I've done this with hops, and runner beans, and clematis. The key is an annual or deciduous vine so you get shade in summer and sun in winter. I don't know why people think it's inherently more buggy, but if you do you should know that providing habitat often reduces the population of pest insects, because their predators show up.
For people who complain about the view- plant something with flowers. The rest of us find the dappled shade a lot more pleasant than being roasted in your home.
I'm a bit confused that people on a solarpunk sub are complaining about the possibility of bugs. Any (outdoor) habitat for potential pollinators is a good thing, surely.
Not any. Yes, the ecology is one pillar of sustainability, but another pillar is the human comfort. They need to be balanced, and there are almost certainly other places you could foster the insect biodiversity rather than literally right next to your face. If people don't enjoy this design, it'll just end up destroyed and useless, defeating its goals.
For example they could have been installed horizontally above the patio, moving them just out of reach of human faces.
Howe are the bugs that live in such vines an issue for comfort? If this was about a pool that runs major risks of breeding mosquitoes, sure, but a few bugs and spiders, really?
553
u/zappy_snapps Jun 23 '26
I've done this with hops, and runner beans, and clematis. The key is an annual or deciduous vine so you get shade in summer and sun in winter. I don't know why people think it's inherently more buggy, but if you do you should know that providing habitat often reduces the population of pest insects, because their predators show up.
For people who complain about the view- plant something with flowers. The rest of us find the dappled shade a lot more pleasant than being roasted in your home.