Tips for training climbing plants

Good climbers for fences include clematis, climbing hydrangeas, passion flowers and smaller climbing roses, such as 'Blush Noisette' and 'Buff Beauty', which bloom low down where you can enjoy them. For large walls and long fences, try vines and creepers.

Read our advice on how to train wall climbers and shrubs, below.

Support with wires

Give climbers support by fixing horizontal wires, 45cm apart, to your fence or wall. Space the vine eyes 1.8m apart horizontally, then run wire through them. Secure the ends by looping through the eye and wrapping around the shank. You can tighten the wire using a pair of pliers to turn the end of the vine eye. If the climber can't grip by itself, tie its stems into the wires, keeping the twine loose to allow for growth.

Get the plant off to a good start

Before planting, stand the climber in water to soak the rootball thoroughly. Then dig a large planting hole at least 45cm from the base of your wall or fence. Add plenty of garden compost to retain moisture in the soil, as this location is often very dry. When planting, point the climber in the direction you want it to grow by tilting the rootball at a 45 degree angle.

Grow climbers up other plants

Growing climbers up other plants is a great way to add an extra season of interest to trees, spring-flowering shrubs and evergreens. Climbers always head towards the sun, so the trick when training them is always to plant them on the shady, north side of your living support. Suitable climbers include Clematis 'Minuet', which will scramble through low-growing to medium shrubs, and Rosa 'Paul's Himalayan Musk', a rambler rose that will clamber into trees.

Training wall shrubs

To clad a wall with a shrub such as ceanothus, set up series of horizontal wires, as above. Tie in the main shoot vertically, then fan out the side branches and tie in too. After flowering, remove any branches growing out from the wall, and tie in other shoots to fill any gaps. After the first two years, trim all flowered shoots to 10-15cm.

Show off berries

If you don't prune a wall-trained pyracantha, its vibrant berries will be hidden under new foliage by the time they ripen. First cut back any excess growth in spring to keep its shape against the wall, then in late summer snip the new growth back to just beyond the berries so they stand out against a leafy background.