A gardener's garden page

We planted a grape vine this year, with the intention of using it to create shade for summer lunches. We already have a grape in the parterre garden and are gradually training and pruning this to cover the garage wall. This is a Madeline Angevine, an early-fruiting variety for eating or wine making. It is a popular variety with English vineyards (including Three Choirs) but originated in the Loire region of France in the 50’s. Like apples, I gather it needs cross-pollination by another grape variety flowering at the same time to bear good crops of fruit and I am hoping the new planting will be close enough to be of service in this respect

I often suggest grapes for pergolas: they cast a light shade when you need it at the height of summer and can be pruned back hard to allow light through in the winter. Grapes are fully hardy in this country but we are at the northern limit for fruit production. It is best to select early-fruiting varieties in our climate and provide a warm, sheltered spot if at all possible. This will also help prevent disease problems.

Of course, there is much to enjoy in a Grape plant even without fruit: they have attractive leaves that develop good autumn colours and bring a touch of the Mediterranean to even the most miserable of English summers. Plant hunting for a client yesterday I returned with a purple-leaved form and Vitis coiggnetiae, well known for its huge leaves and the brillient orange and crimson colours of the fading leaves.

Fruits, in a range of shades of blue-black or yellow green are also attractive and have potential for eating, cooking or wine making, of course.

If like us, you tend to holiday in areas with winemaking traditions, you might be tempted to bring a plant back with you and you may be disappointed. Successful fruiting varieties are generally bred for the purpose in Northern Europe rather than the sunnier South. Growing from seed is also likely to be unsuccessful in terms of fruit and proven varieties are propagated by grafting or from cuttings. They can be bought in  garden centres but for the widest range specialist nurseries are best and most sell plants by mail order. Worth a Google search, I would have thought.

Pruning puzzles or scares off many gardeners from growing grape vines. In commercial vineyards a number of techniques are used depending on tradition, climate or harvesting technique. The essential point to remember is that vines fruit on new growth made each year and these shoots should be encouraged to grow well and in the open.

In the case of our pergola I propose training a shoot up one of the four posts to the top bar and along this bar to the far side. New growth will be allowed all the way along this horizontal vine and encouraged to grow across the top of the square “roof” of the structure to provide the shade we seek. At the end of the year, after leaf fall, the new growth will be cut back to within a couple of buds of the main vine, which the following season will break and grow across the pergola again.

I suspect this seating area will not provide fruit for wine-making although wine will undoubtedly be consumed in its shelter. Perhaps this is the ideal garden feature, providing a little time for pottering and a great deal of time for relaxing. Cheers!

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• #1 Comment from ally123130585918 
  16/08/05 13:43 | Permalink

  Where ever I have lived I have always planted a grape vine - last last year had one bought for my birthday - and put in the the greenhouse - I have never had such a good one - it is full of grapes - that actually look like real grapes - I know that may sound silly - but the other ones I have had only grew very small and deep green - but this one I am hoping to be able to actually make some wine with - would appreciate knowing how to look after them in winter ?  Ally