The Best Climbing Plants For Shade - David Domoney

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David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.

The best climbing plants for shade By David Domoney|2026-02-05T12:06:33+00:00April 9th, 2025| Share the story335.6K5.6KShares
Updated 09/04/25

Shade-loving climbers are ideal for brightening up dark north and east-facing walls and fences. These shaded spaces are often unused in the garden, but there are plenty of plants hardy enough to thrive there. Climbers are also a great way to maximise your garden space and cover every surface with colour.

Here are six types of climbing plants for shade, including my picks of the top varieties.

Read on to discover six types of climbing plants for shade, including my picks of the top varieties.

Clematis

Many of the large-flowered hybrid varieties of clematis do well in shade.

However, they prefer to get a little bit of sunlight, so perhaps grow them up a fence where the very top of the plant can reach the light.

Clematis montana is a vigorous grower that will grow in light shade. It has white flowers with four petals and flowers from late spring to early summer.

‘Van Gogh’ is an excellent cultivar that blooms early in cherry-pink and continues for up to six weeks.

Clematis

Climbing hydrangea

Climbing hydrangeas are great plants for shade. Hydrangea anomala ‘Petiolaris’ is a good, hardy, deciduous variety with heart-shaped leaves.

It’s self-clinging so it requires no support, and it bears white lace cap flowers in summer. The foliage goes a golden yellow colour in autumn too.

Schizophragma hydrangeoides, the Japanese hydrangea vine, is another shade lover with the added advantage that this species will also cope with full sun.  It’s ‘petals’ (actually sepals) are a purer white than ‘Petiolaris’, but if it’s colour you’re looking for then S. hydrangeoides ‘Rose Sensation’ is a great choice with its brilliant rose-pink flowers.

Hydrangea Shrub

Hedera (ivy)

Ivy is the fail safe garden climber for shade. It’s self-clinging and low maintenance, but a vigorous grower that may need regular pruning to keep it in check.

Traditional varieties like Hedera helix bear large green leaves and globular flower heads in autumn.

Variegated ivy varieties come in a range of colours and often have mottled leaves.

Hedera colchica is a good plant for shade with colourful yellow-patterned leaves. These ivies are perfect for brightening up dark garden areas and adding lush greenery to bare walls.

Find out how to plant and prune climbers for the best results.

Ivy growing along a wall

Climbing roses

Most climbing roses don’t like the shade, but give them at least 4 hours sunlight and most will reward you with plentiful blooms.  Some, however, are more tolerant of shade than others. ‘Scent From Heaven’ is a delightful choice.  Winner of Rose of the Year in 2017, it’s easy to see why, producing pretty orange-pink, sweetly scented flowers throughout the summer.  It’s a medium size climber, reaching up to 250cm, and highly disease resistant.

The ‘Alberic Barbier’ variety is an old variety of rambling rose that handles shade well.

It has creamy white blowsy flowers that have a peachy centre. It’s a very vigorous and almost evergreen variety.

Climbing rose

Virginia creeper

All Virginia creeper and Boston Ivy varieties are good climbers for shade, with big leaves to keep houses cool on hot summer days.

A five-leaved ivy that is a species of flowering plant in the grape family.

They attach themselves with suckers, so they don’t need any support, and will thrive growing up a shady wall.

Virginia creeper

Honeysuckle

Both evergreen and deciduous honeysuckle are great climbers for shade.

They need support to grow up a wall, but they twist their vines around by themselves and should not need tying in. Or they may grow up fences without a support.

Good evergreen honeysuckle varieties for shade include Lonicera henryii and L. japonica ‘Halleana’. Deciduous varieties bear more colourful blooms, but will lose their leaves over winter.

Try Lonicera periclymenum for bold flowers in red and yellow.

Here’s how to use evergreens to create garden structure.

Honeysuckle

For more great gardening advice, make sure you head to my YouTube Channel. Make sure you’re subscribed with notifications on so you don’t miss any of my new videos.

Frequently Asked Questions

1 – Will climbers still flower in full shade?

Some climbers will flower in deep shade, but flowering may be reduced. For best results in partial or dappled shade, try Climbing Hydrangea or Clematis ‘Nelly Moser’, both known for their showy blooms.

2 – Can I grow climbing plants against a north-facing wall?

Yes, and it’s often the perfect place for shade-loving climbers. Try Ivy, Climbing Hydrangea, or Akebia quinata (chocolate vine) which all handle the low light and cooler conditions well.

3 – Do I need a trellis or support structure?

Yes, most climbers need something to cling to. Use a trellis, wires, or netting. Self-clingers like ivy and climbing hydrangea can stick to walls without help, but always check that it’s safe for the surface.

4 – Will climbing plants damage walls or fences?

Some self-clinging climbers can worsen cracks or damage mortar, especially ivy. To be safe, grow these on a freestanding trellis set slightly away from walls.

5 – Can climbing plants grow in containers in shade?

Yes, but choose large containers with good drainage, and feed regularly. Ivy and compact clematis varieties do well. Make sure there’s a structure to climb on.

Share the story335.6K5.6KShares David Domoney with Harkness Roses David Domoney

David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.

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11 Comments

  1. Uma Chandel June 11, 2015 at 1:28 pm - Reply

    Really missed the photographs in the climbers, of all the plants you have only mentioned .Would love to have seen climbing hydrangeas and a rose climber in seed! I love the look of Virginia creepers as they remind me of A Japanese maple.

  2. Sarah Collins April 5, 2019 at 4:58 pm - Reply

    Would any of these grow in pots? Thanks

    • Anna April 23, 2019 at 2:56 pm - Reply

      Hi Sarah, thanks for your question. Yes many of these can also be grown in pots. In particular, Clematis, Climbing Hydrangea and Honeysuckle all do well grown this way.

  3. Sherrie June 29, 2019 at 6:44 pm - Reply

    Looking forward to gardening

    • Cynthia Felice December 5, 2019 at 8:02 pm - Reply

      Thank you for great info I want to try honeysuckle in large pots on side of front door part shade God bless you Cindy

  4. Linda August 12, 2019 at 8:42 am - Reply

    Thanks for the info, a great help :-)

  5. Nita May 4, 2020 at 2:35 am - Reply

    I would love to find those ‘Alberic Barbier’ you have pictured. I’ve only found pure white ones. Where can I get them with peachy pink centers? Thank you so much.

    • David Domoney May 5, 2020 at 4:15 pm - Reply

      Hi Nita,

      The pictured flowers with the pink centres are Rosa ‘Eden’. Hope this helps.

  6. Christine Brown September 19, 2020 at 3:41 pm - Reply

    Lovely lot of suggestions I want something to grow up the supports on my N/E patio of my apartment.

  7. Deepak Theroor C August 14, 2021 at 6:11 pm - Reply

    That’s a great piece of information, Thank You

  8. Joseph burdiek April 10, 2024 at 3:41 pm - Reply

    Wbat is the best growing vine for humming birds to plant on a north side in the shade

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