Climbing plants are excellent for covering unsightly walls, creating a feature wall in a courtyard, and adding elegance to trellises. They can also be grown indoors!
Climbers come in a variety of species. Some travel upwards (great for planting on trellises or vertical beams), some vines creep across the ground, and others grow downward. Where you wish to plant your creeper will determine what species to choose and how to grow it.
Visit All Green Nursery & Garden for climbing plants and vines that you'll want to cling onto!
Choosing a climbing plant
When it comes to climbers, there are those suited to outdoors and those suited for indoors. This is because some vines are speedy growers while others are more slow-moving. There are also twining climbers that have a woodier stem and dense foliage (such as Wisteria) and will need sturdy support to grow and flourish.
Once planted, different climbing plants will require different levels of care. This can involve frequent pruning as well as trellis training.
How to grow outdoor climbers
Here are some of the best-performing outdoor climbers for your backyard or outdoor space:
1. Chinese Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis)
A sweet-fragranced climbing vine that produces enchanting blooms of purple, blue, and white.
Climbing type: Wisteria is a large deciduous climber with twining stems.
Support: Best suited to a sturdy house wall or for covering an arbour or pergola. You can train a Wisteria by selecting an upright stem and attaching it to your chosen support.
Where to plant: Wisteria vine grows best in full sun and fertile, well-drained soil. It will require regular pruning (otherwise, it will take over everything in its path!)
2. Jasmine Vine (Jasminum)
Another beautifully perfumed climbing plant that boasts gorgeous star-shaped flowers.
Climbing type: Jasmine vines are deciduous climbers with twining stems.
Support: Install the plant in the ground in from of your chosen fence, arbour, or trellis. Jasmine is a ferocious grower and will require a bit of effort to maintain. It's best to provide a support structure of up to 4.5m tall. These vines need to be trained early. You can do this by tieing the stems or weaving them through a trellis. A
Where to plant: All Jasmine plants prefer a sheltered location with well-drained soil and prefer full-sun to part-sun areas.
3. Grapevine (Vitis vinifera)
This cascading climbing plant makes for a spectacular feature on a wall or outdoor building. It can also be grown on trees and bushes. The beauty of this vine is its gnarled shaped trunks and autumnal colours.
Climbing type: Grapevines are a tendril climber that winds itself around objects.
Support: You can train Grapevines over pergolas to provide summer shade, along wired fences, under eaves, or against a wall structure.
Where to plant: Vines need full sun and can tolerate a variety of soil types, provided it's well-drained.
How to grow indoor climbing plants
If you want to add some greenery to a bathroom or a study, an indoor climbing plant can look striking! Climbing houseplants are often sold in hanging pots so the vine arms dangle over the edge. From there, they can be trained in any direction. Here are some of the best indoor climbers:
1. Devil's Ivy (Epipremnum aureum)
A super tough indoor climber, Devil's Ivy compliments any space with vivid lime green and wide leaf that drapes and cascades beautifully out of a hanging basket or pot.
Climbing type: Devil's Ivy is a trailing vine. Its long stems can be draped over or down shelves or trained to go up a totem.
Support: Devil's Ivy can stay in its pot and be placed on a high shelf or windowsill where it will spill elegantly down. It can also be trained to grow up a totem and wall.
Where to plant: Choose a pot with good drainage holes and a quality potting mix. Devil's Ivy should be positioned in the middle of the pot and backfilled with soil. It grows best in a well-lit position indoors, out of direct sunlight. Allow potting mix to dry out in between watering, and trim stems to promote thicker growth.
2. Chain of Hearts (Ceropegia Woodii)
A sweet plant with an even sweeter name! Chain of Hearts grows long chains of green/grey heart-shaped leaves that add beauty and texture to any indoor space.
Climbing type: Chain of Hearts is a trailing succulent vine. Its long chain-like stems appear almost suspended in the air as it spills over its basket or container.
Support: Chain of Hearts can be trained to grow around a room from its pot, or dripped fashionably down from a hanging pot or bookshelf.
Where to plant: Provide a pot or hanging basket with quality potting mix. Position in a well-lit spot indoors away from direct sunlight. Chain of Hearts should be watered once the potting mix has dried out. During cooler months, watering can be reduced.
3. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum Comosum)
A truly unique indoor climbing plant! The Spider Plant begins as long, grassy green and white striped leaves and then produces smaller bunches of plantlets that dangle from the mother plant like spiders in a web. The spider plant's best feature? It's near indestructible!
Climbing type: Spider Plant is a trailing vine that can spread up to 1 metre.
Support: Place the Spider Plant in a pot on top of a high shelf or windowsill so that it can cascade down freely.
Where to plant: Spider Plant's needs are simple. All you need is a pot filled with quality potting mix. Keep the soil slightly moist during summer and wait until the soil is dried out before watering over winter. Consider using filtered water as some Spider Plants are sensitive to fluoride. Place in a moderately lit room.
