Climbers for balconies, arbours and pergolas — the best climbing plants

Which climbing plant should you choose for a balcony, arbour or pergola? Annual and perennial species, self-clinging or support-needing — a practical overview with tips.

Edited by:Redakcja Atlas-Flora · Updated: July 10, 2026

Climbers are the fastest way to green up a vertical surface — a balcony, a fence, a pergola or a wall. Before choosing a species, it’s worth settling two things: do you want an effect in one season or an investment for years to come, and will the climber actually have something to hold onto?

Annual climbers — a fast effect in one season

If you need green screening now, not in 2-3 years, reach for annual species — sown or planted in spring, they can cover several square metres of trellis or fencing by summer.

Sweet pea — intensely fragrant flowers in many colours, climbing a trellis with tendrils. Great for a balcony pot.
Common morning glory — very fast-growing, with striking funnel-shaped flowers that open in the morning.
Common hop — technically a herbaceous perennial (resprouting from the root each spring), but capable of growing several metres in a single season. Excellent for fast, dense cover.

Perennial climbers for an arbour or pergola

For permanent structures — a pergola, an arbour, a sturdy trellis by the patio — it’s worth investing in species that grow more magnificent with every passing year.

Chinese wisteria — spectacular, hanging flower clusters, but it needs a solid, permanent structure (it twines with woody stems that become very heavy over time) and several years of patience before it flowers fully.
Large-flowered clematis — follows the rule of “cool feet, sunny head”: the roots like cool, shaded soil, while the stems and flowers want full sun. It climbs by wrapping its leaf stalks around a thin trellis or wire.
Common honeysuckle — flowers that are especially fragrant in the evening, attracting moths and other pollinators.

Self-clinging climbers — no support needed on a wall

Some species need no trellis or wire at all — they cling on their own, using aerial roots or adhesive pads.

Common ivy — evergreen, copes well in shade where many other climbers struggle.
Virginia creeper and Boston ivy — both turn a striking red in autumn, but differ in leaf shape (Virginia creeper has compound leaves made of 5 leaflets, Boston ivy has single, three-lobed leaves like a grapevine) and in how they cling to a wall.

How to choose the right support

Aerial roots/adhesive pads (ivy, both Virginia creeper and Boston ivy) — need no trellis, they cling directly to a wall or fence.
Twining stems (wisteria, hop, morning glory) — need a sturdier trellis, post or wire to wind themselves around.
Tendrils (sweet pea) and leaf stalks (clematis) — a thin trellis or wire is enough for these delicate clinging structures to climb.

You’ll find every climber in the database in the Climbers category catalogue.

Frequently asked questions

Which climber should you choose for a balcony pot?

Annual climbers such as sweet pea or common morning glory work best in containers — they don't need years to establish and give results in their very first season. Among perennials, clematis can grow in a large pot as long as you give it a sturdy trellis and shade at the base.

Which climber covers a fence or wall the fastest?

Common hop is the record-holder — it can grow several metres in a single season, though as a herbaceous perennial it dies back to the root in winter and resprouts each spring. Among perennial woody climbers, common ivy fills in fastest, as long as it has something to cling to.

Does ivy damage building walls?

Ivy attaches to surfaces with fine aerial rootlets, which can work their way into mortar joints or render that are already damaged — on a sound, undamaged wall it usually causes no harm, but on old, cracked façades it can deepen existing damage. On a wooden arbour, it's better to train a climber on a separate trellis set away from the surface.