Honeysuckle attaches itself to its support by twining. Guide the stems around their support several times throughout the growing season.
Our native Trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) flowers can attract hummingbirds.
Ginger Long, ©2023, Clemson Extension
Light requirements: Sun to Part Sun, best flowers in full sun
Size and growth rate: 10 to 15 feet high and 5 feet wide
When to prune: Prune right after flowering since it blooms on old growth.
Zones: 7-9.
Armand Clematis (Clematis armandii): The evergreen Armand Clematis has dark green leathery leaves. It produces clusters of white star-shaped flowers in late winter, generally about the same time as Forsythia and Quince bloom.
Armand’s clematis (Clematis armandii) blooms in late winter.
Ginger Long, ©2023, Clemson Extension
Armand Clematis attaches itself to a support by tendrils. The tendrils are small leafless stems that wrap around what it is growing on.
Light requirements: Sun to Part Shade
Size and growth rate: 15 to 25 feet high, grows rapidly, can be pruned periodically to keep in the desired location.
When to prune: If necessary, prune right after flowering since it blooms on old growth or to maintain size.
Zones: 7b to 9.
Consider planting perennial Clematis alongside these evergreen vines for additional flowers in the spring and summer.
For more information on vines, see HGIC 1101, Vine Selections for Landscaping.
