Companion Planting: Clematis in Weeping Cherry

My grandmother, one of the world's greatest gardeners, never ceased to amaze me. When I was a little tyke she introduced me to sensitive plants, a fern-like annual that folded its "hands" in prayer when it was touched. It was like magic. After she & grandpa moved into town (I'll never forget the orchard at the country house) grandma had to really cut down on her growing adventures. Space was at a minimum.

One day I noticed a young tree blooming with tiny bright red miniature trumped-shaped flowers. That's the day that grandma introduced me to companion planting....putting two or more plants together for the benefit or beautification of all. Grandma had planted a cardinal climber vine (also known as a cypress vine) on a tree that had already lost its spring blooms and was otherwise just a boring stick with green leaves. Ingenious!

I have inherited my grandma's green thumb to a degree. The deer have eaten the apple tree saplings, the strawberry bed is now history, and I have weeds galore. I'm definitely not to the standards of my grandma, but I do try.

I have taken a page from grandma's book and planted a clematis next to my weeping cherry. The cherry is nine years old, and in partial shade. It has a tendency to lose most of its leaves and looks rather bare by the middle of June, so the clematis helps to bring excitement to the otherwise dreary plant. Hopefully the clematis will fill out even more in the next few years and I will have an umbrella of blooms to liven the garden.

I hope you try planting a climbing, vining flower with a small tree. Keep in mind that wisteria, as much as I love it, will strangle a tree. Ivy, creeping Jenny and euonymous will take over not only the tree but the entire garden and yard surrounding it.

Happy experimenting,

shel