Gas Woe

I am not happy about the price of gas today but that is not my only Gas Woe. I am going to reveal an ugly secret hiding in my garden!

Just what every gardener wants to see in their yard right? NOT! This big old ugly gas tank provides us with wonderful heat during the winter months. Heat is good during the winter but the tank is not something I care to see on a daily basis.

What is a gardener to do? Well, use their imagination and create a solution to hide the big Silver Bullet.

I had an old piece of wooden fencing lying around without a use. The Saint dug two post holes and cut a 8 foot fence post in half for me. We put the posts into the ground secured with a bag of quick-crete. The next day, we put the fencing in place and hammered a few nails.

I wanted to plant some type of vine that would grow quickly along the fence, thus hiding the ugly gas tank. I selected Trumpet Vine! This is a 12 foot piece of fencing so the sales person at the nursery suggested two plants. I took the bait and bought two when one would have probably been fine. Darn sales people!

See that little banana tree in the middle Tina?

Trumpet Vine (Campsis Radicans) is native to the southeastern United States. It grows really quickly and can be viewed as an invasive plant in the garden. The leaves are really pretty with their bright green color and pointed ends.

In time, I will dig out saplings and plant them along the chain link fence behind the tank to cover the neighbors privacy fence. That task will take place once we are out of drought conditions. I have enough to water now!

The Trumpet Vine grows well in my garden with little care and provides me with beautiful trumpet shaped clusters of blooms. I prune it in the spring to keep it away from the tank because the Gas Man needs a clear pathway to the tank.

This is year 3 for the vines and look at how many blooms came with this grouping!

In this picture you can see the pollen has been moved about by a pollinating buddy of mine. Probably a bee but the hummingbirds and butterflies really enjoy this flower as well. They were another factor in me selecting this vine as my fence cover.

Trumpet Vines can be grown on Arbors, Trees, Telephone poles as well as Fences. Their invasive way must be kept in mind as they will become heavy in time such as the Wisteria Vine.

Look at the yellowish throat of this red-orange bloom! She is a real beauty in the garden and has been putting on a show for several weeks.
I see Trumpet Vine growing along the banks of the lake as well as the roadside here in Georgia. It loves full sun and does not seem to mind the drought conditions we have been having the past few years.

I believe I chose a perfect solution to my GAS WOE, in the garden...