PERGOLA PRIVACY

One way to hide your patio from neighbours’ windows is to add a pergola and grow a selection of climbers over it, offering flowers, fragrance, foliage and fruit across the year. Finding suitable plants depends on how much sunshine the area receives, the amount of shelter from frost and winds, and whether the soil is heavy or light and free-draining. Good choices for a sunny spot include climbing roses such as ‘New Dawn’ and ‘Albertine’, Clematis macropetala, honeysuckle and wisteria. Vitis vinifera ‘Purpurea’ is an ornamental grape vine that looks fabulous with golden hop and yellow clematis growing through. Deciduous climbers such as Hydrangea anomala petiolaris offer attractive autumn foliage and allow precious winter light into the garden. Another good choice for a shady spot is evergreen honeysuckle Lonicera henryi.