Larry Smith and the Riverside Gardens team talk all things pots, plants and pruning in their weekly gardening column.
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Climbing plants are among some of the most useful plants we can grow.
They soften fences, disguise sheds, cover pergolas and bring colour to parts of the garden that might otherwise remain bare.
They also allow us to garden upwards, which is particularly valuable when space is limited.
The secret is choosing the right climber for the right position and giving it a strong enough support for the job.
Clematis are wonderful for bringing flowers to fences, arches and trellises without taking up too much ground space.
They enjoy cool, protected roots but like to grow upwards into the light.
A layer of mulch, or a small shrub planted near the base, will help keep their roots happy during our hot summers.
Clematis Cotton Candy is a compact variety with large creamy-white flowers marked by strong pink bars.
It is ideal for a large pot, balcony or small trellis, where the flowers can be enjoyed at eye level.
For shades of blue and purple, there are several excellent ones to choose from.
Perle d’Azur has clear sky-blue flowers and is a popular choice.
Alice Fisk produces large lavender-blue blooms, while Grunwald is deeper and richer, with velvety purple flowers that make a strong statement.
Clematis viticella Polish Spirit is another dependable purple, flowering generously over a long period and working well on fences, pergolas or archways.
Among the pink and red varieties, Mazowsze provides rich, velvety red flowers, while Dr Ruppel has large pink blooms with a darker central stripe.
Veronica’s Choice is softer, but still very striking, producing pale lavender-white double flowers early in the season, followed by simpler blooms later.
These large-flowered clematis are lovely over an entrance archway or outdoor sitting area, where their detail can be appreciated.
For something a little different, try an evergreen clematis.
Sweetheart has attractive foliage and masses of small, lightly coloured flowers, making it useful for screening throughout the year.
Clematis cirrhosa Freckles flowers through the cooler months, with creamy, bell-shaped blooms heavily spotted inside. It is ideal along a sheltered fence or on a trellis, where its winter flowers can be seen closely.
Ornamental grapevines, or Vitis vinifera, are excellent plants for covering a pergola or providing summer shade.
Their large, handsome leaves create a cool, leafy canopy during the warmer months, followed by beautiful autumn colour before they lose their leaves for winter.
Because they are deciduous, they provide shade when it is wanted in summer, but allow the sunlight through during the colder months.
They are also very effective trained along wires, over a sturdy arbour or across an outdoor entertaining area.
Chinese star jasmine is another excellent all-rounder.
Its glossy evergreen foliage makes a useful screen, while the small white flowers provide a beautiful perfume in late spring and summer.
It can be grown over a fence or arch, trained against a wall, or certain varieties can be clipped into a thick groundcover.
There are two beautiful examples in the Garden Centre that have been espaliered into an attractive diamond pattern.
They show just how effective Chinese star jasmine can be when trained carefully, creating a feature that looks smart and structured, while still providing attractive foliage and beautifully perfumed flowers.
Wisterias require more room and a considerably stronger support, but few climbers can equal their spring display.
Japanese wisterias produce long, hanging flower clusters and are available in purple, white and soft pink.
They look magnificent draping from a pergola, where the flowers can hang freely.
Chinese wisteria generally flowers before or as the leaves appear, creating a dense curtain of fragrant mauve-purple flowers.
Both are vigorous plants and need regular pruning to prevent them taking control of gutters, roofs and nearby trees.
Wisteria Domino is a slightly more compact Japanese selection, with fragrant pale lilac and deeper violet flowers.
It is a good choice for a smaller pergola or sturdy arch, although it still needs firm pruning to keep it in control.
For gardeners wanting brilliant colour in a hot, sunny position, bougainvillea are hard to overlook.
Temple Fire is a true dwarf, growing to around a metre, with coppery buds developing into deep pink to red-purple bracts.
It is excellent in pots, low fences or clipped or hedged in a sunny garden bed.
Thai Gold brings warm golden colour, while Tango offers lively orange tones.
Scarlet O’Hara is a vigorous grower with brilliant scarlet-red bracts and is better suited to a large wall or pergola.
Raspberry Ice combines raspberry-coloured bracts with cream-variegated foliage, so it remains attractive even when not flowering.
Mahatma Gandhi provides rich magenta-purple colour, while Jazzi and Firefly are more compact choices for courtyards, planters and smaller gardens.
Bougainvillea performs best in full sun with excellent drainage. Once established, they prefer not to be overwatered or overfed, as too much kindness can produce plenty of leaves, but very little colour.
In frosty districts, give them a warm, protected position against a north-facing wall.
Whether you want perfume, shade, flowers or simply a way of hiding an unattractive fence, there is a climbing plant for the job.
Give it the correct support, allow enough room for its eventual growth and keep it under control with sensible pruning.
A well-chosen climber does more than cover a wall. It can completely change the character of your garden.
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