Grape vines can be used in many interesting ways. We most often see them in images from wine growing areas and have them at home growing up a lattice or chain link fence. But what if you use them not only for food, but to produce a cool shade or as a fast growing screen on a fence?
Although very fast growing in season, with little effort, the vines can be kept under control and can be used very nicely as an informal hedge-with some support, or to provide summer shade on an arbor or pergola. To produce the best fruit and to help reduce mildew, it is best to grow the plants in full sun.
Here is a vine grown for wine production.
This is the structure of the vine when it is deciduous, or has lost its foliage in the winter.
An older vine supported on a wire can add interesting branching structure, try this at home.
Here are example of grapes grown on an overhead wire structure and pergola.
This European city uses much of its unused area as green space. Young grape vines grow in the median.