Plants for the Pergola: Climbers for Season-Long Romance & Color

Adding Romance to the Garden

A pergola draped in old-fashioned climbing roses, fragrant honeysuckle, clematis, wisteria, or laburnum transforms an ordinary garden into a romantic retreat. Framing a beautiful view? Even better.

Many distinctive, unusual climbers provide color and interest from spring through first frosts. Choose vigorous, hardy varieties — but not too vigorous, or they'll dominate. Long pergolas allow seasonal succession rather than just summer flowers. Clematis species are ideal, flowering April–October, thriving in sun or shade (roots prefer shade).

A Spring Display

Wisteria and laburnum — fully hardy, late-spring bloomers, spectacular on pergolas. Bare trunks concealed by ivies or clematis. Both need full sun, tolerate most soils.

Honeysuckle: Lonicera japonica 'Belgica' flowers May–June, red-purple blooms fading to yellow-buff.

Akebia quinata: Red-purple scented flowers in April, followed by purple fruit.

Summer Flowers

Kiwi vines (Actinidia arguta, A. chinensis) — vigorous twiners with large dark green leaves, white flowers. Prefer partial shade, moist well-drained soil.

Russian vine (Polygonum baldschuanicum) — surprisingly fast, deciduous, hardy, masses of small white flowers late summer. Sun or shade, tolerates damp.

Hops — fast-growing herbaceous perennials, native to Britain, large toothed lobed leaves add unusual texture.

TIP: An Attractive Structure Matters

Winter reveals the pergola's bones. Red brick: mellow, warm. Wooden posts/beams: rustic charm. Painted wood: high maintenance (especially with roses), though white trellis is elegant.

Summer to Autumn

Cup-and-saucer plant (Cobaea scandens) — flowers late summer to October in mild areas.

Ivies — cover pillars/posts, evergreen winter interest, shade-tolerant.

Ornamental vines (mild areas) — decorative leaves. Vitis amurensis: dark green lobed leaves turning crimson/purple in autumn.

IMPORTANT: Tie all climbers securely to posts — support and wind protection. Train growth where you want it. Use twine or clips (no stem cutting). Train vigorous clematis across the top and down the far side.

Popular Varieties for Pergolas

Roses

Variety	Type	Height (m)
'Gloire de Dijon'	Noisette	4.5
'Zephirine Drouhin'	Bourbon	4
'Felicite et Perpetue'	Semi-evergreen	6.5
'Lawrence Johnstone'	Climber	10
'Dorothy Perkins'	Climber	6
'Danse du Feu'	Cluster-flowered	5

Clematis

Spring-flowering: C. armandii (evergreen, white); C. alpina 'Pamela Jackman' (mid-blue, April–June, hardy, good for posts); C. montana (pale pink); C. macropetala 'Maidwell Hall' (blue), 'Markham's Pink' (flesh-pink).

Summer-flowering: 'Beauty of Worcester' (deep blue double); 'Nelly Moser' (mauve-pink streaked lilac); 'Mrs Cholmondeley' (large pale blue); 'Jackmanii Superba' (dark purple, prolific); 'Hagley Hybrid' (shell-pink, prolific); 'Madame Edouard Andre' (dusky red, prolific).

Autumn-flowering: C. viticella 'Etoile Violette' (wine); 'Bill Mackenzie' (yellow); 'Huldine' (white tinged pink).

Planting for the Pergola

Near a post, dig a hole accommodating the root ball without cramping. Mulch base with leaves, bark chips, or straw. Apply leaf-mould mulch in spring.