There are many reasons to grow climbing plants, and hardly any not to. Fences and walls always look better when there’s a beautiful plant adorning them – not to mention the added benefits to wildlife they bring. Climbers provide shelter, nest sites for birds, plus nectar-laden flowers for pollinators and in some cases juicy berries for wildlife to eat – a marked improvement on an expanse of sterile shiplap fence or brick wall.
Climbing plants can be grown up garden features like arches, pergolas and arbours to create beautiful structures dripping with flowers. They can also be used to cover the walls of your house or outbuildings, softening hard lines with a leafy covering and even turning your home into a floral spectacle in the case of climbers like wisteria. Certain climbers on the house can act as insulation, helping the building be more energy efficient. Research by English Heritage and Oxford University showed that a covering of ivy kept walls 15% warmer in winter, and 36% cooler in summer – as well as protecting masonry from frost, salt and pollution.
Vigorous climbers will quickly hide an eyesore: put up some trellis, plant the climber and within a couple of years you won’t need to look at that ugly shed, oil tank or bin store again.
And for the plant lover, climbers represent a vast group that includes some of the most tempting plants you can add to your garden. They can boast incredibly beautiful flowers and alluring foliage, they include much-loved favourites as well as covetable rarities, and there’s one for almost every aspect and season – read our guides to the best climbers for spring, summer, autumn and winter interest for more inspiration. With so many reasons to grow them, the only tricky thing is narrowing down which to plant.
Don’t forget that climbers fall into two broad camps: ones that will self-cling to surfaces so can be left to climb by themselves, and ones that twine or scramble their way up things. These need something to twine around – usually trellis or wires on walls and fences, or free-standing structures like obelisks and arches – and they need tying in to those supports so they head in an upwards direction.
Evergreen climbers
Grow evergreen climbers and unlike a deciduous climber which will lose its leaves during winter, you’re guaranteed their good looks all year round. That’s an important consideration if you want your climber to permanently hide an eyesore.
Good evergreen climbers to try
Common ivy (Hedera helix) – glossy lobed leaves in green, with lots of cultivars to choose from featuring variegation and interesting leaf shapes.
Persian ivy (Hedera colchica) – much larger leaves than common ivy, to create a lush and glamorous effect.
Pileostegia viburnoides – frothy white flowers in summer and glossy small leaves year-round.
Clematis armandi – white or palest pink scented flowers in spring, held among long leathery leaves.
Clematis cirrhosa – nodding, bell-shaped, cream-coloured flowers in the dead of winter, sometimes with attractive maroon freckles, and feathery foliage.
Passionflower (Passiflora caerulea) – fantastic exotic-looking flowers, often followed by orange fruits and tendrilly foliage.
Potato vine (Solanum laxum) – semi-evergreen pinnate leaves are joined in summer by white or mauve-purple flowers depending on the cultivar.
Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) – highly fragrant flowers on this evergreen climber that is hardy down to -10°C.
Read our full guide to evergreen climbers.
Climbing plants for sunny spots
Nearly all clematis enjoy a sunny wall or fence. Whether that’s spring-flowering Clematis alpina and C. armandi, the flamboyant summer-flowering ones like ‘Nelly Moser’, autumn-blooming Viticella clematis and winter-interest clematis such as C. cirrhosa.
Hops (Humulus lupulus) and grapevines do well in sun. You can grow grapevines for dessert grapes – Ian Tocher, garden manager at Hampton Court Palace, recommends Vitis vinifera ‘Picurka’ a golden-yellow seedless dessert grape with a freckled skin, and V. vinifera ‘Flame’, which is a seedless red eating grape. He also suggests white ‘Phoenix’ for good disease resistance and black ‘Regent’ which is a dual-purpose grape suitable for eating and winemaking. ‘Brant’ is a late-season grape with small, sweet fruit and spectacular autumn colour, while ‘Boskoop Glory’ reliably produces heavy crops of sweet eating grapes, Ian advises. Or, grow a grapevine known more for its ornamental qualities, such as large-leaved Vitis coignetiae, which has amazing autumn colour as its leaves fall.
For fragrant flowers, honeysuckles won’t let you down. Lonicera periclymenum ‘Belgica’ is an early-flowering cultivar that starts to bloom in May or June, with ruby-pink flowers that turn apricot yellow as they age. Fragrant jasmine – whether that’s true jasmine (Jasminum officinale), or star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) are both happy in a sunny spot, too.
Gardeners with a sense of adventure and a sunny wall to cover might like to seek out Ampelopsis brevipedunculata. This unusual climber has lobed leaves, not dissimilar to a grapevine’s, but the main draw is the berries it produces in autumn which are pink, blue and purple and covered in speckles. There’s a much better chance of a good show of these after a hot, sunny summer so you need the weather on your side. Passionflowers (Passiflora caerulea) are another climber that thrives in a hot, sunny summer.
Anyone who wants a showstopper on a sunny wall should look to wisteria for its majestic flowers in spring, although note that you’ll need to fix sturdy wires to the house to train it onto and prune it each year to maximise its flowers. It’s also hard to beat a climbing rose for breathtaking floral displays – there’s a vast selection of climbers and ramblers to choose from. Climbing roses tend to be more manageably sized and will often repeat flower; rambling roses are very vigorous and can ramble for many metres. They also usually flower in one glorious flush of blooms. Since roses also need to be tied onto trellis or wires, consider one of the less thorny or thornless climbing roses, and look forward to a much less painful job!
All of the sun-loving climbers above need support and tying in, but if you’re after one that self-clings, look to campsis, with its tropical-looking trumpet flowers in shades of orange. Campsis are hardy down to around -10°C, so if you garden in an area of the country that can experience lower temperatures during a really cold winter, it may be a risky choice.
Climbing plants for shade
Ivy is the first choice for many when it comes to clothing a shady wall or fence, especially because it self-clings so needs minimal attention. They’re not just plain green either: there’s so much variation in leaf shape, size and colour among Hedera helix, Hedera colchica and Hedera algeriensis cultivars, including ones with beautiful cream or white variegation that helps light up a shady spot.
Climbing hydrangea, Pileostegia viburnoides, is another good choice for shade, and it’s evergreen for year-round interest. If you don’t mind your climber losing its leaves in winter, consider the true climbing hydrangea, Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris. This produces lovely white hydrangea flowers in summer, before the leaves turn butter yellow and fall in autumn. In winter it’s not without its charms, since its stems have flaky brown bark that adds its own low-key interest. Both self-cling, but might need a bit of a hand to get started so tie them to a support at first. Schizophragma is a hydrangea relative – the white summer flowers give it away – that’s very desirable but can be slow to establish and flower, which it only does once mature.
Self-clinging parthenocissus is a good choice for shade but beware its vigour. Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and Parthenocissus henryana are all fast-growing plants that will romp away once they’ve got their roots down. Their palmate foliage is very attractive though, and they all have vibrant autumn colour before they lose their leaves.
Some clematis don’t mind growing in shade – in fact strong sun can bleach out the colour of some clematis’ flowers so dappled shade often brings better results. Try ‘Nelly Moser’, ‘Hagley Hybrid’, ‘Bees Jubilee’ and ‘Comtesse de Bouchaud’ among the summer-flowering varieties.
There are also honeysuckles that will cope with a shady spot. Try sweetly fragrant Lonicera periclymenum ‘Graham Thomas’ with its white and yellow flowers, or Lonicera x tellmanniana, which unfortunately doesn’t have any scent, but its warm coppery-orange flowers make up for it in looks. Lonicera x brownii ‘Dropmore Scarlet’ isn’t scented either, but its coral-orange tubular flowers have an excitingly exotic look.
Akebia quinata is worth considering for shade. It has pretty emerald-green foliage but is mostly known for its maroon-pink flowers which have a vanilla scent that’s reminiscent of chocolate, hence its common name the chocolate vine. Sometimes, usually only after a hot summer, the flowers are followed by enormous pink seed pods that contain an edible pulp which is said to taste like chocolate.
There are also climbing roses that don’t mind a shady wall. ‘Madame Alfred Carrière’ is worth considering, as is pale pink ‘New Dawn’, purple ‘Veilchenblau’, peachy-pink ‘The Generous Gardener’ and white flushed pink ‘Shropshire Lass’.
Sissinghurst’s Claire Margetts has picked 10 climbers that grow in shade or partial shade, if you need more inspiration.
Fast growing climbers
There are lots of vigorous climbers that will do a speedy job for you. But a word of warning: once they’ve covered the area you want them to, be prepared to keep them in check.
A good choice for spring is Clematis montana with its pretty four-petalled pink flowers. Its purple stems grow extremely quickly so it’s perfect for a quick cover up.
Golden hop (Humulus lupulus ‘Aureus’) is another attractive choice, but again, be prepared to keep on top of this fast grower. It will quickly cover arches and bowers with its billowing golden leaves and hop flowers.
Vitis coignetiae has large leaves with super autumn colour, perfect for covering a fence. Or look for Vitis vinifera ‘Brant’ which also has excellent colour in autumn, and grapes. Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) is popular for autumn and is one of the easiest climbers you could choose. There’s no need to go to the bother of putting up trellis with this one – its tiny ‘suckers’ hold it firmly onto the surface of walls and fences.
Passionflower (Passiflora caerulea) grows quickly and puts on a stunning display of exotic flowers. It is hardy in most parts of the country, and even if you have to cut it back hard in spring to remove any damage from winter, it will quickly recover and cover walls and trellis with its hand-like leaves and spiralling tendrils.
For scent, go for a honeysuckle. Nothing beats this cottage garden favourite for beautiful coverage or arches or pergolas. Look for creamy-white Lonicera japonica ‘Halliana’ or pink L. periclymenum ‘Serotina’.
If it’s scent and flower power you’re after, you could choose one of the rambling roses. Varieties such as Rosa filipes ‘Kiftsgate’ or ‘Paul’s Himalayan Musk’ are tough and grow very quickly so make sure you have enough room, and that you’ll be able to keep them under control.
A fast-growing climber to plant at your own risk!
It’s not for nothing that Russian vine is also called mile-a-minute. This rapidly growing climber (Fallopia baldschuanica) will cover anything in its path in the blink of an eye, so think hard before you’re tempted to buy one. It can easily engulf a whole house if it’s not kept under control so make sure you know what you are doing before planting.
Annual climbers
Perhaps the fastest growers of all, annual climbers grow from seed sown in spring, race upwards to flower in summer before dying off when the first frosts strike. It does mean that you have to sow them every year you want them, but that offers lots of scope to ring the changes and experiment with new varieties, colours and planting schemes – they’re fast and good fun to grow.
Good annual climbers to try
Sweet peas – a classic annual climber that will give you sweetly-scented flowers for cutting as well as disguising trellis or netting.
Morning glory (Ipomoea tricolor) – varieties such as maroon-purple ‘Grandpa Ott’ are readily available, or try the cobalt blooms of ‘Heavenly Blue’
Cobaea scandens – impressive ‘cup and saucer’ flowers will come later in the summer from this vigorous twining climber.
Black-eyed Susan – cheery orange flowers with a black ‘eye’ in the centre of each one will climb up an upright support.
Runner beans – why not harvest some vegetables while you’re at it? Runner beans have pretty scarlet, white, pink or even bi-coloured flowers, grow quickly and have lush green foliage.
Tropaeolum peregrinum – This pretty climber has bright yellow flowers and will soon cover a surface if you give it some strings to cling to.
Read our full guide to growing annual climbers.
Best fragrant climbers
One of the nicest things about climbers is how many of them bear scented flowers. Grow them over arches and arbours, around a niche for bench, across a pergola that shelters your dining area, and you’ll create a fragrant haven.
Climbers with fragrant flowers in spring
Clematis armandi – white or pale pink flowers, not dissimilar to apple blossom, have a lovely fresh scent.
Clematis montana – has simple pink flowers that smell a bit like almonds.
Wisteria – the long, dripping racemes of wisteria are indescribably beautiful. Read our guide to the wisteria varieties that have the best fragrance.
Rosa banksiae ‘Lutea’ – this rambling rose is one of the earliest to flower from late spring, its creamy yellow blooms lightly scented.
Climbers with fragrant flowers in summer
Honeysuckle – try Lonicera periclymenum ‘Heaven Scent’, ‘Fragrant Cloud’ and ‘Graham Thomas’ for the strongest scent.
Trachelospermum jasminoides – white flowers like tiny propellors emit a strong, sweet fragrance.
Annual sweet peas – most sweet pea catalogues offer a rating for scent so look for the strongest. ‘King Edward VII’, ‘Matucana’ and ‘Hi Scent’ are recommended.
Clematis x triternata ‘Rubromarginata’ – flowering in late summer and into autumn, the starry purple flowers of this clematis smell strongly of almonds.
Jasminum officinale ‘Devon Cream’ – a change from the white flowers of the species, ‘Devon Cream’ is a soft clotted cream shade.
What are wall shrubs?
Wall shrubs aren’t climbers in that they don’t self-cling or twine or scramble their way up a support. But certain shrubs are very amenable to being pruned and trained so that ultimately they end up covering a wall or surface in the same way a climber would.
A warm, sunny wall also acts like a radiator, storing the warmth of the sun in its stone or brick. That allows you to grow shrubs that wouldn’t be very happy out in the open garden but really enjoy basking in the added heat and shelter a wall affords.
Good wall shrubs for a sunny wall
Ceanothus (Californian lilac)
Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca ‘Citrina’
Ribes speciosum
Cytisus battandieri (pineapple broom)
Fremontodendron
Abutilon ‘Kentish Belle’
Good wall shrubs for a shady wall
Cotoneaster horizontalis
Pyracantha
Crinodendron hookerianum
Chaenomeles
Jasminum nudiflorum
Camellias such as ‘Donation’
See our list of top 10 wall shrubs for more ideas.
Supporting climbers
Unless they self-cling – like ivy or Virginia creeper – most climbers need support. It pays to know how the climber you’re growing climbs: they have different methods, which lend themselves to different types of support.
Some, like sweet peas and some clematis, produce tendrils which they use to wrap around the support. Others, like wisteria and honeysuckle, are twining climbers, their stems spiralling up any upright support. Thorny climbers like roses use the thorns on their stems as grappling hooks to keep heading upwards. Wall shrubs can’t climb but are happy to have their flexible stems trained and tied onto a support.
See our full guide to tying in climbers for more advice.
On walls and fences, attach trellis or horizontal wires to support the climber and give you something to tie its stems to. Don’t screw trellis for climbing plants directly onto the wall – doing so halves the amount of support it can offer since half its slats will be flush against the wall surface and the climber won’t be able to wrap its stems behind it. Use little blocks of wood to screw the trellis onto so the entire trellis panel is proud of the wall.
Use vine eyes to hold taut wire horizontally on walls and fences. Screw-in vine eyes are suitable for timber, while the traditional hammer- or drive-in vine eyes are best suited for masonry or brickwork. Look for stainless steel vine eyes and wire so they don’t rust.
In borders, obelisks or rose pillars can be used to great effect, supporting smaller climbers while adding height or a repeated element along the border if you have more than one. Larger garden structures that cry out to be adorned with a handsome climber include pergolas, garden arches, arbours and gazebos.