Turn your garden fences and walls from drab into fab with climbing plants!

Climbing plants are useful in the garden in lots of ways. They take up less soil space, which means you can squeeze more plants in the garden space you have and cover up areas that aren’t that great to look at.  

Evergreen climbers keep all or most of their leaves year-round and most will need some form of support to grow on; this can include trellis, mesh panels or strong galvanised wires run through vine eyes (metal fixings that are screwed or hammered into a wall or fence). Make sure your support is firmly fixed or your climbing plant could collapse into a heap on the ground.

Choose the right climber

Matching the right climber to the right garden spot is the key to success. Look at the area where you are planning to plant your climber and take note of how much sun or shade it gets. Walls that get sun for all or part of the day can also create a mini microclimate that has a heating effect to protect plants from the colder weather.  

Planting tips  

Prepare the soil well to ensure the climber has the best possible growing conditions, add plenty of soil improver like compost or well-rotted manure.  

Water well after planting and make sure they don’t dry out during hot, dry weather.  

Make sure walls are solid. If the mortar is crumbling, climbers can speed up deterioration, making the wall unsafe.

If your fence is a bit rickety, repair it first; the weight of the climber as it grows could make it collapse.  

Here are seven evergreen climbers to try, depending on your growing conditions:

Snake Vine

A bright sunshiny golden-flowering vine which loves the sun. As with most native plants, this climber can withstand a little neglect.  

Star Jasmine

Star jasmine produces wonderfully fragrant flowers for a long period through summer and into autumn. The foliage is evergreen and it is a moderately fast grower. Grow in full sun or part shade, sheltered from winds.  

Passiflora

Commonly known as passionflowers, these fast-growing climbers are mostly evergreen, but prefer the warmer weather. They come in a range of colours and should be kept in full or mostly full sun with deep, moist, well-drained soil.

White Potato Creeper

This white flowering climber is hardy and fast growing, likes full sun, plenty of moisture and a well-drained soil.

Coral Pea

Another native climber with a range of flower colours from purple to white combined with reddish purple or pink. It is a vigorous evergreen climber that can be grown in full sun to part shade and well-drained soil.

Mandevilla

Available in a great range of colours, this vigorous climber can withstand high heat and will benefit from organically rich soils.  

Climbing Fig

This is a fast-growing climber with small heart shaped leaves. Take care when growing near render or paint as it will leave marks when removed.

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