Within a week of moving house, three years ago, I was dreaming of climbing plants: anything that could clothe the uninspiring domesticity of my new garden’s bare fences.
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Three summers on, I have a good sense of which climbers thrust ahead and which take their time to get established; which spread thinly or densely; which annuals offer up a temporary, seasonal backdrop; which climb perfectly well unaided; and which benefit from a supportive frame. Here are 10 climbers I’ve enjoyed growing, and how to nurture them.
Often slower-growing yet enduringly structural, woody climbers produce hardened stems that lignify in place. They include plants such as ceanothus, trumpet vine, wisteria, akebia and rose, many of which require the sturdy support of wire or trellis. Undoubtedly, woody plants demand more patience, but they can prove low-maintenance in the long term, and are easy to train and shape.
From £7.99 at J Parker’s£11.69 at B&Q
A house-warming gift, one of the first climbers added to my garden was the cream yellow-flowered honeysuckle,Lonicera periclymenumGraham Thomas. A woodlander at home in low light, it was planted in the north-facing shade of our house, where its dark, glaucous-leaved stems clamber over horizontal wires, producing phenomenal, night-scented midsummer blooms visited by moths.
£9.99 at Jacksons NurseriesFrom £11.24 at Crocus
This one will take time to get going, but few climbing plants are as rewarding asHydrangea petiolaris. Endlessly elegant with clusters of refined white, the deciduous petiolaris uses aerial roots to attach itself to surfaces, though wires can offer a leg up while it establishes itself. Growing happily in semi-shade, and relatively unfussy of soil preference, the only difficulty with this heavily set hydrangea is keeping it from bushing out from the wall or fence. To avoid this, prune outwardly extended stems back by a few buds right after summer flowering.
The Pilgrim
£33 at Burford
Madame Alfred Carrière
£21.59 at Carbeth plants£23.38 at B&Q
Unlike the often untamable “rambling” rose, climbers can be heavily micromanaged – so you can tie them into artful loops or swirls, which can become obsessive, trust me. The temptation with roses might be to direct the stems upwards for quicker results, but the key for maximum surface coverage is to get strong, long stems tied down horizontally, incrementally in succession up a wall or fence: horizontals promote more flowers and further vertical growth, which will add density at a surprising pace. Planted in full sun, favourites from my garden include bold-blooming, butter yellow the Pilgrim and fellow David Austin cultivar Mme Alfred Carrière, whose pink-tinged buds open a blushed, strongly scented white.
£19.95 at Gardening Express£24 at Ornamental Trees
Surprisingly hardy given its somewhat precious appearance, this thickly foliaged kiwi relative bears curiously white and pink-tipped heart-shaped leaves. Once established in a sunny yet wind-sheltered spot and supported with wires, its woody stems will quickly advance and offer up a foliar blanket.
While many climbing plants form a lasting framework, others can be cut down to regrow each year. These include some of the showiest varieties, whose well-established roots promote speedy, active growth each spring.
From £3.99 at J Parker’sFrom £11.24 at Crocus
By far the most vigorous shady climber in my – or indeed any – garden, virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) will attain heights by any means available. Often seen scrambling lamp-posts as it does woodland trees in its native Appalachia, this is one to keep in check, if necessary, by cutting back to a couple of feet each spring, once established. I got mine going on wires initially, however, it will self-adhere without fuss. Before shedding, its leaves blaze ochre through red across autumn.
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Clematis tangutica
From £7.99 at J Parker’s£24.95 at Waitrose Garden
Clematis Perle d’Azur
£24.99 at Coolings
Clematis are categorised into three key groups – those that flower in spring and in summer on the previous year’s stems, and those that do all the work via the current season’s growth. Cut down to 40-50cm from the ground in early spring and sending up energetic new shoots, this latter category includes popularviticella cultivarssuch as the blue-violet Perle d’Azur and the endearingly wild, lemony Clematis tangutica.
£29.99 at Gardening Express
Another vigorous contender, the grape relativeVitis coignetiaecomes into its own in autumn, when its huge, lobed leaves become emboldened with dramatic hues of crimson, orange and plum. Grow on wires or up a tree in free-draining soil.
In my view, annuals are often overlooked as fence-covering climbers. This might be due to their impermanence – here for one season and gone the next – but this can also be their strength. They are very quick growing, can act as temporary fillers while woodier climbers are getting going, and very often produce excellent flowers and attractive, sometimes edible seed pods. Although typically grown on “teepees” or canes, by threading twigs (such as hazel or birch) through fence wires, they’ll have lots to cling to, encouraging quick growth.
99p for 20 seeds at Thompson & MorganFrom £3.29 for 20 seeds at Crocus
I’ll never tire of growing sweet peas – their fragrance is alluring and their range considerable, from showy mauves and maroons to subtle whites and greens. Easily germinated on a windowsill indoors, they can be planted out in spring sunshine and, owing to grappling tendrils, scale a fence by midsummer. Among the copious options, I particularly like growing the profuse cultivarsCedric Morris(plum-purple) and Painted Lady (pink-white).
From £3.69 for 15 seeds at Crocus£3.79 for 15 seeds at Waitrose Garden
Commonly known as the cup-and-saucer vine and hailing from Mexico, where its large bell-shaped flowers in purple and cream are pollinated by bats, cobaea is a stunning single-season addition. Climbing its way up with anchoring tendrils, it blooms in late summer for an extended period. Performs best from early sowings, however, small plants can be bought about now, saving the trouble of home germination.
£3.59 for 30 seeds at Thompson & Morgan£3.99 for 30 seeds at Amazon
Despite the clear culinary associations, it is sometimes forgotten that runner beans were once cultivated as ornamentals, their vibrant scarlet, white and salmon flowers tumbling from twining vines. I say you can have both, and as anyone who has ever grown runner beans will attest, you can definitely have too many runners. Initially, deadhead the spent flowers before they can produce pods, and enjoy the rampant blooming before allowing them to fruit. Position in full sun if possible, and keep well watered.
Matt Collins is a garden, nature and travel writer, and head gardener at the Garden Museum in London