Pandorea jasminoides ‘Lady Di’

Pandorea 'Lady Di' (Pandorea jasminoides 'Lady Di') is the pure white bower vine, an Australian native climber that covers a fence in glossy evergreen foliage and flowers on it for months. It twines to about 5m with a 3m spread, so it needs wires or a trellis to get started. The white trumpets have a soft yellow throat and keep coming through spring and the warm season.

Why you'll love it

• Months of white trumpets. Large open flowers carried in clusters across the whole face of the plant, not just at the top.
• Fast cover for a bare fence. A fast grower, so one plant handles a good stretch of boundary.
• An Australian native that feeds pollinators. Bees and butterflies work the flowers steadily, and it belongs in a native garden.
• Coastal and humidity tolerant. Salt tolerant and untroubled by humid summers, which rules out a lot of other flowering climbers.

Where it works best

Screening and privacy. Plant 1.5m apart along a fence. Run three or four horizontal wires first and tie in new growth, so the panel fills evenly instead of bunching at one end.

Balconies and courtyards. A pot 400mm or wider with a trellis behind it screens a space with no soil. Container plants dry out fast, so water two or three times a week in the heat.

Feature planting. Over an arch, pergola or entry gate the flowers sit at eye level, given something to twine around.

Growing Pandorea 'Lady Di' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering, though it stays green in part shade with fewer blooms. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens and takes light frost only, so in cool districts grow it in a pot against a warm north facing wall.

Soil. Well drained soil enriched with compost before planting. It is not fussy about type, but it will sulk in ground that stays wet. Mulch 75mm deep, off the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer. After that it is drought tolerant, but it flowers better with a drink through a dry spring. Feed a low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring and again after the first flush.

Pruning. Prune after the main flowering finishes. Shorten the long whippy growth and thin the tangle in the middle, which stops the base going bare and woody. It reshoots readily, so an overgrown plant can be cut back hard in spring.

What to expect when it arrives

Three sizes: tube stock, 140mm packs of ten and 200mm packs of six. All are young plants, normal for climbers: a slender stem with a few trailing runners rather than a plant that already covers anything.

Tie the growth to its support within the first week, because a twining climber left loose on the ground wastes a season. A little leaf drop after transit is normal. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to soften a fence or retaining wall with plants
• Browse the full climber range
• Compare Australian native plants
• More plants that feed bees and butterflies

Common questions

Does it need a trellis?

Yes. It is a twiner, not a self clinging climber, so it needs wires, mesh or a trellis to hold onto. On bare brick or render it will sit at the bottom and go nowhere.

Will it damage a fence?

It has no aerial roots or sticky pads, so it does not grip or mark surfaces the way a creeping fig does. The weight of a mature plant is the real consideration, so check the fence and wires are sound.

Will it survive frost?

Light frost only. In cool temperate areas with regular frosts, keep it potted against a sheltered warm wall.

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.