Climbing Plants
Welcome to our guide on climbing plants, perfect for adding height, colour, and texture to your garden. Climbing plants are ideal for transforming walls, fences, arches, or pergolas, bringing vertical interest and vibrant blooms to your outdoor space. Whether you’re looking for fast-growing varieties, fragrant climbers, or hardy evergreens, there’s something to suit every garden style and setting. In this section, we’ll explore the best climbing plants for UK gardens, how to grow and support them, and essential tips for pruning and care. Elevate your garden with these stunning, versatile plants!
The Benefits of Climbing Plants
Climbing plants are a dynamic and versatile group of garden stars, offering a wealth of benefits that make them indispensable in landscape design. These plants are prized for their ability to grow vertically, making them ideal for gardeners looking to maximise space or add height to their outdoor areas. Climbers adapt well to various conditions, thriving on walls, fences, trellises, and even other plants, making them perfect for creating green backdrops or disguising unsightly features.
Beyond their space-saving qualities, climbing plants provide year-round visual interest. In spring and summer, many climbers burst into life with lush foliage and vibrant blooms, transforming bare structures into living tapestries of colour and texture. As autumn approaches, some varieties offer a spectacular show of changing leaf colours or produce attractive berries. Even in winter, the architectural forms of deciduous climbers or the evergreen foliage of certain species continue to add depth and interest to the garden landscape.
Climbing plants also play a crucial role in supporting local ecosystems. Their dense growth provides shelter and nesting sites for birds and small animals, while their flowers attract a variety of pollinators, including bees and butterflies. By incorporating climbers into your garden, you’re creating valuable habitats and food sources for wildlife, contributing to a thriving, balanced ecosystem right outside your door.
Explore Popular Varieties
In this section, we’ll delve into an array of popular climbing plant varieties that can enhance both the aesthetic appeal and ecological value of your garden. Whether you’re looking to create a romantic cottage garden feel, a formal architectural statement, or a wildlife-friendly haven, there’s a climbing plant to suit your needs.
Vigorous climbers like Wisteria and Trumpet Vine make stunning features, offering cascades of fragrant flowers and providing excellent coverage for large areas. For those seeking year-round greenery, evergreen climbers such as Ivy and Star Jasmine offer constant foliage and, in some cases, winter blooms. Climbing roses bring classic beauty and fragrance, perfect for pergolas or arches, while annual climbers like Sweet Peas provide quick, colourful solutions for seasonal displays.
For fruit enthusiasts, climbing plants aren’t just about ornamental value. Varieties like Grape Vines and Kiwi Vines offer the dual benefits of attractive foliage and edible fruits. Meanwhile, climbers such as Clematis and Honeysuckle provide a perfect balance of delicate blooms and robust growth, suitable for a wide range of garden styles.
By selecting a mix of these versatile plants, you can transform vertical spaces in your garden into living works of art. Let’s explore these popular climbing plant varieties further and discover how they can elevate your garden design to new heights!
Actinidia kolomikta
Actinidia kolomikta is a striking climber known for its heart-shaped leaves that develop pink and white variegation. This hardy vine thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. Producing fragrant white flowers in early summer, it adds ornamental value to UK gardens. Reaching up to 10 metres, it provides beautiful foliage and seasonal fruit, enhancing vertical spaces elegantly. Read More
Akebia quinata
Akebia quinata, also known as the chocolate vine, is a vigorous climber with maroon-chocolate scented flowers and lush green leaves. This hardy plant thrives in full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. Ideal for UK gardens, it can transform structures with its beauty from early spring. Its unique appearance adds charm and character to any space. Read More
Akebia quinata Cream Form
The Akebia quinata Cream Form is a vigorous climber with creamy-white, fragrant flowers and lush green foliage. It flourishes in full sun or partial shade and well-drained soil. Hardy to -20°C, it’s ideal for UK gardens, creating a stunning vertical display from mid to late spring. This plant is perfect for adding visual interest to garden structures. Read More
Campsis radicans
Campsis radicans, or trumpet vine, is a vigorous climber boasting vibrant orange to red flowers from midsummer to early autumn. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it ideal for UK gardens. Hardy to -20°C, its lush green foliage provides a stunning backdrop to its blooms, adding colour and life to vertical spaces. Read More
Campsis radicans Judy
Campsis radicans ‘Judy’ is a vigorous climber admired for its stunning apricot trumpet-shaped flowers. Blooming from midsummer to early autumn, it thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. Hardy to -15°C, it brings vibrant colour and lush foliage to UK gardens. Ideal for transforming walls and pergolas into lively, captivating displays of floral beauty. Read More
Campsis radicans Stromboli
Campsis radicans ‘Stromboli’ is a vibrant climbing plant known for its striking deep red trumpet-shaped flowers. Blooming from midsummer to autumn, it thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. Hardy to -15°C, ‘Stromboli’ brings bold colour and lush foliage to UK gardens, making it perfect for covering walls, fences, and pergolas beautifully. Read More
Campsis radicans Yellow Trumpet
Campsis radicans ‘Yellow Trumpet’ is a vibrant climber known for its bright yellow trumpet-shaped flowers. Blooming from midsummer to early autumn, it thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. Hardy to -15°C, ‘Yellow Trumpet’ adds lively colour and lush foliage to UK gardens, perfect for enlivening walls, fences, and pergolas with its striking display. Read More
Campsis x tagliabuana Indian Summer
Campsis x tagliabuana ‘Indian Summer’ delivers a spectacular show with its large, trumpet-shaped orange-red flowers from late summer to autumn. This vigorous climbing plant creates a stunning vertical display against walls and fences. Its glossy green foliage provides the perfect backdrop for the exotic-looking blooms that attract bees and pollinators. Read More
Clematis
Clematis are versatile climbers that add colour and height to any garden. With a wide range of varieties, they’re perfect for brightening walls, fences, and trellises. In this section, we’ll explore different types of clematis, how to plant them, and key tips for pruning and care. Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned gardener, clematis offer something for everyone. Read More
Coronilla glauca Citrina
Coronilla glauca ‘Citrina’ brightens winter gardens with its clusters of delicate, lemon-yellow pea-like flowers and blue-green foliage. This compact evergreen shrub blooms from December through spring, filling the air with a sweet almond fragrance. Perfect for sheltered borders or containers, it brings cheerful colour when most gardens are dormant. Read More
Fallopia baldschuanica - Russian Vine
Fallopia baldschuanica, commonly known as Russian Vine, is a remarkably vigorous climber that creates masses of frothy white flowers. This rapid grower can quickly cover unsightly structures or large spaces with its cascading blooms and heart-shaped leaves. Perfect for challenging spots, but needs regular maintenance to keep its enthusiastic growth in check. Read More
Hedera colchica Dentata Variegata
Hedera colchica ‘Dentata Variegata’ offers striking large leaves with bold cream and green variegation, creating year-round interest. This vigorous Persian ivy brightens shady areas and makes an excellent ground cover or climbing plant. Its frost-hardy nature and adaptable growing habits make it perfect for adding colour to walls, fences, or woodland gardens. Read More
Hedera helix Glacier
Hedera helix ‘Glacier’ stands out with its dainty, silver-grey and green variegated leaves, creating a stunning evergreen display. This compact ivy grows neatly along walls or as ground cover, adding year-round interest to shady spots. Perfect for containers or small gardens, its slow-growing nature makes it easy to maintain. Read More
Hedera colchica Sulphur Heart
Hedera colchica ‘Sulphur Heart’ is a striking evergreen climber with large, heart-shaped leaves splashed with golden-yellow variegation. This vigorous Persian ivy brightens shady walls and fences throughout the year. Its bold foliage creates a dramatic backdrop, while its adaptable nature makes it perfect for ground cover or climbing. Excellent for adding year-round colour to difficult spots. Read More
Hydrangea petiolaris
Hydrangea petiolaris, or climbing hydrangea, is an elegant climber with fragrant white lace-cap flowers and lush green foliage. Blooming in early summer, it thrives in partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. Hardy to -20°C, this self-clinging plant is perfect for covering walls and fences, adding charm and interest to both urban and rural gardens. Read More
Hydrangea petiolaris Silver Lining
Hydrangea petiolaris ‘Silver Lining’ is a stunning climbing plant with striking variegated leaves edged in silvery white. It produces beautiful, lace-cap flowers in early summer, adding charm to any garden. Thriving in partial to full shade, this hardy climber can reach heights of up to 12 metres (39 feet), providing vibrant colour and texture throughout the growing season. Read More
Jasminum nudiflorum - Winter Jasmine
Winter jasmine brightens up the darkest days with its cheerful yellow flowers blooming from December to March. This tough Chinese shrub scrambles over walls and fences, creating cascades of starry blooms on bare green stems. It’s a fantastic low-maintenance plant that grows happily in most soils and tolerates both sun and shade. Gardeners love its early colour and easy-going nature. Read More
Jasminum officinale
Common jasmine fills summer evenings with its heavenly perfume, making it a garden favourite worldwide. The delicate white star-shaped flowers bloom abundantly from June to September. This vigorous climber reaches impressive heights, perfect for covering walls and pergolas. Its glossy green leaves provide a lovely backdrop, while the scented blooms attract bees and butterflies. Read More
Lonicera Celestial
Lonicera ‘Celestial’ brings heavenly charm with its abundant display of cream and yellow fragrant flowers from June to September. This vigorous climbing honeysuckle fills evening gardens with sweet perfume while attracting wildlife. Its robust growth and reliable flowering make it perfect for covering walls, fences, or pergolas in sunny or partially shaded spots. Read More
Lonicera henryi Copper Beauty
Lonicera henryi ‘Copper Beauty’ offers unique copper-tinted flowers against glossy evergreen foliage, creating year-round interest. This versatile climber produces striking blooms from June to September, followed by black berries that attract birds. Perfect for covering walls and fences, it maintains its rich colour even in shaded positions. Read More
Lonicera japonica Halls Prolific
Lonicera japonica ‘Hall’s Prolific’ lives up to its name with masses of highly fragrant white flowers that fade to cream-yellow. This vigorous Japanese honeysuckle blooms from June through to October, filling gardens with sweet perfume. Its semi-evergreen nature and reliable flowering make it perfect for covering walls, arches, and pergolas. Read More
Lonicera japonica Halliana
Hall’s Japanese Honeysuckle is a delightfully scented climber that brings charm and romance to any garden space. The creamy-white flowers turn buttery yellow as they age, releasing their sweet perfume from late spring through autumn. This vigorous vine eagerly cloaks walls and fences in glossy green foliage, while its fragrant blooms attract wildlife to your garden. Read More
Lonicera periclymenum
Lonicera periclymenum, our native honeysuckle, brings charm to any garden with its clusters of sweetly scented cream and pink flowers. This classic climber blooms from June to September, attracting bees and butterflies, followed by bright red berries. Perfect for cottage gardens, it thrives in sun or partial shade, creating beautiful natural screens. Read More
Lonicera periclymenum Belgica
Lonicera periclymenum ‘Belgica’, the early Dutch honeysuckle, delights with its deep pink and cream flowers from May onwards. This reliable climber produces intensely fragrant blooms earlier than other varieties, followed by bright red berries in autumn. Perfect for traditional gardens, it fills summer evenings with sweet perfume. Read More
Lonicera periclymenum Caprilia Imperial
Lonicera periclymenum ‘Caprilia Imperial’ captivates with its large, richly coloured cream and purple-red flowers that bloom from June to September. This robust climber fills gardens with an intense sweet fragrance, especially in the evening hours. Its strong growth and abundant flowering make it perfect for covering walls, fences, and pergolas. Read More
Lonicera periclymenum Chic et Choc
Lonicera periclymenum ‘Chic et Choc’ dazzles with its striking dark purple-red and cream flowers from June to September. This stunning climber combines unusual colouring with a rich, sweet fragrance that intensifies in the evening. Perfect for contemporary or traditional gardens, it creates an eye-catching display while attracting pollinators. Read More
Lonicera periclymenum Graham Thomas
Lonicera periclymenum ‘Graham Thomas’ is a beautifully fragrant honeysuckle, perfect for climbing on trellises or fences. Its creamy yellow flowers bloom from late spring to summer, attracting bees and butterflies. This vigorous climber thrives in full sun to partial shade, making it versatile for various garden settings. Its lush green foliage adds a lovely backdrop to your outdoor space. Read More
Lonicera periclymenum Rhubarb and Custard
Lonicera periclymenum ‘Rhubarb and Custard’ offers a delightful display of pink and cream flowers that truly reflect its nostalgic name. This charming climber produces heavily scented blooms from June to September, followed by red berries. Its robust growth and sweet fragrance make it perfect for cottage gardens and pergolas. Read More
Lonicera periclymenum Scentsation
Lonicera periclymenum ‘Scentsation’ lives up to its name with an incredibly powerful sweet fragrance and abundant cream-yellow blooms. This outstanding climber flowers from June through September, creating a beautiful display that attracts butterflies and bees. Its vigorous growth and intense perfume make it perfect for gardens where evening scent matters. Read More
Lonicera periclymenum Serotina
Lonicera periclymenum ‘Serotina’, the late Dutch honeysuckle, extends the season with its fragrant purple-red and cream flowers from July to October. This reliable climber produces an abundance of sweetly scented blooms, followed by red berries that attract birds. Perfect for extending summer colour, it brings charm to walls and pergolas. Read More
Lonicera periclymenum Strawberries and Cream
Lonicera periclymenum ‘Strawberries and Cream’ will brighten your garden with its delightful pink and cream flowers. Blooming from June to September, this charming climber fills the air with a sweet fragrance that attracts pollinators. Its vigorous growth makes it perfect for covering trellises, fences, and walls, adding colour and cheer throughout the summer months. Read More
Lonicera similis var. delavayi
Lonicera similis var. delavayi offers excellent evergreen coverage with its glossy dark green leaves and fragrant cream-white flowers. This vigorous Chinese honeysuckle blooms from July to September, providing both summer interest and year-round screening. Perfect for covering large areas, it creates an impressive display while offering valuable shelter for wildlife. Read More
Lonicera x heckrottii American Beauty
Lonicera x heckrottii ‘American Beauty’ creates a stunning display with its bi-coloured pink and orange-yellow blooms from June to September. This eye-catching climber combines beautiful flowers with a rich, sweet fragrance that intensifies in the evening. Perfect for pergolas and archways, it brings reliable colour and charm to any garden setting. Read More
Lonicera x heckrottii Gold Flame
Lonicera x heckrottii ‘Gold Flame’ lights up gardens with its stunning coral-pink and golden yellow flowers from June to September. This vibrant climber combines striking colours with a delicious sweet fragrance that fills evening air. Perfect for sunny or partially shaded spots, it creates a magnificent display while attracting bees and butterflies. Read More
Lonicera x tellmanniana
Lonicera x tellmanniana stands out with its spectacular tubular orange-yellow flowers that bloom profusely from late spring to summer. This vigorous climber offers a bold display without the typical honeysuckle scent, making it perfect for sunny walls and fences. Its reliable growth and striking flowers create dramatic impact in any garden setting. Read More
Parthenocissus Tricuspidata - Boston Ivy
Parthenocissus tricuspidata transforms buildings with its spectacular seasonal displays. This self-clinging climber features glossy green leaves that turn brilliant shades of crimson in autumn. Perfect for covering walls and fences, Boston Ivy creates a stunning backdrop throughout the year. Its vigorous growth and low maintenance nature make it an excellent choice for architectural impact. Read More
Passiflora caerulea - Blue Passion Flower
Passiflora caerulea brings exotic charm to UK gardens with its stunning, intricate flowers in white and blue. This vigorous climber produces eye-catching blooms throughout summer, followed by orange egg-shaped fruits. Its dramatic appearance and reliable growth make it perfect for sunny walls and fences. A real conversation starter that adds tropical flair to any garden. Read More
Passiflora caerulea Purple Rain
Passiflora caerulea ‘Purple Rain’ dazzles with its striking purple-tinted flowers featuring distinctive corona filaments in deep violet. This hardy passion flower brings tropical drama to garden walls throughout summer. Its vigorous growth and remarkable blooms create an exotic display, while the decorative fruits add autumn interest. Perfect for sunny, sheltered positions. Read More
Solanum crispum Glasnevin
Solanum crispum ‘Glasnevin’, commonly known as the Chilean potato vine, is a vigorous climbing plant renowned for its stunning purple-blue flowers. Blooming from late spring to autumn, it thrives in full sun or light shade. This hardy climber adapts well to various soils and can reach heights of up to 6 metres, adding charm to any garden. Read More
Trachelospermum jasminoides
Star Jasmine is a stunning evergreen climber that brings Mediterranean charm to British gardens. Its glossy dark leaves create a beautiful backdrop for clusters of pure white, star-shaped flowers. The heavenly scent fills summer evenings from June through August. This well-behaved climber gracefully covers walls and fences, while its winter foliage often turns a gorgeous bronze-purple in cold spells. Read More
Trachelospermum jasminoides Star of Toscana
Trachelospermum jasminoides ‘Star of Toscana’ is a stunning evergreen climber prized for its fragrant, star-shaped creamy to buttery yellow flowers. These blossoms bloom in summer, attracting bees and butterflies to your garden. The glossy, dark green leaves provide a beautiful backdrop all year round. This vigorous vine works wonderfully on trellises or as a trailing plant, adding elegance to any outdoor space. Read More
Wisteria sinensis
Wisteria sinensis brings spectacular beauty to any garden with its cascading lilac-blue flowers in late spring. This vigorous climber produces sweetly scented blooms on bare branches before its foliage emerges. Perfect for south or west-facing walls and pergolas, this Chinese native grows quickly and reliably in UK gardens. Regular pruning keeps this stunning plant in check while encouraging abundant flowering displays. Read More