Bower Vine

Bower Vine (Pandorea jasminoides) is the climber for a bare fence or a new trellis that needs covering this season rather than in five years. It is a twining Australian native, running to about 5m given something to hold and spreading roughly 3m wide, with glossy evergreen leaves and soft trumpet flowers in white through to pink with a deeper throat.

Why you'll love it

• Fast cover without the trouble. The stems twine around a support rather than gripping with aerial roots, so it will not damage a wall.
• Long flowering season. Trumpets open from spring through summer and into autumn in a warm garden.
• Evergreen year round. The leaves stay on, so the screening still works in July when a deciduous climber leaves you looking at bare wire.
• Native, and good near the coast. Native to eastern Australia, it draws bees and butterflies, and it is salt tolerant and untroubled by humidity.

Where it works best

Fences, trellis and screening. Plant 1.5m apart to cover a fence or trellis. At that spacing each plant fills its own panel, and a run closes over in a season or two.

Balconies and courtyards. In a large pot with a frame or a wire grid it gives height and privacy in almost no footprint.

Feature planting. Trained over an arch, a pergola or an entry gate it reads as a deliberate piece of the garden. The final height depends on the support you give it.

Growing Bower Vine in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering, though it takes part shade with a lighter display. This suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens, and it takes light frost only, so cold inland and tableland gardens want a warm sheltered wall.

Soil. Well drained soil with compost worked through the planting area. On heavy clay, raise the bed or plant on a low mound. Mulch 75mm deep, back from the base of the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer while the roots go down, then water to the weather. A controlled release fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer keeps it flowering.

Pruning. Tie the leading stems onto the support early, since a twining climber left loose piles up on itself. Trim after the main flush, and cut tangled growth back hard in late winter to force fresh stems from the base.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in three sizes: tube stock, 140mm in packs of ten, and 200mm in packs of six. Tube plants are young single stems of 15cm to 20cm, the value option for a long fence line. The 140mm and 200mm plants come with more stem length and a few months head start.

Some leaf drop in transit is normal rather than a fault. Get it onto its support within a week and expect strong growth in four to six weeks of warm weather. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Softening a fence or retaining wall with planting
• Compare the full climbing plant range
• Star jasmine, a slower evergreen alternative
• Browse Australian native plants

Common questions

How many plants do I need for a fence?

Space them 1.5m apart along the run. A six metre fence takes four plants, and they meet in the middle within a season or two.

Will it damage my fence or wall?

Not in the way ivy or climbing fig will. The stems twine around wires and battens rather than gripping the surface, so it needs a support fixed to the wall and lifts off again if you remove it.

Can I grow it in a pot?

Yes, provided the pot is 400mm or wider and carries its own frame or trellis. Potted plants dry out faster and settle at a smaller size than one in the ground.

Western Australia: this species has escaped from gardens and naturalised in WA, where it competes with local bushland plants. We do not recommend it for gardens in the south west of WA. Please choose a local alternative.