Most gardeners take a great deal of pride in the results of the thought, effort, and care they have put into cultivating a beautiful garden.
Planting climbing flowers on a trellis make for an exceptional show-stopper that will surely be an eye-catcher for anyone passing by. Adding a flower-adorned trellis to your garden with climbing blooms is a surefire way to take your garden to the next level – literally. Selecting the ideal plant to adorn your trellis can be a bit of a challenge.
There are numerous climbing plants that will climb gracefully upwards, each with their own charms and characteristics.
When it comes time to pick the perfect plant or plants for your garden trellis, here are 12 of the best climbers for your garden.
Bougainvillea
The bougainvillea is an absolute flowering machine that will provide your garden with a year-round floral fiesta, sure to be the envy of the neighborhood. Depending on the variety, it will grow up to around 8 feet or the very tall-growing species can grow up to 35 feet. This climber prefers full sunlight and the more sunlight it receives, the more vibrant its blooms will be. Bougainvillea are pretty tolerant of drought and will grow in hardiness zones 9 and above.
Black-eyed Susan vine
Black-eyed Susans burst forward with a massive blooming of yellow daisy-like flowers with dark brown centers right in the midst of the dog days of late summer. This is a particularly excellent plant for a garden trellis because its cheery, vibrant flowers require very little care while staying in bloom for several weeks. In addition, they also attract garden pollinators. Their height varies greatly, growing anywhere from 1 to 7 feet. Black-eyed Susans will grow well in zones 3 through 9.
Morning glory
Sometimes called the “back to school vine,” because of its late summer bloom time, morning glory is actually a name that includes over 1,000 different species of plants. The most common type of morning glory has a bloom of royal blue and purple, but morning glory flowers also come in shades of pink, creamy white, red, and light purple. These flowers are very attractive to hummingbirds and will grow up to 15 feet each summer season. This versatile climber will grow nicely in zones 3 through 10.
Clematis
Known as the Queen of Climbers, this flowering vine will easily grow up a trellis or arbor to create a vibrant tapestry of lush purple, star-like blooms. It also has varieties with blooms in soft white, pink, red, or blue. Clematis will flower best in full sunlight and blooms from early summer to mid-fall, growing best in zones 4 through 9.
Jasmine
Jasmine is adored for the exotic, enticing fragrance of its flowers. Jasmine plants can be a bush or vine variety and are mostly found in sub-tropical climates. While jasmine does require a bit of effort compared to some of the other climbers, the soft blanket of its perfume makes it well worth the effort. Jasmine generally grows best in hardiness zones 9 through 10, while some species can grow in zones 7 and 8.
Trumpet Vine
This exceptionally fast-growing vine is very easy to care for and produces a colorful spectrum of trumpet-shaped, tubular flowers that last all through summer and into mid-fall. This easy-to-grow climber has showy flowers in hues of yellow, coral pink, red, and orange. Trump.t vine grows very nicely in zones 4 through 9 and in well-drained soil. However, trumpet vines need to be tended to, as they can grow up to 30 feet in a single growing season.
Abutilon
Growing mainly in the subtropics of America, the Abutilon is nicknamed the “flowing maple” due to the similarity in its leaves. As lovely as the plant’s blooms are its leaves, a mix of coo lime green and royal deep. Abutilon requires average water and full sunlight and doesn’t fare well in cold weather. It will thrive in zones 9-10.
Nasturtium
With flowers that bloom in elegant jewel tones, Nasturtium is known for its ability to add great amounts of height to the garden with little work. Both the leaves and flowers are edible and taste like a tangy pepper. They grow best in zones 9-11 and require very little care.
Cobaea Scandens (Cathedral Bells)
This sweet-smelling plant has blossoms in the shape of a cup-and-saucer shape and has lovely purple-ish blue flowers. It is highly attractive to butterflies, hummingbirds and bees and grows best in full sunlight. They require little maintenance and will bloom from the middle of the summer season into early fall, performing best in zones 9 through 11.
Sweet Peas
The iconic sweet pea flower blooms in clusters of delicate, petite flowers that come in pink, lavender, white, and red. It is truly a lovely flower, perfect for a trellis adornment. Sweet pea blooms are excellent when cut and brought inside the home. They have a long blooming season throughout spring and summer and are very versatile in where they will grow, thriving in zones 2 through 11.
Petunias
With show-stopping flowers in perhaps some of the richest, deepest shades of royal blue, purple, deep red, lavender, fuchsia, lavender, raspberry, and a reddish-orange. Petunias brighten any garden and should be given as much sunlight as possible to produce maximum blooms. They are easy to care for and grow best in zones 10 and 11.
Climbing Roses
Climbing roses are very special because they have the ability to set an overall tone for your entire garden. They are an icon of romance as well as cottage gardens. Climbing roses do well in full sun, growing 12 to 14 feet tall in zones 6-9.
