The best climbing plants for shade

Many of the large-flowered hybrid varieties of clematis do well in shade.

However, they prefer to get a little bit of sunlight, so perhaps grow them up a fence where the very top of the plant can reach the light.

Clematis montana is a vigorous grower that will grow in light shade. It has white flowers with four petals and flowers from late spring to early summer.

‘Van Gogh’ is an excellent cultivar that blooms early in cherry-pink and continues for up to six weeks.

Climbing hydrangeas are great plants for shade. Hydrangea anomala ‘Petiolaris’ is a good, hardy, deciduous variety with heart-shaped leaves.

It’s self-clinging so it requires no support, and it bears white lace cap flowers in summer. The foliage goes a golden yellow colour in autumn too.

Schizophragma hydrangeoides, the Japanese hydrangea vine, is another shade lover with the added advantage that this species will also cope with full sun.  It’s ‘petals’ (actually sepals) are a purer white than ‘Petiolaris’, but if it’s colour you’re looking for then S. hydrangeoides ‘Rose Sensation’ is a great choice with its brilliant rose-pink flowers.

Ivy is the fail safe garden climber for shade. It’s self-clinging and low maintenance, but a vigorous grower that may need regular pruning to keep it in check.

Traditional varieties like Hedera helix bear large green leaves and globular flower heads in autumn.

Variegated ivy varieties come in a range of colours and often have mottled leaves.

Hedera colchica is a good plant for shade with colourful yellow-patterned leaves. These ivies are perfect for brightening up dark garden areas and adding lush greenery to bare walls.

Find out how to plant and prune climbers for the best results.

Most climbing roses don’t like the shade, but give them at least 4 hours sunlight and most will reward you with plentiful blooms.  Some, however, are more tolerant of shade than others. ‘Scent From Heaven’ is a delightful choice.  Winner of Rose of the Year in 2017, it’s easy to see why, producing pretty orange-pink, sweetly scented flowers throughout the summer.  It’s a medium size climber, reaching up to 250cm, and highly disease resistant.

The ‘Alberic Barbier’ variety is an old variety of rambling rose that handles shade well.

It has creamy white blowsy flowers that have a peachy centre. It’s a very vigorous and almost evergreen variety.

All Virginia creeper and Boston Ivy varieties are good climbers for shade, with big leaves to keep houses cool on hot summer days.

A five-leaved ivy that is a species of flowering plant in the grape family.

They attach themselves with suckers, so they don’t need any support, and will thrive growing up a shady wall.

Both evergreen and deciduous honeysuckle are great climbers for shade.

They need support to grow up a wall, but they twist their vines around by themselves and should not need tying in. Or they may grow up fences without a support.

Good evergreen honeysuckle varieties for shade include Lonicera henryii and L. japonica ‘Halleana’. Deciduous varieties bear more colourful blooms, but will lose their leaves over winter.

Try Lonicera periclymenum for bold flowers in red and yellow.

Here’s how to use evergreens to create garden structure.