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Hard-landscaping of any sort - walls, pergolas, fences, patios -look bare until the plants go in but when these structures are clothed in colourful and scented climbing plants, the transformation is amazing!
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| During pergola construction. Three pergolas of different dimensions, joined with trellis, make this area into a secluded patio. | And here it is! All finished and clothed in wonderful climbing plants. | A gorgeous purple clematis trails through the rafters. A perfect companion to the pink rambler rose. |
This is the part where you can really be creative, giving your structure a unique, individual style, with different colour combinations and scents. If you find plants with both, all the better.
Colour, scent and form are the main considerations when choosing your climbing plants. Disease resistance in roses is an important factor too.
Take a look at the species below, see if there is anything you fancy, and let your imagination run free.
Climbing Plants
There are only a few species of climbing plants here. That was intentional. I have kept the list to climbing plants that I know will grow well in most gardens, as they have been tried and tested. Even so, within each species there are many varieties to choose from - thousands, in fact!Also, I have listed some plants that are only 'frost hardy', for example solanum and the passion flower, yet even in the coldest areas, if protected by a trellis, wall, or sunny structure, they do really well.
Find useful information on each particular species:
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Everlasting Sweet Pea |
Seasonal Interest
If you have chosen a plant combination for colour, make sure the plants flower at about the same time! Also, try to choose a range of plants that will give interest at different times of the year and have a reasonably long flowering period.
This pergola picture shows the sublimely fragrant 'Aloha' against the gorgeously rich purple of 'The President'.
Plant Support
Some climbers are self-clinging, others will grow through trellis, which will then support the plant, and some will need to be tied to the trellis with twine or garden ties. All may need a little help at first.When tying climbers to the supporting structure, use a method that will avoid cutting into the stems of the plant, especially those that grow with thicker stems, such as roses, solanum and wisteria.
The twine in a tin is a really great idea, as it keeps the twine from getting knotted (so to speak!) and means that you don't need to have a pair of scissors to cut it.
I don't know about you, but I'm always putting things down and forgetting where they are! Now, I use a trug to keep gloves, secateurs, trowel, twine (and anything else I'm using), together and safe.
Anything soft and reusable is good too: soft to protect stems, and reusable to save on expense. As the season progresses, stems are cut down and plants trimmed, so I often find that I reuse many of my plant ties.
Climbing Plant Information
Apart from the information I give about the specific climbing plants listed above, there is a wealth of information included there from the online plant supplier, where you can find detailed information on all the plants, as well as getting ideas on the many different varieties available. Use this information as a resource. You can always nip down to your local garden centre armed with your planting plan, if it's more convenient.
Keep plant tags safe, as they may come in useful later, often having useful pointers for care and pruning. They also show the height and spread of the plant, which should be given due consideration.
There are also many useful books available.
There are three books, in particular that I would recommend:
RHS - Plants and Flowers
A fabulous book, with accurate, clear pictures. It covers a huge range of plants, showing many varieties of the same species. There are several ways you can use this book:
- Plants for a particular place e.g. dry shade, coastal sites, acid soil.
- Types of plants, in different seasons, sizes and colour ranges.
- An index of all the plants in the book, with varieties and descriptions.
It is well worth a look. I use this as my main reference guide for plants.
Roses - Phillips and Rix
If you need a very comprehensive list of all types of roses, this is the one for you! The Phillips and Rix publications (and there are many of them) always have the most fantastic true to life pictures. They really are very easy to use and I would recommend them to anyone. Some of their books are large and others are pocket size - you can't always tell from the image of the book cover itself.
Other Phillips and Rix books: Phillip and Rix
RHS - Pruning and Training
If there is one area that proves problematic to many people it is pruning and training. It's not rocket science! but for some reason many gardeners are frightened by it.
This book takes the mystery out of pruning so that you can care for all your plants with confidence.
It is a useful guide to training plants over structures and up walls (which is where you don't want to be, when your plants are blowing in the wind, or need a quick trim!) It has very clear diagrams and good pictures.
Climbing plants can be a truly stunning feature in your garden. Let them take centre stage and be the stars of the show!
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