Skip to main content
Donate to the 95 years appeal
Staying in tune with grapevines
The plant’s leaves gladden the eye as much as they tickle the palate. MAT COWARD has the details
Vine leaves [domdomegg/Creative Commons]

GROWING vines for grapes can be difficult, depending on what part of these islands you live in, which way your garden faces, and whether you have a greenhouse. But growing them for vine leaves is easy, productive and highly ornamental.

I don’t know of any variety of grapevine available in this country which is specifically bred for the purpose of providing home-grown dolmades, although Pinot Noir is sometimes recommended as suitable.

But any variety will do, so when going through catalogues or websites to choose a plant look for one that is considered fully hardy in your area, and which has an autumnal foliage colour that you find attractive.

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
More from this author
(L to R) Wong Boks and a Chinese cabbage and tofu soup  Pics (L to R): Bayartai/CC and NeoBatfreak/CC
Features / 19 July 2025
19 July 2025

MAT COWARD presents a peculiar cabbage that will only do its bodybuilding once the summer dies down

CRIME
Crime fiction / 8 July 2025
8 July 2025

A heatwave, a crimewave, and weird bollocks in Aberdeen, Indiana horror, and the end of the American Dream

crime
Book Reviews / 10 June 2025
10 June 2025

A corrupted chemist, a Hampstead homosexual and finely observed class-conflict at The Bohemia

Organic beetroot / Pic: Evan-Amos/CC
Gardening / 7 June 2025
7 June 2025

Beet likes warmth, who doesn’t, so attention to detail is required if you’re to succeed, writes MAT COWARD

Similar stories
Tree spinach
Features / 12 April 2025
12 April 2025
Well, MAT COWARD did, and here’s his introduction to it
Gardening / 8 March 2025
8 March 2025
It’s a dead easy crop to grow and can be made into one of Britain’s best sauces. MAT COWARD explains how
Garlic chives on a plate
Gardening / 9 November 2024
9 November 2024
MAT COWARD declares this plant to be one that ‘everyone should grow’
(Left to right) Alpine strawberries; and a strawberry depict
Gardening / 16 August 2024
16 August 2024
MAT COWARD recommends growing Alpine strawberries, which have a stronger flavour than their larger cousins, but which are happily unappealing to slugs and birds