Muehlenbeckia 'Sealand,' better known as Creeping Wire Vine, is often passed over in favor of the bigger leafed trailing annuals such as Sweet Potato Vine and Creeping Jenny. Its small round, dark green leaves are attached to wiry stems, and looks as though it would be lost when planted with big, bold summer flowers. While there is some truth to that, Wire Vine is tough and often stays green throughout our Pacific NW winters after all those other summer trailers shrink up and disappear with the first frost.

Wire Vine is a great choice for year-round baskets, pairing well with evergreens such as euonymus, gardenias, or conifers, and requires little maintenance. It will probably need a haircut at the end of summer or in the early spring to keep it from over-running its companions, and to maintain its good looks.