Wednesday, September 13, 2006

The Intended Effect

















Thunbergia grandiflora or Clock Vine as it is called here, why Clock Vine I have no clue, is a vigorous as in huge vine with long drooping racemes of white or lavender flowers.

Growing on a sturdy pergola the flowers can hang below the vine in an enchanting display that makes white icicle christmas lights look like the tacky plastic things they are.

This vine piles up on itself so thick and makes such a fine home for vermin that about every two years it gets cut back to the main trunks at the top of the posts. In no time it covers the pergola again. Off and on throughout the year it drops its three foot long clusters of flowers to create a unique sense of enclosure.

It is time to chop off its head. Today this one corner of the vine was looking as intended, enchanting. It was enough to momentarily pierce my tired irritation with jungle maintenance, to share a moment of beauty with my soul. Momentarily.


Click on the picture to enlarge it for the full effect.

7 comments:

OldRoses said...

Great blog! Would you be interested in adding it to Garden Voices, a compendium of garden blogs from around the world? Email me (OldRosesBlog@yahoo.com) if you have any questions.

Christopher C. NC said...

Ain't that somethin. One branch of the GardenWeb likes my content enough to want to link to it.

Thanks OldRoses. You've got mail.

Annie in Austin said...

You deserve a larger audience for your wonderful stories, Christopher!

Christopher C. NC said...

I really appreciate the encouragement Annie. If it is meant to be it will happen. I am in no rush since I am not sure I am ready for prime time.

Anonymous said...

That's a lovely vine. I wonder if it would grow well in Austin.

Christopher C. NC said...

I think the Thunbergia are mostly tropical vines and would freeze in an Austin winter. Other than Wisteria, the Aristolochia vines may come closest to that effect and bloom for you before they froze back.

Anonymous said...

Oh my, so pretty. I can just feel all that perfume in the air.