Climbing Plants

Use climbing plants to transform your stucture into a beautiful garden feature.

Whether you have just built your pergola from the plans, or have an existing structure to plant up, this is the fun part!

Climbing Plant Varieties

There are only a few species of climbers here. That was intentional. I have kept the list to ones 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! (If you're new to gardening, you may also like my guide to plants for beginners.)

I have listed some climbing 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:

Climbing Roses Passion Flower Lathyrus Clematis Jasmine Grapevines

Honeysuckle Solanum Wisteria

Seasonal Interest

A climbing plant can provide wonderful height and interest, but it doesn't have to do all the work. You can create a much richer planting scheme by combining your climber with other plants around the pergola. Depending on your garden, this might be bulbs and cottage-garden favourites in a border, shrubs and colourful plants in pots if your pergola is on a patio or deck, or architectural plants that look particularly striking in a modern setting.

Think about the plants around your pergola as well as those growing up it. By choosing plants with different flowering times, colours, forms and foliage, you can enjoy interest for much more of the year. A carefully chosen plant combination can give you a succession of colour both over the pergola and in the border, extending the display long after one of your climbing plants has finished flowering.

If you have chosen a plant combination for colour, make sure the plants flower at about the same time! Then, to keep your garden looking interesting for as long as possible, choose other plants that flower at different times of the year and have a reasonably long flowering period. Hydrangeas are one wonderful example, whether planted around a pergola post or grown in a container, but there are many more.

This pergola picture shows the sublimely fragrant 'Aloha' against the gorgeously rich purple of 'The President'.

Using Raised Beds To Full Effect

If your pergola is built on a patio or another hard surface, a raised bed can be a wonderful way to bring planting right up to the structure. You can use it for shrubs, perennials and climbing plants, creating a much softer transition between the pergola and the rest of the garden.

Get free raised bed plans to complement your pergola structure.

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.

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 from this 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. If you wish, 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.

Click on the image below for books specifically looking at how to grow climbing plants.

There are two books, in particular, that I would recommend, covering all types of garden plants, plants for different soil types, height and seasons, with another on detailed pruning tips:

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.

If there is one area that proves problematic to many people it is pruning and training. It's not rocket science! But, understandably, 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.

The Fun Part!

Choosing the right climbing plants is the best part. Think about the colours you love, when you want your pergola to be at its best, and how much space each plant will need as it matures.

You can mix flowers with different shapes and flowering times to create interest throughout the seasons. Some will give you a spectacular display for a few weeks, while others will provide foliage, fragrance or colour for much longer. There really is no limit to the combinations you can create.

Climbing plants can be a truly stunning feature in your garden. Let them take centre stage and be the stars of the show!

 Advertising Links

This page may contain advertising links earning a small commission, at no extra cost to you. It is my hope these links will help you to make informed and creative choices.   

Love Gardening! Ezine

Join the 'Love Gardening!' Ezine and receive garden and landscaping tips, exclusive voucher codes and updates to the website.  More...

Recently Released

Pitched Roof Hexagonal Pergola 

Other
Pergola Plans

Free Simple Pergola Plans

Attached Lean-to Pergola

Free Raised Bed Plans

Corner Pergola

Hexagonal Pergola

Asian Pergola

Seated Arbour

"The plans were great, very concise,ouldn't have managed without them!" T.

“Well done for a really useful site!” Mike.

Love the templates for the Rafter Tails! Using Design #5. Thanks so much." Laura.

"I love your website! Your entire site is incredible. I was able to get ideas for my pergola, which looks fantastic." Wayne.

Great service. Now all I have to do is build it! Martin.

"Your plans look amazingly comprehensive. I see you are intending putting the plans for the corner pergola on this fabulous site. Could you please tell me when the corner pergola plans will be available to purchase...yours is the nicest design I have seen!" Michelle.

Plants and Seed Offers

Pergola Kit and Accessories Offers

£340 off

Sales & Offers

Beautiful 'Gainsborough' gazebo

Save £204!

See my 'Fantastic Offers' page for more bargains on pergola kits, tools and all things gardening!