Create a Natural Vine Doorway in Your Garden
The idea of having a natural doorway of some kind to a garden is very appealing, especially if one wants to give their garden a magical feel. By natural doorway, I mean the kind that is framed by a plant of some kind, especially ivy or some other vine plant which has been trained to grow in the form of an arch. Think “Jack and the Beanstalk” here. While it is tempting to buy a frame or build one of wood for the plant to twine around, that defeats the purpose of it looking natural. Even if you use a man-made frame then remove it one the vine has grown into shape, there is the chance of the vine losing its shape over time and end up in a jumbled overgrowth.
You can use either an existing crawling plant for this purpose, or purchase one. If the existing one is near a medium height growing bush of some kind with branches that measure anywhere from 4 to 5′ from the ground, the tallest branch being 6′ high from the ground. The purpose of these heights is to drape the ivy plant over these branches so that it will reach towards them and down the other side. Some adjustments will have to be made by hand to make sure the plant grows to form the doorway, perhaps every week or two.
If you decide to purchase a crawling plant for this project, select one with medium-sized or big leaves. Follow any planting directions that come with the plant (for example, full sunlight or partial shade), situating it near an appropriate bush as described above in your garden. A flowering bush will make the vine-shaped doorway look even more magical, as if the fairy folk live there – and they will come if the finished doorway appeals enough to them. Water the crawling plant and check to see how it is growing over the next several weeks. Guide the vines in the direction of the branch tips. Do not place the vine in the middle of the branches as that will appear too obvious. In time, the vine will grow to cover the branch tips and appear like it is magically suspended in the air. Once the doorway is complete, the other end of the vine can be left to grow along the ground, or back up on the other side where it started, if you prefer the look of a fuller outline. Keep in mind this doorway is not meant for humans to pass through, but rather for wildlife. You may see birds flying in and out of the doorway, having a nest built somewhere in the bush. Continue to care for the doorway-shaped vine on a regular basis, along with the rest of your garden. Or butterflies, bees, and dragonflies enjoying that unique vine formation. Part of the enjoyment of having the door-like vine formation is watching the activity that takes place around it. Having this vine as part of your garden will encourage you to spend more time in your outdoor living area.
Image Credit: Atwngirl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
