Evergreen climbing plants are a bit like soaps on the TV; you can rely on them to provide interest the whole year round. We’re not talking about a piddly three-episode miniseries here, we’re talking about those shows that don’t even break on Christmas Day. Hardcore. That’s what evergreen climbers are, and what’s more, there’s an evergreen climber out there for everyone. With that in mind, we’ve put together our top 5 evergreen climbers for all your various needs and desires. So, without further ado…

Jump to:

• Best flowering evergreen climber
• Best shade-loving evergreen climber
• Best scented evergreen climber
• Best evergreen climber for smaller gardens
• Best evergreen climber for pollinators

1. Best flowering evergreen climber

Our pick: Clematis cirrhosa 'Freckles'

Part of the appeal of evergreen climbers is, of course, their year-round foliage, but let’s be real for a second, you’re hardly going to say “no, thanks” to one that yields stunning flowers, too… And if you’re after something with true visual appeal, then look no further than Clematis cirrhosa ‘Freckles’.

This sublime variety of clematis produces flowers that look as though they’ve come straight from a Tate Modern exhibition. A profusion of fragrant, bell-shaped cream and cerise flowers appear between December and February, piercing through the grey veil of winter and offering some much-needed colour and life.

Certified as one of the RHS’ Plants for Pollinators, as well as being a deserved recipient of their Award of Garden Merit, ‘Freckles’ is one of the finest evergreen climbing plants you can find, of that there’s no question. It’s versatile, too – you can train it up a wall, fence, trellis or even grow it in a pot and up an obelisk!

There are plenty of other fab evergreen climbers with flowers out there, and to be honest, it was pretty tricky to narrow it down to just one. So, some other good options to consider include Sollya heterophylla ‘Ultra Blue’, Passiflora ‘White Lightning’ and Jasminum beesianum.

2. Best shade-loving evergreen climber

Our pick: Hedera helix 'Glacier'

Do you find yourself staring longingly across the road at your neighbour’s south-facing patio? Is your outdoor space found wanting on the vitamin D front? Perhaps your garden is overshadowed by lofty, established trees, peskily blotting out that big burning ball of gas in the sky?

Shade. Love it or loathe it, some of us are lumped with it. But having a shady garden shouldn’t mean you can’t still grow a brilliant evergreen climber – it’s just a case of choosing the right one.

Stepping up to the sun-starved plate is ‘Glacier’ Ivy. Hedera (ivy) plants are among the best evergreen climbing plants for shade, and are able to flourish in even fully shaded spots. With gorgeous variegated foliage and a fast growth rate, ‘Glacier’ is a perfect choice to scramble as groundcover through any gloomier flower bed, or to grow up a north-facing wall. What’s more, it’s self-clinging, so you don’t need to provide any additional support, it’ll just climb by itself. Lovely stuff.

Other evergreen climbers that grow well in shade or part shade include Lonicera japonica ‘Hallliana’ and Hedera helix ‘Goldchild’.

3. Best scented evergreen climber

Our pick: Trachelospermum jasminoides

Gardens don’t just offer something for the eyes, they can provide a feast for all the senses – the texture of a plant’s foliage, the gentle rustle of leaves in the wind, the refreshing taste of juicy, hand-picked fruits, and, of course, the perfume of brilliant blooms wafting through the evening air.

Trachelospermum jasminoides (Star Jasmine) is a plant straight out of the Mediterranean picturebook. With an abundance (seriously, loads) of starry white flowers carpeting the plant from summer into early autumn, this evergreen climber radiates an intoxicating, sweet fragrance that strengthens in the evenings and at night.

Dress this dreamboat up a pergola in a seating area and you’ll quickly become the envy of all your guests and visitors. Just to top it all off, it’s a winner of the RHS’ Award of Garden Merit, so you know that it’s earned its (stars and) stripes.

There are plenty of other fabulously fragrant evergreen climbers out there, and honourable mentions go to Lonicera japonica ‘Chinensis’, Clematis armandii ‘Appleblossom’ and Trachelospermum jasminoides ‘Star of Tuscany’.

4. Best evergreen climber for smaller gardens

Our pick: Sollya heterophylla

Having a limited space isn’t a barrier to having a good evergreen climber. There are certain varieties which are great for patio and container growing, and can even be grown in balcony gardens.

Bluebell Creeper is an evergreen climber with luscious blue, pendulous flowers blooming throughout summer, and with a maximum height of only 2m, or so, it’s ideal for gardens where space is more limited. Place a trellis or obelisk in a large pot and watch as your plant wends its way gracefully up and around the support.

Originally from Australia, this climber is less “down under” and more “up over” thanks to its fast growth rate. So, if you want to quickly spruce up your patio or balcony with some year-round, light green foliage and beautiful blue blooms, then this is the plant for you!

Blue not for you? A couple of other good options for more compact gardens are Clematis cirrhosa ‘Ourika Valley’ and Jasmine polyanthum.

5. Best evergreen climber for pollinators and wildlife

Our pick: Clematis cirrhosa 'Jingle Bells'

If you want to improve your garden’s wildlife presence – and let’s be honest, why wouldn’t you? – then we’d like to firmly shove gently steer you in the direction of the ‘Jingle Bells’ clematis. Bees just can’t get enough of this climber’s pollen- and nectar-rich flowers. It’s like their version of an all-you-can-eat Sunday carvery, just without the screaming toddlers.

The cream-coloured, dangling teacup blooms appear during the winter and early spring months, tempting intrepid, winged buzzers on their early forays for food. The RHS has accredited this plant as one of its Plants for Pollinators for this very reason, so if your garden’s been lacking that gentle, low thrumming sound of late, and you want that to change, then here’s your solution.

You want more? Oh, go on then… Passiflora ‘Constance Elliott’, Lonicera henryi and Ceanothus ‘Puget Blue’.

Final thoughts

So, there you have it – our top 5 evergreen climbers, with each offering something unique and individual. With these, your garden can reach new heights all the way through the year, and you can wave goodbye to those naked surfaces that are just crying out for a bit of clothing for some decency. The sky, as they say, is the limit…