Climbers

Jasmine

I put a fence up a few years ago and wanted a climber to cover it. I was looking for something relatively maintenance free so decided on a Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) These plants climb by the use of tendrils, winding themselves around anything they can. I find the entwining method less damaging than other plants like ivy that cling onto surfaces by modifying their roots into dried hairs that burrow into a surface. You’ll see how this works when you pull ivy off a wall. It takes the plaster off too. The clinging method also works after the plant has dies too and can also regrow new plants. Ingenious ivy, but back to Virginia creepers.

My Virginia creeper was a small pencil sized cutting when I pushed it into the ground. It’s now spread about thirty feet along the fence with the help of the odd nail, cable ties, clips and bits of string. Unlike ivy a strong wind can detach the plant from the fence so regular checks are needed. I probably wouldn’t choose a deciduous climber the next time as it only covers the panels for half of the year, and is just a bunch of twigs the rest of the time. There are leaves to sweep up too.

I’ve another climber in the garden that just clings onto anything with its twining stems. These are evergreen and although it’s pretty I do have to chop it back a lot, especially as it appears to want to live next door more than in our garden. I know it’s following the sun but I still take it personally and it highlights that a bit of planning is needed to get the plants best location. You can buy climbers for shade and sun and with a bit of care they can be trained to cover anything from an oil tank to a shed or even a house if you use  the Mile a Minute plant (fallopia).

Pruning climbers

Although pruning depends on the individual needs of the plant, some tasks are very similar: Tie in new growth and side shoots, prune back long straggly shoots and take out dead ones.

There are three main groups when it comes to timing and type of pruning required:

Deciduous climbers and wall shrubs are usually renovated during the dormant season, between November and March.

Evergreen climbers are usually renovated in early spring

Tender plants are best renovated in mid- to late spring, once the risk of frost has passed, to prevent the risk of cold damaging the new growth.

If in doubt, look up individual plants as their needs vary.

Renovating overgrown climbers and wall shrubs

You can cut back climbers and wall shrubs quite drastically, and some will respond to this method. Others respond better to a gradually renovation. My Jasmine was cut back very hard last spring resulting in very few flowers. I’m expecting loads this year though before cutting back again when the flowers die off.

Some climbers such as Ceanothus respond well to hard pruning and are better replaced. 

Drastic pruning

Some climbers like clematis cotoneaster tolerate drastic pruning and can be cut down to approximately 30cm (12in) from ground level. This drastic pruning means that flowering will take several years to resume, but allows new green shoots arising from the base to be trained into a new and rejuvenated framework.

Vigorous climbers such as  honeysuckle (Lonicera) and my Parthenocissus don’t really need regular pruning. However trimming may be required to keep them in check, removing as much from the longer shoots as necessary.

Choosing a climber or wall shrub

When choosing a climber it is important to consider several factors:

• Aspect: Sun-loving plants won’t thrive against a shady wall
• Size: Match the vigour of the plant to the allotted space
• Hardiness: Do not plant tender plants in an exposed situation
• Climbing habit: Some climbers (such as Campsis) are self-clinging, but other climbers and all wall shrubs require supports and tying in.

Consider where the plant is growing too. If it’s a free standing trellis you might want to plant a wall shrub type of climber such as cotoneaster, pyracantha or garrya elliptica. These are plants would normally grow horizontal but you can train them up features to form an effective cover. If growing on a house wall you might want to steer clear of plants with tendrils like ivy. Although the main reason my mother wouldn’t grow ivy on a house wall is because lots of spiders and mice live in them and she was convinced they would make their way into the house through an open window at night.