Pergolas make a great focal point in gardens, and there’s a wide range of plants they can support.
There are many ways to use them, too. A path covered with a pergola can help create a sense of journey in the garden, while even the smallest pergola will provide shady spots – perfect for outdoor seating. You could also use a long pergola to divide up areas of the garden into ‘rooms’.
To grow even more plants up pergolas, trellis panels can be attached giving additional support for climbing plants. For extra shade, consider adding screening in the form of curtains or a canvas cover on top.
Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle is a plant that grows quickly and produces a sweet smell that will attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden. This plant can grow to heights of up to 20 feet in partial or full sun, and it typically blooms from May until late in the summer, with the best results in zones four to nine.
Clematis
This is a beautiful brightly colored plant that grows well in zones four through nine. With a growth of at least six feet in height and three feet in width, the clematis is known to grow nearly double this size. Blooming from early spring until late summer, it has become a favorite for vertical space.
Hardenbergia
An evergreen climber, Hardenbergia is an Australian native with dark green leaves and a flush of dark purple flowers. The most widely grown cultivar is the ‘Happy Wanderer’. Prune around August or September to create denser growth, so more shade, and to promote flowering in the following season.
Bougainvillea
For a fast-growing climber with incredible flower colour, you can’t go past the Bougainvillea. Pink, red, orange and white are just a few of the flower colours you will find. During flowering, keep in control by selectively pruning the thorny shoots as they appear. In autumn, tidy them up with a prune, which will also serve them well for the next growing season.
Potato vine
If you’re after evergreen colour, consider the potato vines Solanum laxum and Solanum crispum. Both grow best in a sunny, sheltered spot, where they’ll produce clusters of summer blooms. The varieties ‘Glasnevin’ and ‘Album’ have both been given the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
Wisteria
Wisteria has a dense foliage making them perfect for shading and long pendant blooms which occur in early spring. The flowers are mauve to violet and are highly scented, adding a fresh fragrance to your outdoor area. Wisteria are also deciduous, which means they lose their leaves in winter, allowing the warming sun to come through.