I love vining flowers of all types: morning-glory, cardinal vine, sweet pea, moon flowers, trumpet vine, these and vegetable vines can all be found growing in my gardens. What I don’t like is the need to purchase an expensive trellis or make do with garden twine. This year I have begun using Greenbrier vine as a support for my vines. Harvesting a bit of this vine from the woods does no harm, although it is a cover for wildlife, it can also be quite invasive and choke out trees and other native vines.

I begin with my longest piece of Greenbrier and poke the end into the ground. I weave several additional pieces of the Greenbrier around this first vine. I then attach more strands to any wood that is not covered with aluminum using a small push-pin. So far, this has worked very well, As the vines become heavier, even though the Greenbrier has hardened, I will need to add some nails or staples for added support. I like the natural way the vines grow up these brambles. Instead of a formal pattern or a column of plants climbing twine, the vines follow the more natural path of the Greenbrier.