The key to success when planting a climber is to make sure that the soil is in good condition and the roots are away from the dry conditions found at the base of a wall. After planting, it's also good to cover the soil with a mulch to prevent competition from weeds and help retain all available moisture around the roots of the plants.

When to plant?

Container-grown climbers can be planted at any time of the year, except when the soil is frozen or waterlogged. Autumn is the ideal time for deciduous climbers because the soil is still warm enough to encourage some root growth before the onset of winter. This helps the climber establish quickly so that it is able to withstand any hot, dry spells the following summer. Container-grown evergreen climbers can also be planted in autumn, but in exposed gardens they're best planted in April (May in colder areas).

Top Tip: protect all vulnerable climbers over winter by covering them with a warm layer, like fleece.

7 steps to success

1. Make sure there is suitable support for the climber - like trellis. If planting against a wall or fence make a planting hole about 45cm away from the base to avoid the dry soil found in these areas.

2. Dig a hole at least twice as wide and slightly deeper than the climbers container. Mix the soil you've removed with well-rotted organic manure such as Farmyard Maure and leave it to one side.

3. Nearly all climbers should be planted at the same depth as in the pot. Check the hole is the right depth by laying a cane or piece of straight timber across the hole. If the climber is standing too high you'll need to remove some of the soil in the bottom of the hole, or if it's too low, then top it up a bit.

4. Water the climber thoroughly and allow to drain. Gently tip the plant on its side and with one hand on top of the compost and around the climber to support it, ease the climber out of its pot.

5. Carefully pull out any roots that are circling around the bottom or sides of the pot, so they grow away from the rootball and into the surrounding soil. Position the climber in the centre of the hole and lean it back towards the bottom of the support at a 45 degree angle. Then fill in the gaps around the sides of the plant with soil mixture, firming it down gently as you go.

6. Once the hole has been filled, gently firm the soil once more - to get rid of any air pockets and make sure the plant is secure. Water the climber again using at least one full watering can. Then cover the soil with a generous layer of mulch, such as chipped bark to help prevent weeds and reduce the amount of water loss from the soil.

7. Untie the climber from the support cane supplied in the pot and space out and tie in all the stems to the new support system - trellis or climber support.

  • Clematis x hybrida Early Sensation

    A climbing or trailing evergreen shrub, with finely divided deep green leaves. Panicles of cup-shaped, pure white flowers, with white anthers. Height 150cm. Spread 50cm. Flowers early spring. Evergreen. Frost hardy in sheltered sunny site.

  • Fallopia aubertii

    Russian Vine. Mile a Minute. A very vigorous, twining climber with heart-shaped green leaves. Clusters of white, pink-tinged, flowers in autumn, followed by small fruit. A useful plant for covering unsightly structures. Height 12m. Flowers from August to September. Hardy.

  • Fallopia baldschuanica

    Russian Vine. Mile a Minute. A very vigorous, twining climber with heart-shaped green leaves. Clusters of white, pink-tinged, flowers in autumn, followed by small fruit. A useful plant for covering unsightly structures. Height 12m. Flowers from August to September. Hardy.

  • Hedera colchica Dentata Variegata

    Bullocks Heart Ivy. A vigorous climber with light green leaves, mottled grey-green and margined creamy white. Can also be used as ground cover. Height 5m. Evergreen. Frost hardy. Shelter from cold winds. Harmful if eaten/may cause skin allergy.

  • Hedera colchica Marmorata Aureus

    Bullocks Heart Ivy. A vigorous climber with light green leaves, mottled gold. Can also be used as ground cover. Height 5m. Evergreen. Frost hardy. Shelter from cold winds. Harmful if eaten/may cause skin allergy.

  • Hedera helix Elegantissima

    A vigorous climber with small light to dark grey-green leaves, becoming more yellow with age. Can be grown in shady locations, self clinging. Evergreen. Hardy.

  • Holboellia latifolia

    Sausage Vine. An evergreen climber with leathery green leaves. Clusters of highly fragrant, cup-shaped white flowers, tinged violet in spring. Height 5m. Evergreen. Frost hardy. Sheltered site. Avoid chalky soils prefers some sun.

  • Humulus lupinus Aureus

    Hop. A herbaceous perennial climber with bright yellow, deeply lobed leaves. Green then straw-coloured flower spikes in summer. Height 6m. Flowers from July to August. Herbaceous. Hardy.

  • Humulus lupulus Nordbrau

    Hop. A herbaceous perennial climber with light green, deeply lobed leaves. Green then straw-coloured flower spikes in summer. Height 6m. Flowers from July to August. Herbaceous. Hardy

  • Hydrangea anomala Crug Coral

    Climbing Hydrangea. Vigorous, woody, deciduous climber, clinging by aerial roots. Ovate, dark green, very shiny, rounded leaves fading to yellow in the autumn. In summer bears domed corymbs of red flowers fading to cream. Height up to 5m. Great for a shady wall.

  • Hydrangea anomala Silver Lining

    Climbing Hydrangea. Vigorous, woody, deciduous climber, clinging by aerial roots. Ovate, dark green rounded leaves fading to yellow in the autumn. In summer bears domed corymbs of white flowers. Height up to 15m. Great for a shady or sunny wall.

  • Hydrangea petiolaris Miranda

    Dark green heart-shaped foliage irregularly edged in warm gold. Lush. white. flattened lace-cap flower heads spanning 6 inches across arise in late spring with the outer florets opening first. Miranda is a deciduous vine. but its attractive reddish cinnamon-brown bark sheds for dramatic winter interest.

  • Hydrangea seemannii

    A woody, evergreen climber. clinging by aerial roots with mid green leaves and greenish white domed flowerheads surrounded by white flowers in summer. Height 10m. Flowers from June to August. Evergreen. Frost hardy. Shelter from cold drying winds.

  • Jasminum nudiflorum

    Winter Jasmine. A slender shrub with arching stems and clusters of fragrant, bright yellow flowers produced before the leaves in winter and early spring. Height 3m. Spread 3m. Flowers from May to September. Deciduous. Hardy.

  • Jasminum officinalis

    Common Jasmine. A vigorous climber with mid-green leaves and clusters of very fragrant, white flowers produced from summer to early autumn. Height 4-8m. Flowers from June to September. Deciduous. Frost hardy. Sheltered site.

  • Lonicera fragrantissima

    Honeysuckle. A bushy shrub with dull green leaves, blue-green beneath and very fragrant creamy white flowers in winter and early spring, followed by dull red berries. Height 2m. Spread 3m. Semi-evergreen. Hardy.

  • Lonicera henryi Copper Beauty

    Honeysuckle. Lonicera Copper Beauty has deep copper yellow flowers against rich bronze coloured new stems and leaves in spring. The flowers are unscented and the dark green leaves are a deep bronze colour when young and stay on the plant all year.

  • Lonicera nitida Baggesen's Gold

    Honeysuckle. A bushy evergreen shrub with bright yellow leaves, creamy white flowers in spring. Height 1.5m. Spread 1.5m. Flowers from April to May. Evergreen. Hardy.

  • Lonicera nitida Elegant

    Honeysuckle. A bushy evergreen shrub with glossy, dark green leaves, creamy white flowers in spring, followed by glossy, purple-blue berries. Height 3.5m. Spread 3m. Flowers from April to May. Fruits from June. Evergreen. Great hedging.

  • Lonicera nitida Golden Glow

    Small and compact evergreen shrub with bright golden-green leaves through the year and tiny, white flowers in Spring.

  • Lonicera nitida Silver Beauty

    Mound-forming, evergreen shrub with arching stems bearing tiny, broadly ovate, grey-green leaves with creamy-white margins and insignificant white flowers in spring followed by sparsely produced, purple-black fruit.

  • Lonicera periclymenum Belgica

    Early Dutch Honeysuckle. A twining climber with mid-green leaves and very fragrant white flowers that turn yellow. and are richly streaked red outside. Height 7m. Flowers from May to June. Fruits from July Deciduous. Hardy.

  • Lonicera periclymenum Serotina

    Late Dutch Honeysuckle. A twining climber with mid-green leaves and very fragrant creamy white flowers streaked dark purple-red. Height 7m. Flowers from May to June. Fruits from July Deciduous. Hardy.

  • Lonicera pileata Moss Green

    Evergreen ground cover shrub with small, dark, mossy green leaves. It is suitable for a position in sun or heavy shade and the dark green leaves make an excellent foil for smaller, more colourful plants in front of it. Can be planted and pruned to grow as a small evergreen hedge if required.

  • Lonicera tatarica

    Tatarian Honeysuckle. An upright shrub with masses of rose-pink fragrant flowers from late spring to early summer followed by red berries. Height 3m. Spread 3m. Fruits from July Deciduous.

  • Lonicera x heckrottii Gold Flame

    Honeysuckle. A twining climber with dark green leaves, blue-green beneath. Bright clusters of tubular pink, orange and yellow flowers in summer. Highly fragrant. Height 5m. Flowers from June to August. Fruits from July. Deciduous. Hardy.

  • Mandevilla Sundaville Classic Red

    The Classic group has a habit which is neat, upright, compact with good basal branching and glossy foliage. They are natural climbers and make excellent conservatory plants, in a summer patio pot or as a houseplant.

  • Parthenocissus quinquefolia Englemania

    Bright scarlet self-clinging Virginia creeper.

  • Parthenocissus quinquefolia Kirigami

    A fast growing, deciduous climber. It's leaves are a mid green colour in summer, and as autumn approaches they turn a lovely shade of red, really making your garden look very autumnal. In summer, tiny white flowers appear.

  • Parthenocissus tricuspidata Atropurpurea

    A vigorous, self-clinging, deciduous climber with lobed, purple-flushed, dark green leaves, flushed red in spring, turning bright red in autumn. Occasionally bears inconspicuous flowers and dull-blue fruit.

  • Parthenocissus tricuspidata Veitch Boskoop

    Boston Ivy, Virginia Creeper. A vigorous climber with bright green leaves, turning brilliant red to purple in autumn. Height 20m. Deciduous. Hardy.

  • Passiflora caerulea

    Blue Passion flower. A vigorous climber with rich green leaves and bowl-shaped white flowers with blue tips in summer followed by orange-yellow fruit. Height 10m. Flowers from June to August. Fruits from August. Evergreen. Frost hardy.

  • Passiflora Riverside Damsel's Delight

    Large, vigorous, semi-evergreen climber with twining tendrils. Leaves dark green, with three to five finger-like lobes. Flowers to 10cm in width, with greenish or purplish white petals and blue-purple coronal filaments that are black-purple at the base. The fruit is yellow-orange, but rarely produced.

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