Are you low on ground space but feel like your garden could do with a bit of height and vertical interest? Maybe you have an unsightly wall in need of hiding, or a dull fence in need of a bit of oomph. If that’s the case, choose a beautiful climbing plant from our brand new range of sweetly fragrant Honeysuckle, enchanting Wisteria and lush Clematis.
We love climbers because they are both practical and beautiful; arguably the best choice for enhancing walls, fences, arches, and pergolas. Climbing plants are also great space-savers, especially in smaller gardens and where ground space is limited. Many smaller varieties also make great patio plants.
Read on to discover how to transform your garden space with a brand new climber.
Clematis
Ideal for obscuring unsightly brickwork or walls & year-round screening
Fondly referred to by some as the “Queen of Climbers”, Clematis is a very popular evergreen climbing plant, and it’s easy to see why. As an evergreen, it won’t lose its foliage, making it an excellent choice for year-round screening. Its leaves are thick and glossy and can hide all manner of sins, unsightly walls or ugly brickwork in particular! Pretty star-shaped, almond-scented flowers appear in early spring, providing a lovely contrast against the lush green foliage.
Clematis armandii and Clematis armandii ‘Apple Blossom’ are early flowering varieties and are fairly similar to each other, the main variation being in the colour of their blooms. Clematis armandii grows pure, snow white petals, while Clematis armandii ‘Apple Blossom’ (so-called because its blossoms resemble those of an Apple tree) grows pale pink-tinged flowers. They both fall into Clematis Group 1, the most low-maintenance of all 3 Clematis Groups, meaning no pruning is required, except to remove old or damaged growth.
Easy to grow, these Clematis are happily planted in a full sun position against a lattice or trellis. They will tolerate most moist, well-draining soils including clay and chalk.
Lonicera Honeysuckle
Ideal for attracting wildlife, and more compact forms for patios & pots
Honeysuckles are lovely, fragrant plants that offer brightly coloured, tubular flowers that will reach nose height—perfect for enjoying their sweet perfume. The flowers are also very popular with pollinators, a great way to attract more wildlife into the garden. Both climbing and shrub forms are available depending on what it is you’re looking for.
Lonicera ‘Rhubarb and Custard’ is a climbing variety of Honeysuckle which gets its name from its highly fragrant two-tone flowers. It is more compact than other varieties, reaching an approx. height and spread of 2 x 1.5 metres in 20 years, making it ideal for smaller gardens. It’s also suited to growing in pots and containers, perfect for those with patios or limited ground space for planting. Its flowers are large and impressive, despite its overall small size, and will remain on the plant from June all the way through to September.
Lonicera ‘Winter Beauty’, meanwhile, is a shrubby Honeysuckle, and arguably one of the very best for winter interest. Masses of creamy white flowers, which have a deliciously sweet scent, cover this plant in winter through to early spring.
Wisteria
Great for front of houses, framing doorways & adorning pergolas
If the dreamy charm of an English cottage garden is what you’re going for, the Wisteria is a must. It requires a little more attention than other plants, including twice-a-year pruning, but don’t let that deter you as the pay-off is more than worth it. Cascades of large, pendulous blooms droop from the branches around summertime for a spectacularly graceful display. All of our Wisteria are grafted (rather than grown from cuttings) so you can expect them to flower earlier. They’re also container-grown, meaning they can be planted at any time of year (provided the ground is not frozen over in winter).
Our standard tree planting advice applies (see our planting guide) however as a vigorous climber, Wisteria does require a support – use trellis if training against a wall. If a more traditional tree-like form is what you're after, Wisteria can also be trained up a stake to form a "standard". They do tolerate some partial shade, but full sun is preferred for the best blooms.
If you’re after a particularly sizeable variety, we recommend Wisteria 'Showa-Beni' which is which one of the largest that we have available, reaching an approx. height and spread of 12 x 8 metres in 20 years. For something a bit different from the pinks and purples typically associated with Wisteria, choose the silky white blooms of Wisteria ‘Shiro-Kapitan’. The Japanese Wisteria ‘Caroline’ is another stunning option, flowering earlier than most.
