Home » Misc » Plant wall climbers

Plant wall climbers


The Best Plants That Grow On Walls: 19 Wall Climbing Plants

Houseplants are a must-have for any colorfully decorated house. They add life to an otherwise sterile space and can even help with air quality. Plants can also be therapeutic, providing both physical and emotional benefits to those who interact with them. Today we look at the best plants that grow on walls available to make your house stand out.

Here are the best plants to grow on walls:

  1. Yellow Corydalis
  2. Stonecrop
  3. Self-Heal (Prunella Vulgaris)
  4. Red Valerian (Centranthus Ruber)
  5. Maidenhair Spleenwort (Asplenium Trichomanes)
  6. Ivy Leaved Toadflax (Cymbalaria Muralis)
  7. Fairy Foxglove (Erinus Alpinus)
  8. Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia Nummularia)
  9. Bell Flower (Campanula)
  10. Abutilon ‘Kentish Belle’
  11. Virginia Creeper
  12. Garrya Elliptica
  13. Trumpet Vine
  14. Jasmine
  15. Rose
  16. Clematis
  17. Honeysuckle
  18. Ivy
  19. Pyracantha

Table of Contents

What Are the Benefits of Plants that Grow On Walls?

A vertical garden, green wall, or living wall garden is basically a wall covered with climbing plants. Plants that grow on walls provide benefits such as:

Purifies the Air

Aside from removing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen, plants that grow on walls also help get rid of toxins in the air, such as trichloroethylene, toluene, xylene, benzene, and formaldehyde. Certain plants also help get rid of acetone vapors in the air, mold spores, and fecal matter.

Lifts Your Mood

If your day is always hectic, wall climbing plants can help reduce mental distress as well as improve attention and focus.

Regulate Temperature

Plants that grow on walls can aid regulate your home temperature by protecting your home from solar radiation during the scorching summer days and keeping warm air from leaving during the winter season.

Reduces Stress

Because plants purify the air, they help with reducing and curbing stress. For some growers, gardening itself can be a therapeutic hobby.

Other minor benefits of plants that grow on walls include: helping you in maximizing the available space if you live in a tiny apartment or house, adding functional art, and enhancing the acoustics of your room.

How to Choose the Right Wall

It doesn’t really matter whether you have a brick or concrete walls. What’s important is the support your plant is going to climb on. A wall should be sturdy enough for the climbing plant.

In particular, supports should be made of weatherproof materials such as treated or painted wood, powder-coated or galvanized steel. This is particularly true if you want to grow a perennial vine.

You should also consider whether you want the support and the plant to be ornamental garden features. Or if the support’s purpose is to simply ‘support’ the wall-climbing plant.

Lastly, you would want to consider what types of plants you desire to grow. Take note that climbing roses need a different kind of support compared to sweet peas. And pole beans require different support than a cucumber or tomato plant.

How to Choose the Right Plant

Choose a plant that grows on walls that will thrive when facing a certain direction like against a south-facing wall or a north-facing. Or select a plant that will do well in partial shade or full sun.

Tip: Consider that south-facing walls tend to get quite hot during the summer season.

You should also choose a plant based on its climbing habit when determining the ideal plant that grow on walls.

There are two primary types of genuine climbing plants: twinning and self-clinging varieties.

Twining climbers like Wisteria, Jasmine, Clematis, and Honeysuckle grow by wrapping themselves around the trellis, wires, or poles. These climbers require a framework to wind around a wall and climb up.

Jasmine on fence. Photo credit: Allan Henderson

Meanwhile, self-clinging climbers naturally climb to walls using adhesive pads or aerial roots. Campsis, Hydrangea Petiolaris, and Ivy (Hedera) come with aerial roots, while varieties like the Virginia Creeper come with adhesive pads along its stems. Self-clinging climbers will climb to woodwork or walls without any support such as a trellis or wires.

There’s also another type of climbing plant, but they are not naturally climbers. They are called ‘wall shrubs.’ Some bushes can be trained to climb walls. However, you must tie them into supports and train them upwards.

Aside from the climbing habit, it’s also important to consider the size and hardiness when choosing the right wall climbing plant. 

Look for wall climbing plants with an eventual spread and height not too different from the space available. Always keep in mind that there are large-growing, vigorous wall climbing plants varieties out there, which are not suitable for smaller spaces.

How to Support Climbing Plants

Bamboo, rattan, wire, and wood all make perfect supports for wall climbing plants. Aside from these, spindle, trellis, and even round arches make great supports.

Expandable Pea TrellisCambridge TrellisMetal Garden Trellis
Buy on AmazonBuy on AmazonBuy on Amazon

Or if you’re pretty crafty, you can always make your own kind of support using a rust-resistant wire.

Regardless of what you use, make sure the supports are inserted into the container at the time of potting your plant. If you do it later, the established roots might get damaged.

Fact: The soft shoots of wall climbing plants can be trained around the supports.

Also, do you know that you can shape the plant into different forms like a pyramid, orb, or even heart? But this will be based on the structure of the support you’re going to use. 

Here are the types of supports that will suit certain plants that grow on walls.

For round arch type supports, the ideal plants for them include Dipladenia, Climbing Lily (Gloriosa Rothschildiana), Jasmine (Jasminum Polyanthum), Wax Plant (Hoya), Wax Flower (Stephanotis Floribunda), and Passion Flower (Passiflora).

For spindles or trellises, the best plants for them include Plush Vine (Mikania Ternata), Grape Ivy (Cissus Rhombifolia), Chestnut Vine (Tetrastigma Voinierianum), Canary Island Ivy (Hedera Canariensis), and English Ivy (Hedera Helix).

And lastly, for stakes or moss poles, the best plants for them include Arrowhead (Syngonium), Schefflera, and Philodendron. You can attach the tendrils of these plants up with wire lightly.

Here Are the Best Plants that Grow On Walls

Yellow Corydalis (Pseudofumaria Lutea)

This plant looks very stunning climbing on walls, especially when it flowers from May to November. Yellow Corydalis is native to Southern Europe.

Photo © Evelyn Simak (cc-by-sa/2.0)

Moreover, this plant can be used to edge walkways or borders and is suitable for the front of the border. In woodland gardens, cottages, and rock gardens, this plant is a good filler and may naturalize. Yellow Corydalis will thrive well in stone walls in cool weather, making it an ideal plant that grows on walls for your garden.

Stonecrop (Sedum Acre)

Sedum Acre is not the only plant that is called Stonecrop but also a number of different sedums.

Photo Credit: Andreas Rockstein

Stonecrop is an ideal plant that grows on walls because it is a hardy, drought-tolerant succulent plant. It normally has white or yellow flowers. Even though it has a quite short flowering season of June to July, its leaves are pretty attractive on their own, ranging from creams and grays to green with a tinge of red.

We find Stonecrop especially lovely flowering out of the mossy wall. This is an effect that can be replicated in your home on a wall that is partially shaded or damp.

Self-Heal (Prunella Vulgaris)

This plant is a nice pick for growing in a wall if you’re looking for a later-flowering plant. It’s a naturally low-growing climbing plant whose foliage will flatten against a wall, making it practically resistant to wind damage.

Self-Heal flowers from June to November. Its flowers are not that striking, especially against a natural gray stone wall. But its blue/violet flowers would look better against a white painted wall.

Red Valerian (Centranthus Ruber)

There are pink, white, and red varieties of Red Valerian. This plant thrives wild in Germany and France, and blooms from the months of May to September. Red Valerian has become indigenous in the UK but is still popular as an easy-to-care indoor plant for a dry situation.

We find it quite heavy looking to work well higher up a wall. But if planted below knee height, it looks amazing. Red Valerian suits perfectly for a drystone wall, instead of a mortared wall with small gaps.

Maidenhair Spleenwort (Asplenium Trichomanes)

Maidenhair Spleenwort is a fern. So, it propagates by means of spores instead of seeds. You may have to establish it by purchasing a mature plant and leaving the potting soil undisrupted around the plant to allow it to bear spores. These spores will develop into tiny plants that you can plant into planting gaps in your wall. It will thrive well in limestone walls making it one of our favorite plants that grow on walls.

Photo © Lairich Rig (cc-by-sa/2.0)

Ivy Leaved Toadflax (Cymbalaria Muralis)

Indigenous to Southern Europe, this plant has become naturalized in the UK and easily occupies walls. Ivy Leaved Toadflax is a perennial which climbs elegantly.

This plant has the advantage of a long blooming season from April to November. It is hardy but doesn’t turn into a nuisance. Its foliage is a little bit similar to that of an Ivy. However, this plant is not really related to that plant. Ivy Leaved Toadflax belongs to the figwort family that includes Snapdragons plants.

Fairy Foxglove (Erinus Alpinus)

This plant is also known as the Summer Starwort. Fairy Foxglove is native to the mountains of Europe. Because it likes poor soil, it doesn’t have that many competitors and that’s why it hasn’t become a problem. Fairy Foxglove comes in crimson, white, and pink varieties which all love growing in walls.

Photo © sylvia duckworth (cc-by-sa/2.0)

It blooms from the months of April to August. Even though it doesn’t have the longest blooming season, it does bear abundant flowers that are very pleasing to the eyes.

Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia Nummularia)

Our next plant that grows on walls is the Creeping Jenny, which features short-stemmed flowers and trailing stems. This plant has a yellow-leaved variety called ‘Aurea,’ which is not that vigorous. Most growers prefer the ordinary variety because its green foliage and yellow blooms look fresh and great together on a wall.

Photo Credit: Deb Nystrom

Bell Flower (Campanula)

Bell Flower is very suitable for growing on walls and on rocks. It produces runners that help it spread along the wall and showcase a stunning look. Bell Flower blooms from the months of May to September. The only drawback of this plant is that it can appear tatty when its first flush of flowers begins to die away or if there’s heavy rain or strong wind.

Other smaller types of Campanulas like the Campanula Poscharskyana and Campanula Cochlear (a.k.a. Fairy Thimbles). These two Campanulas also produce runners that aid them spread along the walls.

Abutilon ‘Kentish Belle’

This wall climbing plant has lantern-shaped flowers, often in shades of yellow, orange, or red. It can be grown outside in a conservatory where it can continue to bloom through the winter, or in a warm, covered area that is protected from frost and cold winds. Kentish Belle is hardier than some other abutilons out there.

Virginia Creeper

Virginia Creeper features elegant fall leaves. It is a fast-growing plant that can be planted during spring or fall. It is normally used as a climbing vine on trellises or stone walls, supported by its grasping tendrils. Virginia Creeper’s foliage has five leaflets that morph from their summer green color into fall leaves that have reddish-orange to burgundy color – one of the stunning plants that grow on walls.

Photo © michael ely (cc-by-sa/2.0)

Fun Fact: Virginia Creeper is a close relative of Boston Ivy.

Garrya Elliptica

Also known as Wavyleaf Silktassel, Silk Tassel Bush, or Coast Silk-Tassel, Garrya Elliptica is a species of flowering plant that belongs to the Garryaceae family. 

Photo credit: Karen Blakeman

Garrya Elliptica is indigenous to the coastal ranges of Southern Oregon and California. This plant is an erect, bushy, evergreen shrub that can reach a height of up to 16 feet. It features a multi-furcate branching structure resulting in an almost spherical form. Garrya Elliptica is a perfect decorative plant because of its neat climbing habit, and is widely used for landscape purposes.

Trumpet Vine

This plant’s glossy dark green foliage can grow up to 15 inches long. It also features up to 11 oblong or elliptic, serrated leaflets that are around four inches long. Its leaves turn yellow during fall before falling off the vine for the winter season.

For growers who want to put in the effort to control its spread, this plant can quickly climb trellises, arbors, stone walls, fences, and other structures, giving an elegant green focal piece.

Jasmine

Jasmine is a beautiful wall climbing plant to grow in warm and mild weather. It comes in vine and bush forms and bears delicate, fragrant blooms with glossy green foliage. You can train Jasmine to climb trellis, fences, or other similar structures to achieve a beautiful vertical element or privacy screen in your garden. Of course, training is not required because the plant will still thrive. However, the result may look messy and look like the plant was neglected.

Rose

Climbing roses will surely add fragrance and color to arbors, trellises, and walls.

Fun Fact: Roses don’t actually climb. Rather, they spread out long, slender canes that develop upright and will grow along walls.

You can put climbing roses on top of walls like retaining walls, and let their long, slender stems to cascade over the edges. In order to do this, you need to attach the rose to a support and give it proper pruning as well as training.

Clematis

This wall climbing plant is a must for any garden, regardless of the size. Clematis might mingle well with your existing wall shrubs and climbers, and provide beautiful flowers each year. This plant is ideal for covering unsightly walls or fences and helps to blur the edges of your garden, which is a smart way of making a small space look bigger.  

You can combine this plant with your other climbing plants to achieve a bold display. For example, you can try combining bright purple Clematis with pale pink roses for contrasting colors. You can also try training it to climb a trellis alongside an evergreen shrub to achieve a lusher look.

Honeysuckle

Honeysuckles are twining climbers that come with beautiful, fragrant tubular flowers, ideal for covering pergolas, fences, and walls. Climbing Honeysuckles bloom during the summer season, in shades of raspberry red, orange, pink, lemon yellow, cream, and white. 

Honeysuckle is a perfect plant for a cottage garden or an informal look garden, and will definitely look mesmerizing combined with roses for a romantic appeal. 

Fun Fact: Depending on the variety, climbing Honeysuckles can be evergreen, semi-evergreen, or deciduous.

Ivy

Ivy naturally climbs up walls by putting thin tendrils into cracks, holding firmly while its outer vines continue to spread and bear foliage. It is most usually used for brick walls. And the most popular Ivy variety picked to cover brick buildings is Hedera Helix or the English Ivy. This Ivy is also used as a ground cover, where its vigorous growth is well-known for covering large, bare batches of land.

Reminder: If you don’t have the right type of wall, Ivy’s tendrils can do severe damage to your home!

It is not impossible to reproduce that classic look of Ivy trailing over buildings. However, it is crucial that you research the problems it might pose as well as the solutions to fix such issues.

Pyracantha

Pyracantha (a.k.a. Firethorn) is well-known for its prickly stems and flame-colored berries, hence the name ‘Firethorn.’ 

Photo © Jonathan Billinger (cc-by-sa/2.0)

This plant is a pretty, easy-going, wildlife-friendly shrub ideal for most walls. Commonly trained against a wall, Pyracantha gives color across different seasons. It produces lush green leaves, white blossoms, and an abundance of vibrant berries that usually come in red, orange, or yellow color.

Best Plants that Grow On Walls Indoors

When it comes to picking plants that grow on walls indoors, you should choose low-maintenance plants to guarantee that they will grow well. Most of the time, walls might not get the best lighting conditions for indoor plants. That’s why, the best plants to grow on walls indoors are Anthurium, Dracaena, Philodendron, and Pothos.

All these types of plants are very easy to grow and will do well without too much care.

Ferns are also good plants that can be grown on walls indoors. They look pretty on plant walls. However, they lose foliage pretty often and can make a little bit of a mess.

You can try different combinations of plants. However, make sure that all the plants you want to grow need the same type of care.

You can also try to have low-maintenance companion plants beside your plant walls, such as Umbrella Plants, Birds of Paradise, and Snake Plants.

Best Plants that Grow On Concrete Walls

Normal concrete walls won’t get damaged by any wall climbing plants. However, certain plant species such as Parthenocissus and Ivy, Grape Ivy, or Boston Ivy, can leave stains or residues on the walls via their roots. But don’t worry because these plants don’t damage the construction. 

With that said, the best plants that grow on concrete walls include: Euonymus, Cobaea (Cup and Saucer Plant), Clematis, Ficus Fortuneipport (Bignonia), Pumila (Spindle Creeper), Lonicera (Honeysuckle), Jasminum, Solanum Mandevilla (Creeping Fig), Rosa sp. (Climbing Rose), Pyrostegia, Passiflora sp. (Passionfruit), Parthenocissus Quinquefolia (Virginia Creeper), Jasminoides sp., Wisteriaheterophylla Sollya (Potato Vine), Vitis, and Campsis.

Perfect Cascading Plants for Walls

Cascading plants that bear flowers are a nice way to add excitement and color to your walls. You can use cascading plants to either build an entire wall of color, or combine them with non-flowering plants to create a stunning work of art.

Here are the perfect Cascading plants for walls:

  1. Wave Petunias
  2. Creeping Phlox
  3. Clematis
  4. Lobelia
  5. Vinca
  6. Cascading Rose
  7. Creeping Thyme

Wave Petunias

Wave Petunias feature trumpet-shaped flowers that are available in a variety of cheery and bright colors.

Wave Petunia produces an ocean of color from early summer through fall. This plant will sweep down your garden wall, covering it in a couple of weeks. All this plant requires to grow well are water and pruning.

Take note that Petunias are annuals, so you’ll need to replant them every year. In particular, Wave Petunias can be quite hard to find sometimes, but are surely worth the search once you see the result.

Creeping Phlox

Creeping Phlox can cover up to two feet in diameter in a dense carpet of green and little purple, pink, blue, red, or striped flowers. Aside from using it on walls, this plant is a favorite ground cover due to its dense growing habit. Pollinators such as bees and butterflies are attracted to this plant, but deer are not. That’s why Creeping Phlox is a good pick if you live in a region where deer is a problem.

Clematis

Clematis’ vines produce large colorful blooms throughout the summer, and they will grow densely without much care. This plant is perennial, so you can use it as a foundation planting for your wall garden. Plant your Clematis in a sunny area, give it a drink at least once a week and watch it cover your wall beautifully.

Lobelia- Cascade Variety

This is a sweet dainty flower that is available in blue and white. It likes to receive full sun, but it can tolerate partial shade as well. Lobelia is a tender perennial through zones 9 and 10 and annuals everywhere else. It will spread over your garden walls and give a layer of beautiful color to your landscape.

Vinca

This one is a trailing vine that bears star-shaped lavender flowers. Take note that Vinca can be invasive. So, make sure to prune it accordingly. Otherwise, it might take over your whole garden if you let it grow too much. Vinca is a very hard plant. So, if you’re searching for a great low-maintenance wall climbing plant, this plant might be the best pick for you.

Cascading Roses

Cascading roses are one of our favorites. They are technically climbing roses and will thrive and flower throughout the summer. The best type of cascading roses for us is the Red Cascade. 

Keep in mind that roses require plenty of water and full sun. They also need periodic deadheading to promote new flowers. They can bloom on either old or new-growth depending on the variety you choose. 

Creeping Thyme

Creeping Thyme is a perennial plant that grows on wallscovered with tiny lavender, pink, or white flowers. It will thrive and creep down a rock wall and cover it in pleasant fragrance.

Creeping Thyme prefers well-draining garden soil and dry conditions. Overwatering your Creeping Thyme can cause it to rot. Also, remember that this plant loves full sun.

Ideal Plants that Grow In Brick Walls

The ideal plants to grow in brick walls may be a bit subjective, but in general, here are some highly recommended plants for brick walls:

  1. Balloon Vine
  2. Silver Fleece
  3. Wisteria
  4. Virginia Creeper
  5. English Ivy
  6. Clematis
  7. Honeysuckle
  8. Hummingbird Vine
  9. Boston Ivy

Balloon Vine

This plant loves plenty of sunlight. It develops white blooms followed by heart-shaped, puffed green fruits.

Silver Fleece

Silver Fleece is also called Silver Lace. It bears tiny white flowers that turn blush pink once matured.

Wisteria

This one is a very fast-growing twining climbing plant variety. Over time, its stems become woody. It produces white blooms or cascades of lavender and delicate foliage.

Virginia Creeper

Virginia Creeper is a self-climbing native plant. It features early fall color and bluish-black pea-sized fruits.

English Ivy

This one’s also a self-climbing plant. It is evergreen and prefers a shady, moist spot. It is well-known for its blue-black fruits.

Clematis

You need to support this plant if you want to grow it on walls because it is not self-climbing. It produces stunning masses of colorful flowers.

Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle is a sweetly scented, fast-growing climbing plant. It easily attracts birds and pollinators with its fruit.

Hummingbird Vine

This one requires a bit of support at first, but will eventually climb by itself. It bears beautiful, large blooms that are very attractive to pollinators and hummingbirds.

Boston Ivy

This plant turns fiery red during the winter season. Its sticky adherent pods can be quite hard to get rid of.

Best Plants that Grow On Walls
Yellow CorydalisStonecrop Self-HealRed ValerianMaidenhair SpleenwortIvy Leaved ToadflaxCreeping JennyBell FlowerVirginia CreeperTrumpet VineJasmineRoseClematisHoneysuckleIvyPyracantha
Buy on AmazonBuy on AmazonBuy on AmazonBuy on AmazonBuy on AmazonBuy on AmazonBuy on AmazonBuy on AmazonBuy on AmazonBuy on AmazonBuy on AmazonBuy on AmazonBuy on AmazonBuy on AmazonBuy on AmazonBuy on Amazon

Last update on 2022-12-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Best climbing plants: 10 best climbers for your back yard

(Image credit: Getty Images)

For us, the list of the best climbing plants isn't subjective: in our opinion, these are the garden climbers to grow in your back yard. We have chosen a whole range of climbing plants to suit every spot – from shaded areas to small spaces – and every situation – for creating privacy, shade and color.

As with every great garden design, vertical features, such as pergolas, arches and trellis, will add structural interest and depth – and they're perfect for climbers to scramble over, which is why you might want to add at least three of these to your backyard ideas. The secret is to find the right place to plant them and keep them neatly pruned.

Best climbing plants

Climbing plants do require attention a couple of times a year – but they will reward you with stature, color, interest and scent. These are the best.

1. Best climbing plant for shade

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris AGM is one of the best flowering climbers to brighten a light-starved wall – wonderful if you are looking for garden shade ideas.  

This deciduous hydrangea has attractive oval green leaves paired with large (sometimes 8in/20cm wide) lacy white flowerheads in summer. 

‘Climbing hydrangea is a staple in any classic garden,’ says Pennsylvania-based landscape designer Nathan Tuno , who works at Roots Landscape Inc. ‘It can be controlled easily too. The old adage goes that: the first year it sleeps, the second year it creeps, and the third year it leaps – knowing that gives gardeners the ability to maintain and control it.’ 

If you know how to grow hydrangeas, you will know that they can be slow to establish, eventually becoming vigorous. This one will form a woody framework that clings via aerial roots. Native to the Himalayas, it enjoys a cool, sheltered site – a north or east-facing wall is ideal. Pruning hydrangeas will help them keep a neat shape.

Height: 40ft (12m). 

USDA 4-7 (UK H5). 

2. Best climbing plant for trellis

(Image credit: Alamy)

Humulus lupulus ‘Aureus’ AGM (the golden hop) has superb lime-yellow leaves that light up the garden. In summer, it produces primrose-green cone flowers. Then, in fall, the leaves glow butterscotch, and the plant is hung with hops. For us, it's one of the best fast-growing flowering vines. 

‘A fast-growing perennial climber, this hop never fails to raise a smile,’ says London-based garden designer Claire Mee . ‘It’s popular with butterflies and moths, being a caterpillar-food plant. It ​has bright acid-green leaves and looks great alongside a climbing rose or clematis. Its hops can be used for fresh and dried flower arrangements – and even for brewing your own beer – what's not to love?’ 

Ideal for clothing trellis, fencing, or a pergola. For the best color, grow this deciduous climber in sheltered sun, in moist, well-drained soil. Cut down to the ground in November or March. 

Height: 20ft (6m). 

USDA 4-8 (UK H6). 

3. Best climbing plant for a sunny spot

(Image credit: Alamy)

Vitis coignetiae AGM – in fall, the broad leaves of the crimson glory vine blush fabulous shades of ruby and scarlet. It is related to the grape vine, but is healthier and doesn’t produce edible grapes. 

‘This vine has wonderful autumn color and can cover walls and trellis easily when planted in the right space,’ says landscape designer Nathan Tuno of Roots Landscape Inc. ‘It can always take a good hacking and still springs back, relentlessly providing interesting foliage and berries for wildlife.’ 

Being enthusiastic, it is excellent sent over an unsightly outbuilding or along a dull fence. Plant in full sun for the richest color; in neutral to alkaline soil; and prune in midwinter to control its vigor. 

Height: 50ft (15m). 

USDA 5-9 (UK H5). 

4. Best climbing plant for flowers

(Image credit: Alamy)

Rosa The Generous Gardener AGM is a repeat-flowering English climbing rose, bred by David Austin , and dedicated to people who open their gardens for charity.

The buxom shell-pink flowers resemble water lilies and exude a delicious rosy scent laced with musk and myrrh. Learn how to plant roses and you can grow this healthy, reliable gem in rich, moist, well-drained soil in sun or semi-shade. 

Prune roses to keep them shapely and in check.

Height: 15ft (4.5m). 

USDA 5-10 (UK H6). 

5. Best climbing plant for scent

(Image credit: Alamy)

Lonicera x heckrottii ‘Gold Flame’ AGM is a candy-colored honeysuckle to scent the air with beautiful perfume on summer evenings. The pink, peach, and amber flowers attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and moths, and the scarlet berries feed birds in the fall. 

‘This lovely plant is a great weaver amidst other deciduous climbers,’ says California-based garden designer Laura Morton . ‘I plant it with ornamental grape vines or climbing roses, so it has something to grasp onto and to create a spellbinding combination. Then I prune it hard, so it doesn’t overwhelm or block out too much sun. I also like using it on a brightly painted tuteur (three-dimensional trellis).’ 

The US Forest Service says that L. x heckrottii is not invasive in the States, but warns that some other forms (such as L. japonica) can be, so check what is invasive in your area before purchasing honeysuckle.

Grow this semi-evergreen climber in humus-rich, well-drained, moist soil in sun or semi-shade. 

Height: 16ft (5m). 

USDA 5-9 (UK H5). 

6. Best climbing plant for walls

(Image credit: Alamy)

Clematis viticella ‘Purpurea Plena Elegans’ AGM is a favorite in cottage gardens; in fact, this is the oldest garden clematis, cultivated in France over 200 years ago. 

The ruffled dusky-magenta blooms resemble silk flowers from a vintage shop, giving it old-world charm when it blooms in late summer and early fall.

‘I use clematis such as ‘Purpurea Plena Elegans’ a lot as a complement to stone walls,’ says landscape designer Richard Schipul. ‘Whether it’s a seating wall or a retaining wall, we plant it so that it hangs over and rambles down the wall. Our clients love the way it softens the wall and adds a punch of color.’  

It's easy to get to grips with how to grow clematis. Grow in well-drained, fertile soil in sun or semi-shade, as container gardening ideas, and always with the roots shaded by other plants. You can prune clematis of this kind lightly to keep it in shape. This is a beautiful cultivar but there are many choices for best clematis to grow.

Height: 10ft (3m). 

USDA 4-9 (UK H6).

7. Best climbing plant for pergolas

(Image credit: Alamy)

Akebia quinata flowers from late March to May; the chocolate vine produces maroon flowers that smell of spiced vanilla – wonderful as one those more unusual pergola ideas. 

‘I really like Akebia,’ says Irene Kalina-Jones, landscape designer at Outside Space NYC in New York City. ‘I like the funky flowers and leaves. I like them to go up brownstone railings. They are easy going and not aggressive here.’

Be aware that Akebia quinata is invasive in parts of the midwest US, where it should be pruned well or avoided. 

It has attractive semi-evergreen bright-green leaves; and in warm regions, will produce wonderfully weird purple fruit, if there is another chocolate vine in the vicinity. 

Grow in well-drained, moist soil in sun. 

Height: 30ft (9m). 

USDA 5-8 (UK H6). 

8. Best climbing plant for pollinators

(Image credit: Alamy)

Rosa ‘Parkdirektor Riggers’ – clusters of blood-red blooms with golden stamens adorn this repeat-flowering climbing rose in summer and fall. 

It is grown for its crimson color and semi-double flowers (which provide food for bees) rather than its scent, which is faint. 

Suitable for south, west, east, or north facing walls or facades. Grow in rich, moist, well-drained soil.  

Height: 13ft (4m). USDA 5-10 (UK H6). 

9. Best climbing plant for the front of a house

(Image credit: Alamy)

Wisteria floribunda ‘Kuchi-beni’ AGM – elegant, long racemes of fragrant white flowers flushed pink-mauve adorn this old Japanese wisteria in May and June. 

Ideal for a sturdy pergola in sun, in moist, well-drained soil, and requires pruning twice a year. 

Do not grow in states (such as South Carolina) where W. floribunda is invasive, unless you are prepared to prune it – instead, grow a less vigorous American wisteria (such as ‘Amethyst Falls’). 

Height: 30ft (9m). 

USDA 4-9 (UK H6). 

10. Best climbing plant for color

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Passiflora caerulea AGM – the blue passion flower has incredible exotic flowers with purple filaments over white petals, from July to September. It also produces orange egg-shaped fruit and has dark-green leaves that are deciduous or evergreen, depending on the climate.  For us, this can be classed amongst the best evergreen climbers you can grow.

‘Passion flower vines bring instant drama to the garden,’ says Oregon-based landscape architect and garden designer Bethany Rydmark . ‘The Passiflora genus boasts more than 500 species from around the world, and discovering your favorite show-stopping flower can be a personal quest for the adventurous gardener. While some passion flowers are native to the tropics and South America, the Native American tribes made use of the beautiful blooms and fruits of Passiflora incarnata, known as Maypop, whose common name perhaps comes from the sound of prolific fruits underfoot.’

Being a twining climber, it needs something to cling to, such as trellis. 

Grow in moist, well-drained soil in sun. 

Height: 30ft (9m). 

USDA 7 to 9 (UK h5). 

What is the easiest climbing plant to grow

The easiest climbing plants to grow – and the one that is the most rewarding – are climbing roses. Opt for a healthy, repeat-flowering variety that is richly scented, such as Étoile de Hollande, which has buxom crimson blooms and a strong, delicious perfume. Elegant and timeless, it is perfect for growing up the front of the house or over a pergola, making it a wonderful choice if you are looking for garden privacy ideas, and wonderful blooms.

What is the fastest growing climbing plant

Clematis montana is a really fast-growing climbing plant, sending out shoots from spring. This makes it perfect for long stretches of trellis and pergolas and arches; however, it will twine around and choke other plants if it's kept unchecked. Trimmed neatly, though, it is a wonderful evergreen that has showy, scented blooms in early spring.

Lucy Searle has written about interiors, property and gardens since 1990, working her way around the interiors departments of women's magazines before switching to interiors-only titles in the mid-nineties. She was Associate Editor on Ideal Home, and Launch Editor of 4Homes magazine, before moving into digital in 2007, launching Channel 4's flagship website, Channel4. com/4homes. In 2018, Lucy took on the role of Global Editor in Chief for Realhomes.com, taking the site from a small magazine add-on to a global success. She was asked to repeat that success at Homes & Gardens, where she has also taken on the editorship of the magazine. 

Climbing plants for the garden: how to choose and how to use in design

Flowering, fruit, decorative and deciduous vines are increasingly attracting the attention of gardeners and landscape designers, because thanks to vertical gardening, you can transform any corner of the garden. The variety of species and varieties of weaving plants allows you to choose the most suitable option for solving a particular problem.

Varieties of climbers

Curly are annual and perennial. Annual climbers are plants that are often grown in pots to decorate porches, arbors, and outbuildings. They grow quite quickly and throughout the season decorate the area with their foliage, and some with flowering. By the end of summer, the pots can be emptied and prepared for a new planting next year. nine0003

Perennial climbers are a long-running story that will suit those who already have a place for such a plant. A gazebo entwined with a climbing rose looks luxurious. How stunning are the terraces entwined with clematis, and girlish grapes are completely capable of decorating an entire building with their lashes!

Lianas in landscape design

Climbing plants combine originality, decorativeness and practicality. Creepers in the garden can solve many problems. For example: nine0003

  1. Disguise ugly areas and defects on the facade and walls of buildings
  2. Decorate outbuildings
  3. Gracefully arrange a fence around the perimeter of the site
  4. Carry out zoning of the site, creating cozy corners
  5. Participate in the design of retaining walls
  6. Decorate neat wooden arbors with greenery, flowers, and maybe fruits

All these tasks are solved by such a technique in landscape design as vertical gardening. The essence lies in the name itself - this is the planting of plants growing vertically. Here are a few options you can use in your garden. nine0003

  • Hedge

    • To create a hedge, you need a support along which several plants are planted. Growing, they form a dense curtain that encloses the area from prying eyes. This option is well suited for decorating the fence around the perimeter of the site. Then, in addition to aesthetics and privacy, such a landing will hold back street dust. For hedges, use only perennials and keep an eye on the distance between plants so that each of them has enough space for the development of the root system and the growth of shoots. nine0003

  • Pergola and trellises

    • Pergola is a special construction designed to support climbing plants. In the Middle Ages, a pergola was any surface for the growth of vines. But now, from a purely technical purpose, the pergola has become a decorative element of landscape design, creating a special atmosphere on the site. Traditionally, they are made of wood, and the structure itself consists of four supporting pillars and a ceiling on top, but there are different modifications, so you can easily find the option you need. Pergolas decorate recreation areas - just imagine how comfortable it is to sit under a canopy entwined with flowering plants on a hot summer day - and decorate nondescript buildings. One of the popular types of pergola is arch . If you put several arches side by side, then an original tunnel will appear on the site. Various materials can be used for structures: stone, brick, wood. With the help of an arch, you can create a comfortable shading in a recreation area, for example, by a bench, using the arch as a canopy. The trellis is a small lightweight structure that can be attached to a wall or directly into the ground.

  • Landscaping of arbors, porches and terraces

    • It is possible to harmoniously fit such a design into the existing landscape of the site and give it a finished look with the help of vertical gardening. In addition to aesthetics, planting climbing plants around the perimeter will protect from the scorching sun, wind, dust and slanting rain. You can decorate the place of rest with stunning roses, clematis or plant a fruit plant, thus combining comfort and benefit.


    If you want to use vertical gardening in your garden wisely, our garden center landscape designers will help you prepare a project that will impress your guests and delight you for years to come. nine0003

    Perennial garden creepers

    What perennial garden vines to buy in order to realize your landscape fantasies? We have prepared for you a selection of eight vines that feel best in the middle lane. Even a novice gardener can handle taking care of them.

    Fruit vines

    Grape. Many people think that grapes can only be grown in regions with endless or much longer summers and are afraid to plant them in the middle lane. And in vain. Modern varieties have early ripening and are frost-resistant, allowing them to grow and bear fruit in our latitudes. Some varieties can give up to 60 kg of beautiful berries with amazing taste characteristics, so every gardener can pamper himself with juicy grapes from his site. Depending on the variety, the fruits can be white, green, pink, red, and black. Choose to your taste! nine0003

    Actinidia. This vine is able to grow up to 14m. She has two main advantages. Firstly, it is an ornamental plant, the foliage of which shimmers in various shades throughout the season: from green to bronze, with a red or pink border similar to a tongue, and in autumn it acquires orange or red hues. Secondly, it is a fruit-bearing plant. Every year you will pick green (some light brown) cylindrical tender fruits from the vines, resembling small kiwis from afar. Their taste is pleasant, fruity, sweet and sour. They can be eaten fresh or used in preparations. Please note that for fruiting it is necessary to plant two plants on the site (male and female). nine0003

    Flowering creepers for the garden

    Honeysuckle . This is an ornamental honeysuckle that does not bear edible fruits, but is grown exclusively for decorating the site. This is a fast-growing vine that can add up to 3m in height in a season, with large bright flowers, reminiscent of fireworks scattered in the sky. The aroma of decorative honeysuckle deserves special fame: it is unobtrusive, subtle and refined.

    nine0005 Clematis . This creeper will please you with a variety of varieties: there are several thousand of them. They differ among themselves in the colors of flowers - any shades of pink, raspberry, purple, lilac, etc .; sizes - there are large-flowered and small-flowered; and flowering time. Here is where the fantasy roam! Best suited for planting in a sunny spot with arch or pergola support.

    Climbing roses . An enchanting liana that has been strewn with beautiful fragrant roses since the beginning of summer. Blooms until the first frost. Depending on the variety, the flowers will have different sizes and colors. Any landscape element, be it an arch or a pergola woven with roses, will attract attention and make the garden truly luxurious. They can decorate the veranda or gazebo. Please note that metal supports are harmful to delicate rose stems. nine0003

    Petiole Hydrangea . Liana, which, depending on the variety, can reach up to 20 m in length, strewn with corymbose inflorescences. They exude a delicate honey aroma. Such a hydrangea begins to bloom in mid-summer and decorates the garden until mid-autumn. Petiole hydrangea can decorate recreation areas, entrance groups, create a luxurious hedge or background for coniferous compositions. True, it is important to consider that it grows very slowly.

    Decorative foliage

    Parthenocissus . Unpretentious, fast-growing liana, which in a short time will ennoble the gazebo, enliven the panorama of the fence or decorate the facade of the house. Please note that the vine can grow up to 30m. It will easily wrap a two-story building of a small area with a dense curtain. Flowering in girlish grapes is inconspicuous, but in the fall this plant looks incredible! Gradually, the leaves begin to turn into rich reds and purples, gradually moving from a green summer shade. Decorative tiny inedible dark blue or black fruits appear, collected in small clusters. Autumn is a triumphant period for this plant, in which it shows itself in all its glory. nine0003

    Wood pliers

    . Liana-beauty with a menacing name. In the wild, it is really capable of destroying a tree, digging into it with its hooks and climbing to the very top. But the cultivated varieties used in landscape design are not so aggressive, and even one wooden support for this vine is enough. It can grow up to 12 meters. In summer, its foliage is green, and by autumn it becomes a rich yellow color. At the same time, small orange fruits ripen - three-leaved boxes that look like lights. The tree pliers grow quite quickly, especially with good watering and top dressing. nine0003

    Lemongrass . Gift of nature from eastern countries - Japan and China. The leaves are dark green on the outside and light green on the reverse side, with a slightly serrated edge. They really smell like lemon! In spring, the flowering period begins, and dozens of lush white or white-pink flowers with a pleasant refreshing aroma bloom on the vine. And in autumn, rounded orange-red seeds appear, which are collected in spike-shaped clusters. They are rich in vitamins B, C and E, contain acids and minerals - they can be brewed into tea. nine0003

    Growing perennial climbers in the garden: questions and answers

    And finally, we will answer a few popular questions that almost everyone who wants to get a weaving plant faces.

    1. Where to plant creepers?

    The more sun, the better. Therefore, plant your weaving plants in sunny places.

    2. How to combine creepers with each other? nine0006

    The main rule is the observance of agricultural technology. The root system of every plant needs space to grow and nourish. Fast-growing vines should not coexist with slow-growing ones. You can read about the growth rate of each liana separately in plant catalogs or check with consultants in the plant nursery.

    3. What materials should the climbing plants be made of?

    This is one of the most important questions, because the wrong choice of support can ruin the vine. If you run any curly on a metal support, then in the summer, heating up from the sun, the metal will simply burn the tender shoots. Therefore, the main rule is that the surface of the support should not heat up. Wooden, plastic, brick, stone supports are perfect. nine0003

    4. Do creepers need pruning?

    Yes, they do. With pruning, you can control the growth of the vine, its shape and rejuvenate the plant. But before pruning, consult with an agronomist, or maybe even entrust it to him. In our garden center we provide garden care services, please contact us. If you plan to purchase clematis, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with this article, it provides information not only on shelter, but also on pruning these vines. nine0003

    5. Do creepers need to be covered?

    From our list, only two representatives need shelter: clematis and roses. For the first, we offered recommendations a little higher, but you can read about roses here.

    Creepers for the garden - this is the type of plant that we recommend to settle in every gardener. High decorativeness, practicality, a variety of varieties and species, many ways to use in design and affordable prices - with the help of these plants you can realize original landscape ideas and make your garden unique. nine0003

    You can see the full range of vines of our garden center in the directory.


    The best perennial climbing plants for the gazebo and garden (21 photos)

    Perennial climbing plants are good because they can be grown in one place without transplanting for several years. They are best suited for decorating gazebos.

    If you are going to plant climbing plants in your garden, pay attention to unpretentious, but at the same time beautiful flowering lianas. We have compiled a list of plants that are ideal for growing in a garden on poles or planting near a recreation area:

    • clematis,
    • climbing roses,
    • kampsis,
    • honeysuckle,
    • parthenocissus,
    • wisteria,
    • evergreen ivy.

    Clematis

    This climbing plant is one of the most popular vines that inhabit our summer cottages. And this is quite justified: it grows quite quickly, it blooms very beautifully. And although the choice of varieties is quite extensive, for long-term cultivation it is worth choosing winter-hardy and not too demanding varieties. nine0003

    Clematis flowers are very diverse. In different varieties, they take bizarre forms: an open bowl, a drooping bell, a half-open jug. Buds can be painted in all colors of the rainbow, and even with interesting transitions of tones and overflows of shades. Liana blooms all summer.

    Climbing roses This is because these plants have a lot of advantages: a huge variety of varieties, relative unpretentiousness, as well as rapid growth. nine0003

    Climbing roses on poles are a real eye-catcher. In addition, many varieties can bloom twice a season. And caring for them consists only in moderate watering and timely top dressing with complex fertilizers (1 time in 2 weeks).

    Kampsis

    Kampsis is an excellent plant for strong support. Moreover, this is one of the fastest growing perennial vines. Kampsis flowers are very unusual - orange tubules with inverted edges. And although there are only two types of kampsis, this is quite enough to adequately decorate the site. nine0003

    The advantage of this climbing plant is that it is undemanding. The only thing to take care of when growing Kampsis is to shelter its root system from bright sunlight. Watering culture requires moderate and only in dry times.

    There is evidence that the lignified shoots of adult Kampsis are able to tolerate short-term frosts down to -18°C without significant shelter. But it’s still not worth the risk, and it’s better to prepare the heat-loving kampsis for winter more carefully - cover it with spruce branches or a layer of dry foliage, put a film on top and again a layer of spruce branches, otherwise the plant may not endure a long frosty winter. nine0003

    Honeysuckle honeysuckle

    Another perennial climbing plant that can beautifully wrap around the arbor is honeysuckle. Its exotic flowers will not only create the necessary shade, but also fill the air with a pleasant aroma. True, there is a certain minus in this: during flowering, honeysuckle honeysuckle attracts many bees.

    Parthenocissus

    Girlish grapes can beautifully braid the arbor. This perennial vine is very similar to ordinary grapes, but it looks more delicate and decorative. Parthenocissus is attractive for its dark green leaves, which turn red-purple by autumn. And this culture is unpretentious, practically not afraid of pests and not prone to disease.

    Parthenocissus flowers are not very decorative, the berries are inedible, blue-black. But the plant does not shed foliage for a long time and is considered quite frost-resistant. Girlish grapes are great for decorating arbors, pergolas, brick and concrete walls, and balconies. nine0003

    Wisteria

    Wisteria is a luxurious plant for arbors, as well as other buildings and small architectural forms in the garden. It comes in a variety of colors, but in the middle lane, the variety Blue Moon ( Blue Moon) with violet-blue "clusters" of flowers takes root best of all. Liana inflorescences can reach 50 cm in length, which allows them to almost completely hide the green behind them.

    Wisteria, like campsis, is a southern plant and therefore loves warmth. The plant will withstand short-term frost down to -20 ° C. But without shelter, all the shoots of wisteria will freeze in the frosty winter. And even though new branches will grow from the vine in the spring, you will not wait for flowering, since flowers form only on last year's shoots. Therefore, winter shelter (the same as for climbing roses) in the form of spruce branches, leaf litter or dry sawdust covered with spunbond is mandatory for wisteria.

    nine0003

    Evergreen ivy

    The main value of this climbing plant is that it can decorate country houses throughout the year. This fact distinguishes ivy from other vines listed in the article. In addition, the plant is absolutely unpretentious, grows on its own and never ceases to delight with bright green foliage, which grows more and more with each new season.

    Learn more