Colorful flowers, adding interest to the garden from early spring to late fall, are undoubtedly the main virtue of climbers. None can rival clematis for their countless forms and rich hues, but honeysuckles and Trumpet Creepers come hot on their heels with their beautiful blooms. One shouldn't also forget about wisteria, for its cascades of flowers, though lasting only one to three weeks, possess charm and beauty that fully makes up for the transience of the blossom. 

Pairing plants with flowers of various colors offers endless possibilities for forming spectacular compositions, and selecting varieties with successive bloom times will provide a continuous display from the end of April (e.g. cultivars from the Atragene Group, or Clematis montana and its cultivars) through most of the summer, up to the end of September 'Comtesse de Bouchaud', 'Cloudburst'^PBR, 'Jackmanii', 'Jan Paweł II', 'Polish Spirit', 'Vistula'^PBR), or in case of ('Bill MacKenzie' and 'Kaśka' from Tangutica group or C. terniflora 'Early Snow'), even as late as October. 

Numerous climbers have fragrant flowers (e.g.: Perfoliate Honeysuckle , Woodbine Honeysuckle, Goldflame Honeysuckle, Japanese Honeysuckle 'Halliana', Frost Grape, 'Betty Corning', 'Princes Red', 'Sweet Summer Love'^PBR.). When planted near the door, a bench or a window, they fill the air with sweet, soothing scent which is stronger in the evening in wind-sheltered positions.

Clematis 'Sweet Summer Love'PBR

 

The fruit of many climbers can equal flowers in their decorative value. Some species, like Magnolia vine and many varieties of actinidia, combine beauty with the qualities of a utility plant by bearing fruit that is not only ornamental, but also edible, tasty and wholesome. Porcelain Ampelopsis 'Elegans' with its blue-violet berries and Chinese Bittersweet with yellow-red fruit enliven the garden during fall. Fluffy seedheads of clematis give a beautiful display throughout the winter with their exquisite shapes, especially when covered in fine frost.

 

Training clematis on various kinds of fences or walls is extremely popular.

Since clematis climb by twining petioles (leaf stalks) that hold onto anything narrow enough to encircle, supports should be thin and wire-like, e.g. lattice work, chain link fences or trellises. To grow clematis on a wall, support it with a wire mesh or lattice structure, or even with separate rods or cords. A 25 x 25 cm mesh spacing will ensure a uniform covering of the wall. Leave at least a 1,5-2 cm space between the support and the wall, to allow for ventilation and space for the vine to twine. Depending on the density and the height of the cover in demand, different varieties can be chosen. If a dense and quick cover is desired, you should plant vigorous cultivars such as 'Bill MacKenzie', 'Paul Farges', 'Lambton Park', Clematis montana var. rubens, if time is not of the essence, you can try moderately fast growing varieties: 'Grunwald'^PBR, 'Jackmanii', 'Etoile Violette', 'Błękitny Anioł', 'Kardynał Wyszyński', 'Comtesse de Bouchaud', 'Skyfall'^PBR, 'Polish Spirit', or other cultivars from the Viticella Group, or if the garden space is limited, you may choose any cultivars from 'Azure Ball'^PBR, 'Piilu', 'The President' and the hybrids from the Atragene Group such as 'Albina Plena', 'Pamela Jackman', or 'Markham's Pink'.

 

The majority of climbers grow by twining spirally round a support, while others, owing to the presence aerial rootlets (Ivies, Climbing Hydrangea, Trumpet Vine, Wintercreeper Euonymus , Japanese Hydrangea Vine), or adhesive tendril tips (Japanese Creeper), are self-clinging and have ability to scale a flat wall, without added support.

Climbers are particularly useful for covering walls of the buildings. While the main objective may be the decorative aspect, they also act as insulation during winter, and retain a pleasant coolness inside a house during hot summer days. They also help keep the walls dry by shielding them from the rain, and taking the water away from the foundations of the house. Japanese Creeper is best suited to this end, but you can equally well use ivies or Trumpet Vine, or any other climber on condition that a suitable support is provided.

Evergreen climbers (Ivy, Lonicera acuminata, Lonicera henryi or Japanese Honeysuckle) will provide green cover all year round. Unfortunately, their limited hardiness restricts their application only to the regions with a milder climate. They shouldn't be grown in sites exposed to full sun, where they are more likely to freeze. The colors of the foliage are not reduced to various shades of green, some species can boast variegated leaves. The following are well worthy of mention: Yellow-leafed Hop (var. 'Aurea'), Japanese Honeysuckle 'Aureoreticulata' with its yellow veining, slivery glaucous leaves of Japanese Hydrangea-vine 'Moonlight', striking white-green, splashed with pink, leaves of Actinidia kolomikta 'Adam' or Porcelain Ampelopsis 'Elegans'. In fall you can expect a magnificent display on the part of Virginia Creeper, Crimson Glory Vine and Amur river grape when their leaves turn scarlet.

Actinidia arguta 'Adam'

Schizophragma hydrangeoiedes BURST OF LIGHT®

Actinidia kolomikta HOKEY POKEY®

Vitis coignatiae

 

Vitis riparia

Climbers can quickly clothe unsightly buildings, sheds, warehouses etc., thus screening them out from your visitors' sight. If you want to have the effect in just one year, you should plant: Russian Vine, Hop or the cultivars from the the Tangutica Group or the Vitalba Group (especially Clematis 'Paul Farges'). However, if you can wait 2-3 years, you can use any of the following to achieve good results: Virginia Creeper, Japanese Honeysuckle 'Halliana' , Woodbine Honeysuckle 'Serotina', Lonicera acuminata, Chinese Bittersweet, Boston Ivy, Actinidia kolomikta, Monks Hood Vine, Common Moonseed, Japanese Wisteria, Amur river grape and Silk Vine.

Climbers can be grown over various kinds of fences (e.g. wire meshes), thus decorating, creating privacy and screening from nosy people's eyes. When used as a hedge, they occupy less space, require less work and produce the desired effect in a shorter amount of time. Virginia Creeper is the most suitable for this purpose, but you can also use some of the clematis (ideally the cultivars from the Tangutica Group and the Vitalba Group (especially 'Paul Farges'), and 'Etoile Violette' and 'Polish Spirit'), Russian Vine (great for those who want a quick screen as it may create a wall of greenery in just 4-6 weeks), Hop and honeysuckles.