Grape Vine

Three productive vines make use of the garden’s boundaries and narrow spaces, providing fruit, summer foliage and seasonal change.

Growing into the garden’s edges

There are three grape vines growing at Seed to Sea. Two are trained along the fence line, where their leafy growth turns the boundary into a productive part of the garden. The third grows behind the Ballerina apple trees, with a feijoa growing on its other side.

Together, the vines show how fruit can be grown in spaces that might otherwise be overlooked. During summer, their foliage softens the garden edges and creates a greener, more sheltered environment. As the days cool, the leaves fall and allow winter light back into the surrounding garden.

Their role in the garden

• Produce grapes for eating, cooking or preserving.

• Make productive use of the fence line and narrow orchard spaces.

• Add leafy summer cover, shelter and seasonal habitat.

• Grow alongside the Ballerina apple trees and feijoa as part of a layered orchard.

• Allow more light into the garden after their leaves fall in winter.

At a glance

Location: Two vines along the fence line and one behind the Ballerina apple trees, beside a feijoa
Number of vines: Three
Plant type: Deciduous fruiting vine
Harvest: Typically late summer to autumn
Botanical name:Vitis vinifera
Family: Vitaceae
Pollination: Most cultivated grape varieties are self-fertile
Cultivars: Add if known

The three grape vines show how fences, boundaries and the spaces between other fruit plants can become productive parts of a small urban garden.