Best Climbing Plant For Color
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 .
USDA 7 to 9 .
How To Grow Vines On A Pergola
Growing vines on a pergola is one thing, but getting them to that point is the real challenge. There is some manipulation to be done to get a plant to decide that growing onto the pergola is best for it, but it can be done with some skill and patience.
There are many different methods to start a plant growing on a pergola, but here are some of the best methods for anyone trying to establish some vines:
Ground Planting Method: Planting vines directly into the ground is great for plants that have larger root systems, such as wisteria and grapes. To do this, prepare a large area surrounding the base of the pergola where you wish the vine to start.
Work up at least 12 inches of soil, then add some nutrients or fertilizer in with the soil to prepare it for planting. This area should be kept weeded after planting to prevent the vine from retracting or dying, and should be kept constantly moist until the vines are established around three to four feet high and spreading out rapidly.
Once the plants start to gain some height, try to lead them to the pergola by shading the area just around the roots to encourage the plants to climb for sunlight. Do not block out light entirely, though!
Container Planting Method: This method is similar to ground planting, but the plants in containers need to be maintained a bit more. Repotting will eventually become a necessity, especially to maintain thick or woody vines.
Read more about our guide on the best pergola furniture ideas here.
See more
Hanging Plants From Your Pergola
The spacious beams that make up most pergola roofs provide a great place from which to hang plants. Hanging baskets in particular make wonderful additions and can be easy to maintain. A cornucopia of tumbling blossoms hanging from a basket on your pergola can be dazzling. Mix and match different coloured flowers for a truly showstopping look.
You May Like: How Much Is A Louvered Pergola
Climbing Plants That Flower For A Pergola
A pergola covered with a flowering climber or vine can add shade to your home and add a gorgeous floral display and some climbers are also perfumed.
In Brisbane a cottage style garden is not always practical as many of the plants do not work in
the warmer weather but a flowering vine can instantly add a cottage feel to your garden when they are cascading over a pergola or arbour.
If you stick to the whites, lilacs and pastel pinks you can create that lovely cottage garden feel
For a more striking or tropical feel use the vibrant red, pinks and oranges and these plants will
be eye catching and create an instant lush coolness to your outdoor areas.
Brisbane weather is perfect for the following 6 flowering creepers and these can be found at our local Nursery in Capalabla
Petrea Or Queens Wreath
This vine produces long clusters of purple flowers that resemble those of the wisteria, and like the wisteria, it has woody stems that make it heavy, so it needs strong support. The Queens Wreath flowers on and off all summer with a late-season burst of blooms in the autumn.
Climbing plants lend their beauty and fragrance to even a small space. The best climbing plants are fairly easy to care for, long-lived, attract birds and beneficial insects, and even keep down energy bills!
Don’t Miss: Can You Leave Glass Patio Table Out Winter
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.
Climbing Plants For Pergolas
However the look vintage or trendy modern style the structure must stand strong to withstand the weight of the climbing plants that will climb atop it. Getting the selection of plants right is crucial. If you want to avoid insects hovering around your cool oasis, avoid fruit-bearing varieties. Best are species that provide dense, lush foliage that will maximize shade quality. A very effective sun-blocker is Virginia creeper. This vine has the added appeal of shining in a host of ever-changing colors as seasons push on.
If you wish to revel in fresh soothing scents, opt for wisteria: the flowing panicles release a delicious fragrance in cooler spring, and the flowers disappear in summer when the odor would have felt too powerful and heady. Delicately fragrant honeysuckle thrive with exposures set on part sun and shade. Akebia, which bears semi-evergreen foliage, prefers full sun and releases a perfume similar to refined citrus-flower scents during spring. Clematis is as resilient as it is elegant. If you love roses, you can choose from a vast array of climbing rose tree cultivars, but avoid thorny ones! Be sure to diligently follow-up their pruning calendar to keep them under control.
Fabienne Lisse
Recommended Reading: How To Make A Pea Stone Patio
Best Climbing Plant For Pollinators
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 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 . USDA 5-10 .
Best Climbing Plants For Pergolas
We pick some of our favourite plants for growing on a garden pergola.
Pergolas make a great focal point in gardens, and there’s a wide range of plants they can support.
There are many ways to use them, too. A path covered with a pergola can help create a sense of journey in the garden, while even the smallest pergola will provide shady spots perfect for outdoor seating. You could also use a long pergola to divide up areas of the garden into ‘rooms’.
To grow even more plants up pergolas, trellis panels can be attached giving additional support for climbing plants. For extra shade, consider adding screening in the form of curtains or a canvas cover on top.
More on growing climbing plants:
Discover some of the best plants to grow up a pergola, below.
Don’t Miss: What Is The Standard Height Of A Patio Umbrella
Climbing Plants For Pergolas Arches & Fences
Climbers are highly versatile plants with a natural tendency to climb, scramble or ramble. They are excellent for covering walls, fences, trellis, unsightly features or pergolas, or even to clamber over natural supports such as conifer trees, bushes and shrubs. Some climbers twine around the framework they’re designed to scramble over, whereas others such as Hedera, Campsis and Passiflora actually self-cling to their climbing surface. The structure you use to support your climber should be secure and strong, because the plants can become heavy with age.
Climbing plants can be used to brighten up your vertical planting areas such as bare walls or simply provide beautiful flowers, lush foliage and a fabulous scent for your garden. If you’re looking for climbing plants for sun then Trachelospermum and Campsis are an excellent choice, whereas the best climbing plants for shade are Parthenocissus and Akebia Quinata . Many climbers are also excellent wildlife attracting plants, whilst Hedera varieties such as Hedera Hibernica make useful groundcover plants and Hedera Helix is suitable for growing in a container.
Jewel Of Africa Nasturtium Flower
The Nasturtium vine is available with various appealing mandevilla colors like maroon, orange, salmon, yellow apricot shade, and red.
Besides, the combination of green leaves and colorful flowers makes the pergola look very beautiful.
They grow in yards, fences, trellis, and as a garden cover.
Nasturtium grows best in full sun and blooms from June to September. They are easy to grow and flourish if they are maintained with care.
Don’t Miss: How To Make Patio Furniture Covers
Stunning Climbing Plants Perfect For Trellis And Arbors
What else are trellises and arbors for if not for displaying climbing plants? Trellises and arbors without lively climbing plants are but bare and dull garden structures. Because if peas are for carrots, then climbing plants are for trellises and arbors.
Want a vertical garden using a trellis, or got a newly constructed arbor on your patio? Then you should get yourself a climbing plant to go with those structures. Its a good thing Ive got this rundown of amazing flowering vines. Surely youll find one in this list of 19 climbing plants for your trellis and arbor.
The Best Climbing Plants For Your Pergola
A pergola is a beautiful addition to any yard and can be a focal point for outdoor dining, relaxing, entertaining and more. To add privacy and character to your pergola, you can use plants. Specifically, climbing plants that can grow all around the pergola to create cover and beauty. Choose front hese great climbing plants that are easy to care for and can turn any pergola into a garden paradise.
Read Also: How To Get Rid Of Mold On Patio Pavers
Chinese & Japanese Wisteria
While both Chinese and Japanese wisteria vines are extremely good climbers and feature lots of beautiful flowers, they are also extremely troublesome in most gardens. The vines themselves are difficult to control and have been known to push apart fence panels, climb behind siding and pull down gutters. They also require lots of maintenance and dont always grow well in the South.
Furthermore, Japanese and Chinese wisteria are listed as invasive species in Texas, meaning they have the potential to outcompete and damage local plants. A better choice is the more docile American wisteria, which is less vigorous and makes a better garden plant.
About Pergola Climbing Plants
Plants and vines for pergola structures vary in size, growing habit, and appearance. Many pergola plants are flowering vines that add color and interest to the landscape. Some gardeners combine several climbing plants that bloom during different times of the season for year-round color. Be sure that your pergola structure is strong enough to support the weight of several climbers before you plant.
Read Also: Oakmont Gazebo Replacement Canopy
Best Climbing Plant For The Front Of A House
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 where W. floribunda is invasive, unless you are prepared to prune it instead, grow a less vigorous American wisteria .
Height: 30ft .
Pandoreas Or Wonga Wonga Vine
This is an Australian native and it is a “twiner”
It has evergreen dark glossy leaves and it is fast growing
It requires at least 6 hours of sun a day and needs to be watering the drier months
They colours range from pure white, to soft pastel pinks and through to darker pinks.
Some of the colours will produce a delicate fragrance.
The flowers are trumpet shaped and will flower from Spring To Autumn and with profuse flowering
It is an eye catching floral display due to the size of the flowers and the way that they form in beautiful clusters.
You May Like: How Does A Pergola Create Shade
Best Climbing Plant For Walls
Clematis viticellaPurpurea 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 its 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 .
Best Climbing Plant For Pergolas
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 .
Read Also: Outdoor Patio Tiles Over Concrete
Orange Trumpet Creeper Or Venusta Vine
South American Native and is a “Tendrils”
In mid to late winter this stunning vine produces masses of bright orange flowers
It is a hardy evergreen vine and with dense foliage and it is quick growing.
It needs well draining soil and watering in the drier months.
It needs a warm and sunny position and will cover or hide lattice and mesh fences.
To show off the stunning trumpet shaped blooms allow it to cascade off the roof part of a
pergola or a carport and you will have a mass of flaming orange blooms..
It will give your garden a tropical feel with the orange blooms and dark green foliage
Vine Rangoon Creeper Flowers
You can grow this climbing plant native in tropical forests in USDA Zones 9, 10, and 11. Dont worry about them losing foliage over the winter as theyre perennials. Get fascinated with how its color changes as it matures. At onset, it will bloom white then slowly darkens to pink. As it reaches maturity, it will turn into a lovely red-colored flower.
You May Like: How To Get Dog Hair Off Patio Cushions
Build Your Dream Pergola With Our Beautiful Kits
Whether youre weaving tapestries of climbing vines or artfully placing hanging baskets, if the pergola your decorating isnt well-built, it wont make a whole lot of difference. Getting a bespoke wooden pergola that fits your garden and your unique style will act as a transformative structure from which he best plants for pergolas can thrive. Allow your carefully cultivated flowers to bloom to perfection with one of our stunning oak framed pergola kits that are completely made to measure.
Pergola Plants Guide: Shade And Enhance Your Outdoor Space
While many pergola enthusiasts prefer the spare and elegant lines of a pergola without plants, many prefer the lushness and beauty of a growing plant on one of these garden structures. Growing pergola plants can create ambience and provide privacy and shade to pergola owners. For those who love gardening, this addition can also enhance the look and style of a garden.
The Pros & Cons of Pergola Plants
Before deciding on a vine, you will want to weigh the pros and cons of including a growing vine on your pergola.
The advantages of a growing pergola plants include filtered shade, the scent of flowers, and the fact that these growths can enhance the garden feel of a pergola. Although the offered shade from pergola plants may be limited, they can be used in conjunction with retractable canopies to provide maximum protection from the elements while enhancing the aesthetics of your pergola.
The disadvantages of vines are that they can sometimes create quite a cleanup as they drop leaves and debris throughout the year. Pergola plants are a living thing which will require care an maintenance such as watering, pruning, etc. They can also attract unwelcome guests, such as bees, wasps, or even lizards and snakes.
The best vines for pergolas
The following are some of the best options to consider when selecting a plant for your garden pergola. Each extends aesthetic value with different advantages in various climates.
Bougainvillea
Royal Trumpet Vine
Carolina Jessamine
Wisteria
Don’t Miss: How To Kill Moss On Patio
Best Climbing Plants: Take Your Garden To The Next Level With These Top Choices
Our pick of the best climbing plants will help you to cloak a bare trellis or pergola, disguise an ugly wall or add height to your borders
Growing the best climbing plants is a brilliantly simple way to create a garden with the wow-factor. Plants which grow upwards can clothe a pergola, an arch or a trellis, disguise an unsightly shed or a plain brick wall, or create added curb appeal around an underwhelming front door.
The good news is that you dont have to wait for years if you need an instant disguise, as there are some fast growers which will transform an area in one to two years. Equally, there are some classic plant choices which are definitely worth a little extra time and patience for spectacular results against your fences, over your pergola or as part of your flowerbed ideas.
‘The best climbing plants add an invaluable vertical element to your garden, softening walls, fences, arches and pergolas with their foliage and colourful flowers,’ says Marcus Eyles, Horticultural Director at Dobbies . ‘With a huge range to choose from, they help create a stunning feature in any size garden.’ Find out what to grow in your space with our pick of the best climbing plants.