Brighten up a shady wall

Q Can you suggest a flowering climber for the trellis on a north-facing wall? ROBERT WELLS, SWINDON, WILTSHIRE

A A north-facing wall receives relatively little sunshine, making it a tricky aspect for planting. Robert says in his letter that he’d prefer a climber that flowers all summer – again, quite a tall order! Most shade-loving climbers are evergreen with relatively inconspicuous flowers. White clematis is one notable exception, including cultivars such as ‘Gillian Blades’, ‘Guernsey Cream’ (pictured) and ‘ Duchess of Edinburgh’. Honeysuckles will grow well here too, such as evergreen Lonicera japonica and, among roses, ‘Albéric Barbier’ is worth trying.