Outdoor space is a bonus wherever you live, especially if you have the space to create some outdoor seating. Structures like a pergola provide protection from the sun and add some style to your garden – but they can do more of both when you cover them with creeping vines.
These tall, often wooden structures usually have slats over the top that create shadows below, but often minimal shadows. Planting and encouraging the growth of grapevines to cover them creates a living canopy that will make your space more natural and enjoyable on sunny summer days. If this sounds like your dream, here are suggestions for the plants that will work best and some tips to get you started.
Which vines grow on your pergola
You want the plants covering your pergola to be sturdy, easy to care for, leafy enough to provide adequate shade, and pleasing to the eye. Boston ivy, a fast growing ivy with large maple-like leaves, is a good choice for creating a shade cover. This ivy is resilient and thrives in both full sun and partially shaded areas. They are self-climbing and form small discs that stick to surfaces as they grow.
Another fast growing vine that provides even more shade is the Virginia creeper. This hardy plant can grow in practically every soil and climate and requires little maintenance. The stout ivy has green leaves that spread over pergolas and provide ample shade in summer, and turn bright red in autumn.
If you want more color in your garden, Chinese jasmine provides full coverage and blooms with beautiful flowers. These Climbing plants are evergreenso that they last year round and grow pretty quickly. The flowers are white and pink with a pleasant fragrance.
Or cover your pergola with flowers
If you want to add even more beauty to your space, you can plant climbing roses. Their vines are strong and they produce flowers of a wide variety of colors. You need some help with climbing, so have a trellis or Grid to hold onto helps fill in your pergola.
clematis are climbing flowers similar to roses. With a little help, they can also grow beyond your pergola. The vine produces flowers in a variety of purples, pinks, and whites, and enough leaves to keep you safe from the sun. These plants are perennial and will take a few growth cycles to bloom, but are worth the wait.
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What not to plant on your pergola
Plants you want Be careful with English ivy and wisteria. Both vine plants grow quite aggressively and can even tear apart structures and hinder the growth of other plants. If you choose these plant options, they need to be monitored and heavily pruned. In addition to its strength and vigorous growth, wisteria is also poisonous to pets, so animal lovers may want to choose a safer alternative.
How to promote the growth of climbing plants
To grow your organic canopy you need the Type of plant you have chosen along with your soil type and climate. First, consider the acidity of your soil and the level of moisture the vine needs. Plants like clematis thrive in a moist, alkaline environment. So if this is the vine of your choice, Prepare your floor accordingly.
Climbing plants are also used need some training, including pruning, bending, and binding to encourage them to cover the area they want. Once the soil is firm, plant your vine at the base of the pergola. When the plant begins to sprout high enough to reach the pergola post, wrap its tendrils around the post. For plants that need a little more help, you can use soft garden ties to pin the plant to the post. Using a net can also help direct the sprouts in the right direction, and again, grids can help direct the growth of plants such as climbing roses. Once the tendrils reach the top of the pergola, it will be difficult to spread them horizontally in the correct direction, so you will need to start tying them across the pergola in order for them to be properly attached.
Household advice page HomeSteady recommends pruning your climbing plants in the spring to encourage fuller growth and direct their coverage and shape in hopes of positioning themselves outdoors for a shady summer.
