The climb is right...
If you are staring at a wall ...a climber will brighten it up, and now is the time to plant them
RIGHT now is a lovely time to plant in the garden. The soil is damp and the spade slices through it easily. The earth feels warm and welcoming for newcomers to settle in before winter arrives. And as all the froth and flowers of summer disappear, the framework of the garden is more visible so there is clarity on what needs to be done.
Climbers have a huge role to play in the garden. They fill places and fulfil jobs that other plants and shrubs can’t reach as they can stretch into the most awkward spots and survive in the darkest of areas if chosen and placed effectively.
They can provide a wash of colour for the background of a border, green up an unsightly wall, or scramble over an unused garden building – all that and at the same time they bring ornamental flowers and foliage.
They will grow in all directions as long as they are supported well.
To camouflage a wall or an unsightly garden building, wisteria will move fast to make good coverage, but its woody branches must be well supported and provided with sufficient space.
Prune it carefully to encourage flowers and maintain its shape. It is worth buying an established specimen and one that is in flower to avoid having to wait years for any to appear, because only mature wisterias will blossom.
Another wonderful climber for good coverage is the Crimson glory vine (Vitis coignetiae), whose large, hairy, deep-green leaves change to a deep red in autumn.
The climbing evergreen hydrangea, Hydrangea petiolaris, has aerial stems which help it climb walls and it’s happy in shade. Clematis armandii is another evergreen with long strappy leaves and deeply fragrant creamy flowers in spring. Climbing plants with finer stems, curling tendrils and lighter foliage are more effective for trellises. Trachelospermum jasminoides is an evergreen twining climber with small leaves and the most wonderfully scented white flowers in the summer months. It will cover your trellis with a deep green colour and bring some delight to the garden. Sollya heterophylla is often overlooked but is worth seeking out as its flowers are a joy. It is an evergreen with bright green foliage and the most gorgeous clusters of sky blue droopy bell-shaped flowers. Humulus lupulus ‘Aureus,’ or golden hops, has almost luminous yellow leaves with beautifully cut edges that will magically cover a meshwork in one season. Its speed of growth and general vigour won’t suit smaller gardens, however.
For a garden archway, one of the most striking climbers is Akebia quinata, or the chocolate vine. Although its stems are rather woody, they remain quite fine and bear extremely elegant leaves with five leaflets which will survive the winter in sheltered sites and warmer areas.
Tiny deep purple flowers with a strong vanilla scent hang gently from the plant in spring. The brown interweaving woody stems make an attractive basket work on a garden frame.
Finally, there’s a rose for every situation – climbing, rambling or scrambling. For super vigour to
race up a large tree, Paul’s Himalayan Musk has dainty pink flowers with a lovely fragrance, but in a smaller space I’m always happy to recommend ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ for unparalleled scent and rich pink roses.