Tennessee gardeners are getting creative, and honestly, I’m obsessed with what they’re doing. They’re building these charming little plant tunnels that look like something out of a storybook.
It’s not just cute—it’s clever, too, giving veggies and vines a cozy spot to thrive. You’ve got to see how these tunnels turn a regular garden into a magical green walkway.
I might have to try this myself, and I’m betting you’ll feel the same.
1. Wisteria
Nothing captures the essence of Southern charm quite like a wisteria tunnel with cascading purple blooms. Tennessee gardeners are using sturdy pergola structures to support these vigorous climbers that can transform a walkway in just a few seasons.
The fragrant flowers create an unforgettable sensory experience in spring, making these tunnels popular for garden weddings across the Volunteer State. Just be prepared to prune regularly – these beauties grow with impressive determination!
2. Climbing Roses
Romantic and timeless, climbing rose tunnels are making a spectacular comeback in Tennessee gardens. Gardeners are selecting disease-resistant varieties like ‘New Dawn’ and ‘Zéphirine Drouhin’ that thrive in the state’s humid climate without extensive chemical treatments.
The key to success lies in proper training along arched trellises and regular feeding throughout the growing season. Many Tennessee rose enthusiasts incorporate string lights among the blooms for magical evening garden parties.
3. Grape Vines
Functional and beautiful, grape vine tunnels offer Tennessee gardeners both shade and a delicious harvest. Local varieties like Norton and Catawba thrive in the state’s climate, creating lush green canopies that transform into vibrant fall displays.
Many Tennessee homesteaders are designing these living passageways between garden rooms or leading to outdoor dining areas. The dappled shade creates a microclimate perfect for enjoying summer evenings, while the autumn grape harvest becomes a family tradition.
4. Honeysuckle
Sweet-scented honeysuckle tunnels are becoming garden favorites across Tennessee. The native trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) offers gardeners a pollinator-friendly option that hummingbirds absolutely adore while avoiding the invasive Japanese varieties.
Many Tennessee gardeners are training these vigorous vines over simple hoop structures made from cattle panels or rebar. The intoxicating fragrance creates an unforgettable sensory experience during evening garden strolls through these living corridors.
5. Bamboo
For instant impact, Tennessee gardeners are creating dramatic bamboo tunnels. Using clumping varieties (not the invasive running types) planted in rows and carefully trained to arch inward, these living structures provide year-round interest and a tropical feel.
The gentle rustling sound of bamboo leaves adds an auditory dimension to these passageways unique among Tennessee garden features. Many homeowners incorporate stone pathways beneath these elegant green arches for an enhanced Asian-inspired garden experience.
6. Morning Glory
Budget-friendly and quick-growing, morning glory tunnels are popping up in Tennessee community gardens everywhere. These annual vines transform simple string or wire structures into breathtaking blue, purple, and pink flowered passageways in just a single season.
Tennessee gardeners appreciate how these plants self-seed, returning year after year with minimal effort. The flowers open fresh each morning and close by afternoon, creating a magical ever-changing display throughout the warm months that delights visitors of all ages.
7. Apple Espalier
Combining beauty with bounty, espaliered apple tunnels are a sophisticated trend among Tennessee’s fruit-growing enthusiasts. By training dwarf apple varieties along arched frameworks, gardeners create stunning blossom-filled passages in spring that transform into fruit-laden corridors by fall.
Tennessee’s climate is perfect for varieties like Gala and Honeycrisp that require sufficient chill hours. The organized structure makes harvesting incredibly simple, while the architectural form provides year-round visual interest even when trees are dormant.
8. Jasmine
Star jasmine tunnels are becoming signature features in Tennessee’s fragrant gardens. These sweetly scented evergreen vines create year-round structure while offering spectacular flowering displays that perfume entire neighborhoods on summer evenings.
Many Tennessee gardeners are installing these aromatic passageways near patios and outdoor living spaces. The glossy foliage provides a beautiful backdrop for the starry white blooms, while the plant’s tolerance for the state’s occasional drought makes maintenance relatively straightforward.
9. Trumpet Vine
Bold and dramatic, trumpet vine tunnels make unforgettable statements in Tennessee landscapes. The bright orange-red tubular flowers attract scores of hummingbirds and create fiery corridors that seem to glow in the summer sunlight.
Tennessee gardeners with space to spare appreciate how these vigorous natives require minimal care once established. Many homeowners are creating these living tunnels as transitions between different garden areas, using the plant’s natural enthusiasm to quickly cover substantial structures.
10. Hops
Tennessee’s growing craft beer scene has inspired a trend in ornamental hops tunnels. These fast-growing vines create lush green passages during summer, with the distinctive cone-shaped flowers adding unique textural interest that continues into fall.
Home brewers across the Volunteer State are combining hobby with landscape design, creating productive garden features. The vines die back completely in winter, making these tunnels ideal for gardeners who want seasonal shade but winter sun in specific garden areas.
11. Clematis
For show-stopping floral displays, Tennessee gardeners are creating clematis tunnels using multiple varieties for sequential blooming. By combining early, mid, and late-season types, these passageways offer colorful interest from spring through fall.
The Tennessee climate suits these versatile climbers perfectly. Gardeners are getting creative with color schemes – some creating rainbow effects while others stick to sophisticated single-color themes that transform ordinary garden paths into extraordinary flowering corridors.
12. Kiwi
Hardy kiwi tunnels are the perfect blend of ornamental and edible gardening gaining popularity across Tennessee. Unlike their fuzzy supermarket cousins, these smooth grape-sized fruits grow on vigorous vines that create dense, attractive coverage over garden structures.
Tennessee gardeners appreciate how these plants thrive in the state’s climate with minimal pest issues. Both male and female plants are needed for fruit production, creating tunnels with abundant harvests from late summer into fall that delight both children and adults.
13. Passion Flower
Native passion flower tunnels combine exotic beauty with ecological benefits in Tennessee gardens. The intricate purple flowers seem almost otherworldly, while serving as crucial host plants for Gulf fritillary butterflies, adding movement and life to these garden passages.
Tennessee gardeners appreciate using these indigenous vines that are perfectly adapted to local conditions. Many create these tunnels as centerpieces for butterfly gardens, incorporating seating areas where visitors can observe the fascinating life cycles unfolding among the spectacular blooms.
14. Beans
Practical and pretty, bean tunnels are becoming fixtures in Tennessee’s vegetable gardens. Using both pole beans and runner beans with their bright scarlet flowers, these edible archways transform utilitarian growing spaces into ornamental features.
Tennessee’s long growing season allows for substantial harvests from these vertical gardens. Children especially delight in walking through these green corridors, picking beans at eye level instead of bending down, making vegetable gardening a family-friendly activity throughout the summer months.
15. Confederate Jasmine
Evergreen and prolific, Confederate jasmine tunnels provide year-round structure and spectacular spring fragrance in Tennessee gardens. The glossy foliage creates a dense canopy while the starry white flowers release an intoxicating scent that carries across garden spaces.
Tennessee gardeners in warmer zones find these tunnels particularly successful. Many homeowners are incorporating these fragrant passages near windows and outdoor living areas where the sweet perfume can be appreciated during evening gatherings throughout the flowering season.