Climbing plants such as the colourful bougainvillea improve the esthetics of your walls and home.  Photo / www.gettyimages.com

A wall covered with banksia rose, bougainvillea or the humble passionfruit vine looks richer and gives the property a more tranquil atmosphere. Climbing plants are loved for their versatility, colourful foliage, and wonderful scent.  They can also be used to form screen walls and fences, and add interest and height to your garden. Here is expert advice to make your climbing wall plants look as lavish as possible.

Diana Kabagabe a landscape designer says for these plants to thrive, they need firm support on which to climb. The supports should be done from when they first sprout up to when the plants are firmly attached to whatever they are intended to.

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“Before placing the supports consider the height and weight of the plants so they are up to the task and will last for as long as they are needed,” she advises. Some of the commonly used supports include wire mesh, trellis, arches, walls, fences, and pergolas. While some climbers such as grapevines and passionflowers will cling securely to wires or trellis using their tendrils, others such as climbing roses need to be tied firmly onto their supports. Use a bamboo cane, if necessary, to help the climber reach its permanent support.

Kabagabe notes that some of these plants are light and grow fast while others are heavy and take longer to mature. Because of these differences, they require different care.  Some of these plants have a tendency to grow wild and take over wherever they are planted, therefore, make sure they are planted far from your other plants to protect them from being choked out by the fast-growing creepers. For example, honeysuckle, also called woodbine, is a vigorous twiner with sweetly scented flowers that can grow out of control and so needs to be pruned after flowering. “The fast-growing plants such as sweet peas and morning glory need more maintenance such as trimming and pruning to make sure they are growing in the right direction,” she says.

Where you plant the plant is as important as what you plant. Wall shrubs and climbers should be planted at 45cm (18in) from the base of a wall, to allow rain to reach the root zone. This is because usually,  soil found at the base of walls is poor and the walls will interfere with the growth of the roots.

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The plant should be angled into the wall or fence to enable it to grow against it. Similarly, when planting climbers to grow up into a tree, dig the planting hole about 50cm (20in) from the base of the trunk and away from the main roots.

Most climbers and wall shrubs like free-draining soil, so add plenty of garden compost, or leaf mold to the entire planting area to improve the soil structure. This also helps the soil to retain moisture during the dry season, as well as increasing soil fertility and beneficial soil microorganisms. Keep the ground around the base of wall plants clear of weeds, so that they do not compete for water or harbour pests. Applying a mulch will help to deter the germination of weed seeds in the soil.

Most wall shrubs and hardy climbers are robust and trouble-free once established, as long as they are growing in conditions that suit their needs. Still, like most plants, they can be attacked by various pests, including sap-sucking insects such as aphids, scale insects, and woolly aphids. Often these cause only superficial damage and may not need treatment.

Plants that are not growing in the right conditions are more likely to succumb to diseases. Those growing in dry conditions at the base of a wall, for example, maybe more susceptible to powdery mildew. Some of the tender or half-hardy annuals may need to be protected from slugs and snails, especially when first planted outside.

Aphids may also colonise new shoot tips. Popular climbers, such as roses, clematis, and wisteria may also be affected by specific pests and diseases, as are some wall shrubs, such as pyracantha, can be prone to pyracantha scab and fireblight.

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Vigorous climbers can be problematic if they outgrow their space, so always check plant labels for the eventual height and spread before buying. Virginia creeper and campsite, for example, can easily reach 10m (33ft). When grown on buildings, some vigorous climbers can damage guttering and lift roof tiles.

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