Vertical Spaces

There is a lot of vertical space in the garden and around the house. I plan to utilise this to its maximum capability. At the moment we have peas growing out on the deck, but the plans are broader than that.

When we first moved in though, the woodwork such as the decking and around the lower half of the house had not been treated for some time. It was drying out and needed a bit of love. So I cleaned it down and gave it a few oil treatments. I realised that in my planning I would need to be mindful of this and so have come up with a plan.

The shed is galvanised iron and really cops the sun in summer, but needs no maintenance so I have set up a trellis which is where I have planted a passionfruit vine. This being an evergreen so it will shade the shed in summer and in winter it will keep the vine warmer from the trapped heat and the reflected heat from the shed. The trellis is set about a half foot off the shed wall so the vine doesn't burn altogether in summer.

The wood boarding around the house I will need to get to at least once a year so I have chosen deciduous plants or seasonal ones that will allow me at least a temporary access to the wood to treat it. We have planted a dark grape and a white grape with some canes still to plant out but which are wintering in a pot plant to see which ones take. These are cuttings from other gardens both locally and further afield and it will be interesting to see how they go because I think they are older varieties.

I also have several choko vines to plant out in various spots. It is hoped that these will provide shade in summer with their lush growth and cool the western side of the house from the afternoon sun. As chokos die back in winter each year I will still have time to access woodwork during the end of winter. Several choko vines is probably overkill for a garden this size as they are very abundant in their fruit from past experience. But I have also had the weather knock a few back so I am making allowances for that.

I also wish to plant some in different areas to see which area does best and I also have a neighbours fence line to try out and look forward to sharing some of the fruit.