Although I mostly agree with Laurie's post (in its entirety below), I *must*
disagree with this part:

And BTW, I know several places where people have a single wisteria that
they
have trained as a standard or tree (they simply mow around it so runners
don't get started)

In my experience, at least, the runners aren't harmed a bit by the lawn
mower -- they're too busy "snaking" their way into the yard well
underneath the mower. I can vouch for this, as earlier today, I was mowing
the yard with the mower set really low (to give the Centipede grass an
advantage over the weeds) -- while the Wisteria trimmings that I thought I
picked up weeks ago got in the way of the mower, the new runners were not
bothered in the least! sigh.....

BTW, it turns out that woodchucks like Wisteria flowers -- I never would
have believed it if I hadn't seen the critter *in* the Wisteria tree!
Admittedly, it was not much of a climb, as it's a "bushy" Wisteria, but
still, the woodchuck was a good 18" off the ground!!!

Anne Lurie
NE Raleigh

"laurie (Mother Mastiff)" wrote in message
...
Ummm, I ADORE wisteria, but in case I ever want to sell this house, since
so
many people DO hate the invasiveness of wisteria, my compromise is to grow
it in big pots (I have a big blue on one side of the carport and a smaller
white on the other side). Then if I ever move, I can take it with me, I
am
very attached to mine.

Why not get two huge attractive pots and plant wisteria in them, one on
each
side of the swing frame? Just never EVER let the vines touch the ground
if
you don't want it to spread! (You might want to use saucers ubder the
pots
to keep the roots from spreading too.)

It blooms best in full sun, but bright shade makes it happy too. It may
not
bloom the first year after transplanting, so be patient. It makes nice
shade in summer. A swing frame sounds like a lovely place for it.

And BTW, I know several places where people have a single wisteria that
they
have trained as a standard or tree (they simply mow around it so runners
don't get started) and there is a big old 2-story white house on Salem St
in
Apex at the edge of downtown that has one of those arched old-fashioned
wooden trellis thingies with old wisteria vines on it. Truly lovely.

I used to drive around spotting the wild-growing wisteria with the best
color, as there is a lot of variation in color.

There is about an acre of wisteria on Gardner Rd off Martha's Chapel Rd
(off
751) that has unusual, smaller bunches of flowers in a nice deep blue,
that
would be well suited for something the size of a swing frame. Nobody
lives
there, so nobody would care if you went there and dug up some well rooted
pieces. (But wear tick spray, those woods are FULL of ticks!!!)

-- laurie brooke adams (Mother Mastiff) mastiffs at mindspring dot-com
***If a DOG could choose whether to just be beautiful, or to be sound
and healthy TOO, what do YOU think the dog would choose?***
(C) 2003 My words are my own. If you want to use them, ASK ME FIRST.

Exchequer Leghorns, Welsummers, several lines of Marans, some with feather
legs
Chicks only, accepting reservations now for 2003
"Raleighgirl" wrote in message
om...
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Mac, DO NOT plant wisteria. It does not care
about sun, shade, water, drought, or that you want it to stay on
a "swing frame." All it wants to grow all day every day until it
covers every tree and shrub in your yard. If you still think you
may want it, ask 3 people who have it growing in their yard if
they would plant it again. Hope that'll cure you.
Jeny

"MAC" wrote in message
...
| After seeing all the stuff growing in trees around the
Triangle, I
| thought it might be nice to let a plant or two climb the 6x6
swing frame
| we inherited from the previous owners, as it's not all that
attractive.
| But it's in the partial shade of a dogwood and a sweet gum, and
I've
| heard wisteria needs full sun. What are my chances?
|
| MAC
|