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.
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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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Bright scarlet self-clinging Virginia creeper.
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.
Boston Ivy, Virginia Creeper. A vigorous climber with bright green leaves, turning brilliant red to purple in autumn. Height 20m. Deciduous. Hardy.
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.
An evergreen climber with leathery dark green leaves and creamy white starry flowers with conspicuous stamens. Height 6m. Flowers from August to November. Evergreen. Frost hardy. At last a flowering evergreen climber for sun or shade.
'Albéric Barbier' is a strong-growing rambling rose to 5m, with glossy, bright green foliage and clusters of slightly scented, fully double, creamy-white flowers flushed yellow in bud.
A vigorous rambler rose with glossy mid-green leaves and sweetly scented double light salmon-pink flowers Height 5m. Spread 4m. Flowers from June to August. Deciduous. Hardy.
A fragrant cluster-flowered climbing rose with glossy pale green leaves. Pretty double pure buttercup yellow flowers produced from summer to autumn. Flowers from June to September. Deciduous. Hardy.
A delicately scented, climbing rose with pale green leaves. Pretty double, pink flowers produced in late spring. Height 12m. Spread 6m. Flowers from May to June. Semi-evergreen. Frost hardy. Sheltered site.
Yellow Banksian Rose. A delicately scented, climbing rose with pale green leaves. Pretty double, yellow flowers produced in late spring. Height 6m. Spread 6m. Flowers from May to June. Semi-evergreen. Frost hardy. Sheltered site.
Yellow Banksian Rose. A delicately scented, climbing rose with pale green leaves. Pretty double, pink flowers produced in late spring. Height 6m. Spread 6m. Flowers from May to June. Semi-evergreen. Frost hardy. Sheltered site.
A climber with well formed pale blue flowers. Flowers from June to September. Deciduous. Hardy.
A climber with well formed silvery-lilac flowers strongly scented of lemons, produced freely. Flowers from June to September. Deciduous. Hardy. Planting instructions Back-fill with soil mixed with peat and a suitable fertiliser.
Huge sprays of semi-double creamy white blooms. Scented. Very vigorous. Summer flowering. Innumerable small orange hips follow in autumn. Good for climbing into trees and hedges. Size: 9m x 6m.
A fragrant, climbing rose with mid-green leaves. Pretty, double, apricot to apricot-pink flowers from summer to autumn. Height 2.5m. Spread 2.2m. Flowers from June to September. Deciduous. Hardy.
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