Sprawling displays of climbing plants littered with bright blooms are staple features of the many ornate cottage gardens we see on television. Despite being decorative and intricate in appearance, an impressive climbing plant stretching across a trellis or up the brickwork of a house isn’t tricky to achieve – why not give it a go? Learn how to train climbing plants with us!
We’re here to give you a helping hand on your journey towards that climbing plant display you have been yearning for.
Here at YouGarden, we offer a bountiful selection of climbing plants, from Wisteria and Passiflora, to Clematis, Sollya, and of course a range of climbing roses. Whether brightening up a drab or unsightly wall or fence or adding extra interest to an obelisk or support arch in your garden, these varieties can all be used to introduce a spark of nature to even smaller spaces.
When to Plant Climbing Roses and Plants
Pot-grown plants can be planted at any time of the year, unless ground conditions are frozen or waterlogged.
However, to give your climbing plants the best chance to survive and thrive, we recommend planting in spring or autumn, as these are the periods of the year when weather conditions are cool, and plants will find it easier to settle into a new setting.
Varieties of Climbing Plants Available to Buy
The first step is possibly the trickiest – deciding which beautiful variety to grow! Unfortunately, we aren’t able to make this choice much easier, as we think they are all fabulous, and each boast their own key advantages.
Star Jasmine Trachelospermum, for example, are perfect for smothering walls and fences in fragrant, pure-white, star-shaped flowers in summer. Evergreen and hardy, with purple winter foliage that evolves to deep green in the warmer seasons.
Clematis are reliable climbers, with many varieties falling under the umbrella, such as the purple and lime green flowers of ‘Taiga’, and big dazzling, red-striped, purple blooms of ‘Mrs Thompson’.
Plus, how can we not talk about climbing roses? As British as a cup of tea or a red telephone box, climbing roses are garden delights. See rich green foliage stretching high, accented with flowers in red, pink, white, or cream petals.
Check out our full range of Climbing Plants here, or our catalogue of Climbing Roses here.
How to Plant and Grow a Climbing Plant
The first step is to prepare the ground and a planting hole. Aim for a hole a similar depth to the nursery pot, and just slightly wider. If climbing up a wall, position the planting hole 50cm from the base of the wall.
Loosen the sides of the hole with a fork, mixing the soil removed with organic matter, such as compost. Lower the plant, still potted, into the hole to ensure the surface soil is level with where it is in the pot. Place a cane across the surface to check the level.
Plant large flowering Clematis deeper than you would other varieties. The crown approximately 5-8cm deep, as this will encourage new shoots to grow from below ground level.
Tease the plant out of its pot, loosening any busy roots to help them to stretch out once in the ground. Lower the rootball into the hole, then fill in the surrounding space with the soil removed, softly firming down as you go. Give the plant a good water to help the soil to settle.
Add a good layer of mulch around the plant to finish, roughly 8cm deep, to retain moisture and deter any weeds from growing. Take care not to allow the mulch to touch the very base of the stem.
Many climbing plants will be supplied with a climbing cane already in the nursery pot. Keep the a similar distance to the plant as it is supplied. Lean it gently towards the plant for support, then tie the two together. Once the stems reach the top of the cane, it is then ready to start climbing up a support, such as a wall-mounted trellis.
Caring for Climbing Roses and Plants
Despite your new climbing plant being in the ground and ready to grow, the work does not end there! Be sure to water it regularly, particularly through the first growing season. Watering daily during long spells of hot and dry weather.
As the shoots reach the height of your trellis, tie them in with soft garden twine to keep the display neat and upright. This encourages fresh growth to climb upwards. Keep an eye on new shoots – tie in any that start to stray, as strong or sudden gusts of wind can easily damage them.
Space out stems as you tie them to create a widespread display quickly.
Refresh mulch around the base of the plant each year. Either add a fresh layer or removing and replace the mulch you have already put down.
