Climbers.
Climbing plants are not only wonderful to look at but also have a multitude of uses. They are great for covering an unsightly wall or hiding the bad paint job of a garden shed. They also can be used to cover large areas of awkward to plant areas such as a roadside embankment.
There are different types of climber though and all have their own skills and merits. The Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) or Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus veitchii) is perfect for climbing up a bare wall of a house but would not be suitable for ground cover. So choosing the right plant and right area for your needs is important, here I will run through just a few tips;
Location.
Making sure whatever structure that you intend to grow your plant up is secure is important, once a climber establishes it can be quite a weight so don't grow your plants up anything that is rotten or unbalanced. Equally should you be growing climbers up a live tree make sure the tree is well established and big enough as a healthy climber may start to compete with it and put it under stress.
Is there space? If you grow say Boston Ivy in a very narrow path it will quickly become a nuisance and need constant cutting back.
Maintenance.
Some climbers are very slow growing and well behaved such as Jasmine or Honeysuckle and won't cause any problems, Virginia Creeper and some Rambling Roses however can be a nightmare. It is worth looking into how fast growing your plant is and how 'spiky' they may be. Cutting back an over grown rambling rose may leave you looking like you've had a scrap with the local tom cat.
I would recommend an evergreen Jasmine which has a wonderful scent or the Chilean Potato tree (Solanum Crispum). These plants are both well behaved and easy to cut back is they do get out of hand.
Establishing.
Certain climbers have certain skills, Ivy for example has little suckers that it can use to cling on to bear walls, Sweet pea has little tendrils to grab on to other plants and trellises so depending on what you choose you may need to buy added support.
A trellis can be perfect for giving your plant not only support but encouraging it to grown in the shape you want a Fan Willow Trellis not only is made with sustainability in mind but also looks great when done in a line down a wall.
When training your climber be sure to use 'Soft Ties' to attach it to whatever structure you've chosen and tie them very loosely keeping in mind the stalk your tying is alive and will grow.
Climbers grow very well in pots and so can also be great for people renting or who have limited space such as a balcony area. Planting them in pots also means that they are more movable so therefore more versatile if you're indecisive as to where to put them.
Finally the biggest tip I can give is to be aware whether you are buying a deciduous or evergreen plant, it may look fabulous in the summer but come the end of autumn/winter a lot of plants can look dead so be mindful of which you choose!
Sophie x
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