Deck the walls with boughs of colour

Want to cover a bare wall or shed? Winter is a great time to plant climbers that will add cheering colour to the garden next spring and summer, says Hazel Sillver

- Hazel Sillver

ONE of the best ways to brighten up the garden is to clad walls, trellises, pergolas and archways with colourful climbers. In their season, they produce a bold mass of colour that lifts the scene, as well as providing shelter and nesting sites for birds. As long as the ground isn’t frozen, December is a great time to plant climbers that flower in spring or summer, with some (such as roses) available as bare-root plants.

Plants that exude scent

The front of the house is traditionally clad in something elegant and impressive, such as a wisteria or a red rose, which both have the advantage of exuding scent that will float through open windows. Most people like the lavender-purple wisterias (such as ‘YaekokuryÅ«’), but the pink forms (such as ‘Showa-beni’) are also gorgeous on a south or west-facing facade.

Growing a wisteria is very satisfying, but requires patience, since they can take three-four years to bloom, and care, with pruning needed in February and August. Being weighty plants once mature, wisterias also demand sturdy wiring or a trellis on which to clamber up.

For a spectacular double red rose that fills the air with scent, go for vermillion ‘Climbing Ena Harkness’ or velvet-red ‘Climbing Crimson Glory’. Or, to provide nectar for bees, opt for a single or semidouble red, such as ‘Allen Chandler’ (fragrant) and ‘Parkdirektor Riggers’ (unscented, but stunning).