Climbers for borders
Climbers that work in a planted border, with mature size, aspect and bloom time for each.
Climbers earn their keep by gardening upwards, clothing fences, walls, obelisks and arches that would otherwise be dead space. Match the plant to its support: twiners need wires or trellis to wind around, while self-clinging types attach directly to masonry. Plant a good 30cm out from the base of a wall, where the soil is dry in the rain shadow, and lean the stems back towards their support. Prune to the habit, as flowering time dictates when you cut. The usual mistake is letting a vigorous climber loose on a flimsy frame. These climbers run from restrained, well-mannered choices to robust coverers for a larger structure.
Border Builder is a garden border planner for iPhone and iPad. Pick from the 35 plants below and it works them into a full plan: how many of each, where they go, and how the bed reads through the seasons.
35 plants for this
- American Wisteria 'Amethyst Falls'Wisteria frutescens 'Amethyst Falls'
- Black-Eyed Susan VineThunbergia alata
- Blue Passion FlowerPassiflora caerulea
- Bougainvillea 'Barbara Karst'Bougainvillea 'Barbara Karst'
- California Grape 'Roger's Red'Vitis californica 'Roger's Red'
- Carolina JessamineGelsemium sempervirens
- Chilean Potato Vine 'Glasnevin'Solanum crispum 'Glasnevin'
- Chocolate VineAkebia quinata
- Clematis 'Duchess of Albany'Clematis texensis 'Duchess of Albany'
- Clematis 'Etoile Violette'Clematis viticella 'Etoile Violette'
- Clematis 'Jackmanii'Clematis 'Jackmanii'
- Clematis 'Nelly Moser'Clematis 'Nelly Moser'
- Climbing HydrangeaHydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris
- Climbing rose 'Iceberg'Rosa 'Climbing Iceberg'
- Common HoneysuckleLonicera periclymenum
- Common IvyHedera helix
- Coral HoneysuckleLonicera sempervirens
- CrossvineBignonia capreolata
- Evergreen ClematisClematis armandii
- Honeysuckle 'Goldflame'Lonicera x heckrottii 'Goldflame'
- Japanese WisteriaWisteria floribunda 'Macrobotrys'
- Jasmine 'Clotted Cream'Jasminum officinale 'Clotted Cream'
- MandevillaMandevilla sanderi
- MaypopPassiflora incarnata
- Mountain clematisClematis montana
- Perennial Sweet PeaLathyrus grandiflorus
- Rambling rose 'Albertine'Rosa 'Albertine'
- Rose 'New Dawn' (Climber)Rosa 'New Dawn'
- Star JasmineTrachelospermum jasminoides
- Swamp JessamineGelsemium rankinii
- Trumpet VineCampsis radicans
- Virgin's BowerClematis virginiana
- Virginia CreeperParthenocissus quinquefolia
- Winter JasmineJasminum nudiflorum
- WoodvampDecumaria barbara
Related collections
Perennials for bordersShrubs for bordersBulbs for bordersOrnamental grasses for bordersAnnuals for borders