It's pretty hard not to feel whimsical under a canopy of wisteria
Whether you’re kicking back with a book or hosting the neighbors for a summer barbecue, a pergola provides beauty and shade, as well as a whole new ambiance in your backyard.
If you've chosen your new wooden structure and are looking for creative pergola ideas, explore your climbing plant options and extend the beauty of your landscape up overhead. You have your pick of colors, textures, and even fruit-bearing vines that can turn a simple wooden frame into a garden of its own.
1. Clematis
Pack your pergola with a burst of friendly color by planting one of the many clematis varieties. These flowering perennials love to climb—and these can make it up to 15 feet. They also love direct or partial sun, so let them explore all the way to the top of your pergola if it's not shaded by tree cover. You can also use clematis in climbing plant combinations. Pair different varieties with climbing roses, golden hop, and wisteria.
Planting Tips
You'll likely plant clematis bulbs in the early spring before the end of their dormancy period. As recurring perennials, it may take up to two seasons to hit their peak blooming capability, but when they do, expect purple, pink, and white blooms from late spring through early fall.
2. Morning Glories
The daily beauty of a morning glory bloom may be fleeting—each flower dies out in the hot sun of the afternoon—but you'll have a pergola full of color and butterfly-attracting fragrance all season long. Morning glories love to climb and can spread rapidly from season to season, making them an excellent pergola option to observe during your a.m. coffee on the patio.
Planting Tips
Morning glories love direct sun and well-draining soil. Plant them after your soil gets a chance to fully thaw, typically late spring or early summer depending on your hardiness zone. Guide the young vines up the side of your pergolas until they latch on naturally each season.
3. Climbing Roses
Training one of the many varieties of climbing roses may take a little more effort, but the result will catch the attention of the local garden enthusiasts. Climbing roses, among many others, include the pale pink Cécile Brunners, the white Iceberg roses, pink and peach peace roses, and orange Westerland roses.
Planting Tips
Most roses—depending on their species—prefer full or partial sun and well-draining soil. Place separate rose plants at each of the four legs of your pergola and use ties to attach the stems to the side of the pergola and trellis until it reaches the top.
4. Moonflower
Looking for a companion flower to your morning glories? The closely related moonflower blooms in the early evening, through the night, and in the wee hours of the morning during sunrise. They can climb up to 15 feet and open up into a bright white and purple trumpet that attracts night moths.
Planting Tips
While moonflowers thrive as perennials in tropical areas, you can plant them as an annual in cooler climates, especially after the ground warms up. Make sure to expose moonflowers to plenty of sunlight—despite their nighttime blooms—and keep their soil sufficiently moist.
5. Wisteria
Pergola design ideas wouldn't be complete without the mention of the famous wisteria. Its fragrant lilac-hued flowers cascade down through the spring through its peak blooming season in June. Afterward, its gnarled vines can transform a backyard into a fairytale forest.
Planting Tips
Wisteria is a big undertaking, however, and can grow to be quite heavy. Make sure you have a sturdy pergola structure—built by an experienced local pergola builder—that's strong enough to handle the woody vines. You will also need to follow a strict pruning schedule at the end of the winter and after its main bloom is over.
6. Climbing Hydrangea
We all know of the favorite flowering shrubs that line our gardens, but climbing hydrangeas can also hang onto pergolas, trellises, and arbors as well. Also known as Hydrangea petiolaris, climbing hydrangea blooms are a bit lacier and softer than the ones of the shrubs. Their white blooms against green foliage make them an excellent option if you're sticking to a simple color scheme.
Planting Tips
Another perk about many climbing hydrangea species? They don't mind partial shade. Add these perennials to an area with speckled sunlight and give it a few seasons to fully develop. They'll bloom from June through August and will grow to their peak height over the course of 10-15 years.
7. Bower Vine
Searching for a bit more of a delicate flower to climb up your pergola? The bower vine rambles up to 25 feet long and produces a bundle of white and pink flowers. Keep in mind that bower vines are best for those living in warmer year-round climates, specifically zones 9B to 11 for perennials or as north as zone 8 for planting annually.
Planting Tips
Bower vines spread out as they grow, making this a great climbing plant for a pergola if you don't want to block out too much sun with something dense like grapevines. Stick to either direct sunlight or partial shade and prune after its major flowering season.
8. Honeysuckle
The incredibly fragrant and nostalgia-inducing collection of honeysuckle plants is ideal for new and experienced gardeners alike. They are incredibly hardy in different zones across the country, can stand up to extreme heat, and attract plenty of fauna to support the rest of your garden.
Planting Tips
Plant your honeysuckle from seed after the final frost is behind you and the ground thaws. These perennials will thrive with very little maintenance, but it's best to prune any top part of the climbing plant that shades the stems below.
9. Bougainvillea
You'll spot the vibrantly colorful bougainvillea from a mile away by their densely packed bursts of bracts—a variety of colorful leaves that look like a flower. Bougainvillea is also best in warmer climates from zone 9 and above, so this isn't a hardy option for those up in New England. However, if you live down south and have a deer issue in your garden, this is a great deer-repellent option.
Planting Tips
When buying bougainvillea for your pergola, be sure to choose a climbing species, and not one of the shorter, shrubbier varieties. Choose an area that has at least six hours of direct sun a day. You'll rarely need to water bougainvillea one past their development stage—usually about two seasons. Prune your plant just before the first major bloom of the season, but look out for its thorns!
10. Trumpet Vines
Create your very own hummingbird diner by covering your pergola in trumpet vines—also known as trumpet creepers. Their richly orange and pink trumpet flowers thrive in zones 4-9, making them an easy go-to for gardeners across climates.
Planting Tips
Trumpet vines can become invasive when not kept in check, so be sure to keep a consistent pruning schedule if they start to move away from your pergola. Its roots can even cause damage to foundations over the years if planted too close to the side of your home. Trumpet vines survive in both full and partial sun and both well-draining and drought-prone soil.
11. Grapevines
All this talk of vines may have you wondering how easy it is to send grapes up the walls of your pergola. Keep in mind that grape-producing plants require significant upkeep throughout the year, so look for a non-fruit-bearing plant to get the look without the work. If you are hoping for a late-summer snack, grapes will thrive in nearly all hardiness zones in the US with the proper long-term care.
Planting Tips
Your planting schedule will depend on the type of grape you choose and where you live, but most prefer to go into the ground from early-to-late spring. You'll need plenty of space and ample sunlight and you'll need to prune them at least twice a year. Keep in mind that it may take several seasons to train your grapevines to work their way up your pergola.
Working with vines is a fun way to blend your garden with the stylish structural elements of your backyard. Training and pruning the vines, however, can take time and attention. If you're feeling daunted by the first season, chat with your local gardener to help with the pergola planning process.
