There’s a quiet power in the way climbing plants shape a space. They transform a plain fence into a green wall, turn a pergola into a shaded retreat, and change a simple trellis into a breathtaking centerpiece.
With climbing plants, you can add privacy, beauty, and height to your garden without building a single thing. Whether you’re after fast coverage, fragrant blooms, or something elegant that weaves gently through wood or wire, the right climbing plants can elevate your outdoor space visually.
In this article, I share with you a list of 18 climbing plants suitable for fences, pergola and trellises.
1. Mandevilla
Mandevilla features glossy foliage and striking trumpet-shaped blooms in shades from pure white to vivid pink and red. Ideal for framing garden views or creating a tropical-inspired privacy screen, this vine brings both elegance and a lush, vibrant vibe to outdoor spaces.
Thriving in full sun and needing little maintenance, Mandevilla is drought-tolerant and endlessly rewarding. Its showy flowers not only dazzle all season but also draw in hummingbirds to add movement and charm to your sunny garden spots.
2. Climbing Hydrangeas
Unlike hydrangeas that thrive in full sun, climbing hydrangeas flourish in partial to full shade, making them ideal for brightening dim garden corners with their elegant charm.
Their dark green, glossy leaves turn golden in autumn, while summer brings clusters of white or creamy blooms that pop against the rich foliage.
3. Moring Glory
Morning glory adds a splash of color and charm to garden structures, quickly blanketing trellises, fences, and arbors with trailing vines and trumpet-shaped blooms.
Its flowers, which shimmer in shades of purple, pink, white, blue, and red, open with the sunrise and gently close by nightfall or on cloudy days, living up to their poetic name.
Ideal for fences, this fast-growing annual vine stretches everywhere through the summer, turning plain spaces into vibrant floral curtains with little effort and plenty of visual reward.
4. Jasmine
Jasmine fills outdoor spaces with its rich, captivating fragrance while adding a vertical. Beyond its scent, this vining plant offers shade and visual depth, making it both functional and enchanting.
To achieve a dense, elegant spread, train lateral shoots outward and ensure you select a true climbing variety, not a shrub or bush type. And with the right care, Jasmine can transform your structures into aromatic, leafy escapes.
5. Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle, a low-maintenance climber, bursts with tubular blooms that encourage hummingbird visits, bees, and butterflies. Its sweet, heady fragrance intensifies in the evening, making it a favorite in country-style gardens and a natural perfume for outdoor retreats.
Honeysuckle creates a dense, green curtain brimming with life and color. However, some types, particularly Lonicera japonica, tend to spread aggressively, so you should choose varieties carefully to keep this fragrant beauty in check.
6. Trumpet Vines
Trumpet vines are great alternatives to plants that add height and movement because they make a bold, beautiful statement as they climb fences, trellises, or pergolas.
Their lush greenery and vibrant flowers soften stark surfaces while attracting hummingbirds and butterflies.
Regular pruning keeps their vigorous nature in check, encouraging better blooms and a tidy shape. Without pruning, these energetic growers can quickly take over, so a little maintenance goes a long way to keep trumpet vines both stunning and manageable.
7. Clematis
Clematis stands out as a popular climbing plant celebrated for its striking blooms in a wide array of colors. Its delicate structure makes it perfect for adding vertical charm to trellises, pergolas, and fences.
Combining various clematis types ensures a longer flowering season and a more vivid, ever-changing display. With the right mix, you can design a living tapestry that evolves through the months, blending beauty and structure effortlessly.
8. Boston Ivy
Boston ivy, often seen clinging to walls, makes a stunning addition to trellises and pergolas as well. With its self-clinging adhesive pads, it attaches effortlessly, forming a dense, leafy cover that adds instant character and depth to any structure.
Its true moment of glory arrives in autumn, when its green foliage blazes into brilliant shades of red, orange, and purple. This dramatic seasonal shift turns any garden corner into a fiery, unforgettable showpiece.
9. Chocolate Vine
Chocolate vine races across garden structures with impressive speed, reaching up to 40 feet in a single season. Its vigorous growth makes it an excellent choice for cloaking fences, trellises, and pergolas in lush greenery and soft spring fragrance.
Best planted in spots with partial shade, chocolate vine thrives away from the harsh afternoon sun. With its blend of rapid coverage, sweet scent, and striking blooms, it offers both practicality and a sensory treat.
10. Climbing Nasturtium
Climbing nasturtiums bring a vibrant mix of beauty and utility to the garden with their bold orange, red, yellow, and cream blooms that offer a peppery fragrance and edible flair.
These fast growers are perfect for softening hard garden lines, quickly climbing fences, trellises, and pergolas, or even spreading as ground cover. With their cheerful appearance and culinary bonus, climbing nasturtiums are a lively, multi-purpose addition to any space.
11. Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea brings year-round drama to tropical gardens with its bursts of fiery red, hot pink, electric orange, and soft purple bracts. It turns ordinary seating areas and fences into bold, blooming spaces that radiate with color and energy through every season.
When trained over trellises, pergolas, or fences, this vibrant climber creates a cascading spectacle that steals the spotlight. With its free-spirited flair and vivid palette, bougainvillea can transform garden structures into living masterpieces.
12. Wisteria
Draped over a trellis, pergola, or fence, wisteria’s thick, woody vines create a breathtaking floral canopy that feels straight out of a fairytale.
This fast-growing climber’s reach can be extensive. To manage its bold spread and ensure healthy development, plant it at least 10 to 15 feet apart to give it ample room to thrive and impress.
13. Moonflower
Moonflower offers a touch of nighttime enchantment for evening garden gatherings. As dusk settles in, its large, white blooms unfurl, glowing under moonlight and releasing a sweet, heady fragrance that fills the air with romance and mystery.
Perfect for fences, pergolas, and trellises, this dreamy climber creates a serene, luminous display after dark. Moonflower also draws nocturnal pollinators like moths, bringing your garden quietly to life while the rest of the world sleeps.
14. Black-Eyed Susan Vine
With cheerful, long-lasting blooms in shades of yellow, orange, or red, and a climbing habit that can reach 6 to 8 feet or more, black-eyed Susan vine makes a perfect cover for trellises, fences, and pergolas.
Its lush foliage and vibrant flowers also trail beautifully from hanging baskets, making it a versatile pick for adding charm and brightness wherever it grows.
15. Sweet Pea
Sweet peas bring a delicate, vintage charm to gardens, and it’s perfect for creating that romantic cottage-core vibe. When paired with classics like roses, lavender, and delphiniums, sweet pea transform fences and seating areas into dreamy, nostalgic escapes wrapped in fragrance and grace.
Sweet peas also shine as cut flowers with their lovely scent and elegant blooms. Just be sure to select the right variety so that your garden vision unfolds just as planned.
16. Climbing Roses
Climbing roses may not be true vines, but their pliable, arching canes make them perfect for adding elegance and charm to garden structures.
When trained horizontally along a trellis, disease resistant roses produce more flowering shoots that offer a lush, organized display.
17. Passionflower
Passionflower’s unusual radial filaments and bold floral patterns make fences, trellises, and pergolas feel like gateways to a tropical escape.
Lush, lobed green leaves frame the blooms beautifully, attracting pollinators and adding depth to your garden. Some varieties even produce edible fruits, offering both visual intrigue and a flavorful bonus.
18. Virginia Creeper
Virginia creeper adds bold character to fences and seating areas with its lush green foliage and fast-growing nature. As the seasons shift, it transforms into a fiery spectacle of red and deep purple, offering a stunning fall display that brings drama and warmth to any space.
Its signature five-leaf clusters form a dense, leafy screen perfect for privacy and a rich natural backdrop. Adaptable to both sun and shade, Virginia creeper thrives with ease, making it a reliable and vibrant addition to the garden.