How to grow climbers

To give your garden an injection of beautiful flowers, foliage and fragrance this spring, consider installing some climbing plants.

Climbers are spectacularly showy but surprisingly low maintenance, and provide a simple landscape solution to a range of garden problems and are particularly useful in small spaces.

Use them to soften a bare wall or cover a plain fence, creating a view where none exists such as in a courtyard or at the side of a house.

Let a grapevine scramble over your pergola for summer shade or use a shade-loving variety to green up the darkest corner of the yard.

Turn a bare spot into a garden feature by training a flowering climber over a trellis to screen the wheelie bins or hide the compost heap.

TIP On a deck, position evergreen scented climbers like jasmine to bring fragrance into the house.

With evergreen and deciduous varieties, there are climbers for every climate and outdoor area, and spring is the best time to plant.

Choose from a huge number of vines, creepers and ramblers to suit your landscape and conditions.

For a quick fix, fast-growing species, plant certain kinds of grapevine that can grow up to a metre a year.

Or you can buy climbers up to two metres high that are often already in bloom in large containers.

As a rule, the older the plant the more it costs, depending on the size and how many stems it has.

Large potted climbers are best left as container plants and tied to a trellis for decorative effect, as they may not flower for two years if planted out.

Younger plants will establish more quickly in the garden and grow rapidly in the first couple of years.

Plants scale walls and other structures in a variety of ways.

Without vertical support, climbers continue to grow but spread horizontally, forming a groundcover.

How climbers grow

Twiners like clematis have stem tendrils that coil around anything nearby, including a nail, wire, or neighbouring plant stalk.

Clingers need no support as they develop very strong roots on the stems in contact with a vertical surface, such as ivy on a rough wall.

Winders like honeysuckle coil their stems around garden stakes, trees and other supports in one direction.

Suckers have stem tendrils with sticky pads on the ends that are extremely adhesive and can be difficult to remove.

Ramblers use their thorns to scramble up a support, like roses over an arbour, but need additional tying and training.

Most climbers tolerate soil of various types as long as it’s free draining. They like a sunny spot with shaded roots.

Improve the soil before planting or use a good quality potting mix for containers. Water plants in well.

Feed flowering varieties with a fertiliser rich in potash but don’t overfeed, as this can result in lots of stem growth and foliage but a poor display of blooms.

Climbers can grow up and over just about anything, including brick walls, buildings, stakes, tree trunks and trellis panels.

Leave at least 300mm between a wall and the trellis for good airflow, and to ensure rainwater isn’t blocked by eaves or gutters.

Apply a thick layer of mulch around the base of the plant, keeping it clear of the stem to keep the roots cool in summer and provide frost protection in winter.

Climbers require training and most need to be tied to a support.

Even varieties that cling by root or stemneed help to spread evenly.

Horizontal wires work well.

Stretch galvanised wires spaced 400mm apart across a wall or between fence posts, securing them at 2m intervals with vine eye screws.

Trellis panels add a decorative element and can be mounted on wall battens or posts, or left freestanding.

Tie stems loosely with soft garden ties.

TIP Use plastic plant clips to secure stems to a stake.

Grow climbers in well-drained soil and position the plant at least 300mm in front of the trellis or support to ensure good airflow.

Dig a hole about 10mm deeper and twice as wide as the rootball then remove the climber from its pot, loosening the roots.

Position the plant in the hole and backfill with soil, firming it down gently. Water well while the plant is establishing, and tie to the trellis if the stems are long enough.

Assess the planting site before buying a climber, noting which direction the wall or fence faces and how much sun the proposed location receives.

TIP Ask your local nursery for a variety that thrives in the area.

A deciduous climber with multiple varieties and colours.

Plant on the south side so shoots grow towards the sun, keeping the roots cool.

Clematis macropetala does well in shade.

With dark leaves and trumpet-shaped flowers in various shades of pink this climber makes an impression.

Some varieties have fragrant flowers, others feature cream coloured blooms.

Ideal for growing over a trellis, this vigorous evergreen climber has strong tendrils that grip the wire. Flowers appear in summer with the added bonus of fruit in autumn.