Incorporating Climbing Plants Into Your Landscaping

Are you trying to hide an unappealing area of your home, perhaps a shed or lamp post? Have you considered adding some clematis, wisteria, or another climbing plant? Climbing plantings, also known as Climbers, can be a stunning addition to your garden. Not only are they resourceful to hiding unattractive aspects of your yard, but they are versatile and add height and dimension to your landscaping.

As you begin to map out your landscaping design, it is important to consider which plants will do best in your yard and where. Climbing plants, such as ivy, evergreen honeysuckle, and winter jasmine prefer shady areas. Whereas other climbers like clematis, cypress vine and trumpet flowers excel in areas with lots of sun.

With climbers, it is important to have trellises or some other kind of support in place for them to grab on to.  When choosing your supports it is good to remember the plants will add weight to the structure. Pick something that is stable and will allow for the extra weight from the plant, as well as from snow and wind.

To help your climbing plants grow stronger, regularly cut them back to allow for new shoots. Expert tip: let your climbers reach the desired height and then give them a light pruning once a month. Because climbers can be aggressive plants, be sure to keep up on your pruning to protect your home from serious damage to the bricks and gutters.

Do you have a favorite climbing plant? How have you incorporated it into your landscaping?