I saw this arbor on Pinterest and decided we needed one. Mostly because last week I found a bunch of volunteer Sweet Autumn Clematis growing all over in the wrong spots in the yard. We already have two huge vines but what's one or two more? Experience tells me that those upstarts would cover this arbor completely in just two seasons.
I dug up and potted six of the clematis volunteers and then Dave and I shopped online and found this kit we could assemble ourselves.
I am leaving out the mud, the blood and the beer part of the story ...but we did manage to figure it out pretty much ourselves with the aid of these instructions. We work very well together, heh.
We carried it around the yard and tried it in various spots. We'll leave it here for a few days to see if there isn't a better place for it.
It is pretty nutty to buy an arbor just to have a place to plant more clematis vines, but now that we are really old farts, it is just the thing we find ourselves doing. We joked that we now need a wood burning tool to fashion a sign to post above the arbor that says Agnes and Clarence.
At our old house in Illinois we had lots of clematis surrounding the deck. Var. C. Attackus.
Before blooming and after the blooms open.
Hi Mel,
ReplyDeleteYour garden is once again breathtaking. I remember the photos you took of the giant clematis in the old garden. No doubt this will be as beautiful.
Hey!and 'ove to you 4.
An awesome plan.
ReplyDeleteYou do realise that once that arbor has tasted blood, it will want more? That's how knives, pins, needles and scissors work around here at least. DH's favourite part of any project is Beer O'Clock.
ReplyDeleteLove the garden - I can live vicariously :-)
We have been wanting an arbor also. Do you think the one you built is sturdy? My fear is I will build one with all the blood, sweat and tears and find it isn't as sturdy as is needed. I just want clematis or wisteria but I saw both of those pull a wooden fence over. I'm sure if the owner of the fence had been vigilant and trimmed them more it might have lasted longer.
ReplyDeleteAnyway just curious.
I love looking at your garden. So many changes in the short time you have lived there.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteDiane,
ReplyDeleteThe arbor comes with metal stakes that fit into the uprights and then are anchored with cement in the ground. It has braces at the top, so it feels quite sturdy as we moved it around the yard. I imagine that one would judiciously place it in such a way as to avoid high winds, and once the vines are on it, I can see it becoming sturdier. I know Sweet Autumn Clematis won't let go without a fight!