Climbers

Self clinging, twining or scrambling: how a climber attaches

Match the plant to the surface before you think about flowers. Self clinging types such as climbing fig (Ficus pumila) and Boston ivy grip masonry with no wires at all, which makes them the answer for bare block walls, but their pads and rootlets can mark render and paint, so keep them off soft surfaces. Twiners, including star jasmine, pink jasmine and the native pandoreas, need something to wrap around: tensioned wire, mesh or a trellis. Scramblers like bougainvillea hold on loosely and need tying in while young.

Vigour is the trade-off that matters

A fast climbing plant never stops being fast. White Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis 'Alba') will cover 8m but demands a genuinely strong pergola and two prunings a year, and the thornless banksia rose spreads past 4m if left alone. If you have a courtyard rather than a farmhouse, scale down: a dipladenia stays under 2m on a small trellis, and the native Hardenbergia 'Sea of Purple' climbs to about 2m then stops. Buy the vigour you are prepared to prune.

Where climbing plants work around Australia

In tropical and subtropical gardens, bougainvillea, orange trumpet vine, stephanotis and passionfruit all thrive, though passionfruit needs a warm frost free spot to fruit well. In cooler southern gardens, work from the frost hardy list: star jasmine, pink jasmine, banksia rose, wisteria and Boston ivy, whose autumn colour is the best of any climber. Coastal gardens are well served by bougainvillea, climbing fig, star jasmine and the native snake vine. Several also work flat as bank cover; see the combined climbers and groundcover range. If privacy is the real goal, compare our hedging and screening plants first.

Planting and spacing along a fence

• 1m apart. Star jasmine and climbing fig for full, fast coverage of a fence or wall.
• 1.5m apart. Pink jasmine, Bower of Beauty pandorea and Boston ivy.
• 2m apart. Bougainvillea, passionfruit and orange trumpet vine.
• 3m apart. Banksia rose, which covers a pergola from a single plant.

Plant 30cm to 40cm out from the base of a wall, where soil stays dry, and lean the plant back to its support. Water deeply twice a week through the first summer and tie in new growth every few weeks; a climber trained early covers evenly, one left alone becomes a mop on a stick.

Common questions

Will a self clinging climber damage my wall?

Sound brick, block and concrete cope well. The risk is render, paint and mortar in poor condition, where pads and rootlets leave marks that outlast the plant. On anything painted, grow a twiner on wires held off the surface instead.

What is the fastest way to green a bare fence?

Star jasmine planted 1m apart on horizontal wires is the reliable answer: fast growing, evergreen, fragrant in spring and frost hardy. Climbing fig is quicker still on masonry. Our climbing fig care guide covers keeping it flat and tidy.

Are climbers safe for pets?

Check each plant. The banksia rose carries our Pet Friendly flag, but many popular climbers do not: star jasmine has an irritant milky sap, and stephanotis pods and Boston ivy berries are toxic if eaten.

Can I grow a climber in a pot?

Yes. Dipladenia, pink jasmine and stephanotis all suit containers on a balcony with a small frame to climb. Use a pot of 40 litres or more and water more often than in the ground. Everything here is delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, no minimum order and a 30 day healthy plant guarantee.