Clematis and climbing roses possess the magical ability to intertwine on vertical supports, like the wall of Jerilyn Silver's barn in Nambé, New Mexico. Silver and garden designer Sarah McCarty combined 'White Dawn', a large-flowered climbing rose, with 'Venosa Violacea', a blue-violet clematis dating back to 1883.

Since New Mexico winters can get cold and dry, McCarty "winterizes" the plants at season's end. She digs slow-release organic fertilizer into the soil, then forms a 12- to 18-inch mound of soil mixed with mulch around each plant's crown. She leaves a hole in the center to insert a slow-drip hose.

DESIGN: Sarah McCarty Garden Design, Santa Fe (505/982-3266)