The National Trust’s first Sissinghurst Scholar, Claire Margetts, uses her experience at the classic Kent garden to suggest the best climbers for shade
Claire Margetts is a senior gardener and the National Trust’s first-ever Sissinghurst Scholar, undertaking an 18-month programme designed to cultivate future head gardeners. “Vita Sackville-West wrote that ‘climbers are among the most useful plants in any garden’,” says Claire. “I couldn’t agree more, and I could happily extol the virtues of any of the hundreds of clematis and climbing roses that adorn the medieval walls, farm buildings, homespun chestnut structures and trees that grow in the orchard here.” Here, Claire picks ten climbers that will grow in shade or partial shade, are happy in most soils and are generally hardy.
Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Biddenden Road, near Cranbrook, Kent TN17 2AB. Tel: 01580 710700; nationaltrust.org.uk
1 Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris
“This is a seriously good doer,” says Claire, “thriving in shady, inhospitable areas. It’s great for pollinators and bears a profusion of lacy white flowerheads from late spring.” It’s slow to establish, clinging by aerial roots to walls and fences, eventually reaching 10-12m.
2 Chaenomeles x superba ‘Knap Hill Scarlet’
“At Sissinghurst, this Japanese flowering quince grows in the shade by the library door,” says Claire. “Each spring it bears vermilion flowers followed by yellow fruits.” It espaliers beautifully, it’s fully hardy and its spines make for a good deterrent. Reaches 1.8m.
3 Clematis tangutica
If you like a yellow flower, try this one, which is also known as the golden clematis. “Its bright, bell-shaped flowers hang like tiny Chinese lanterns held singly on downy stalks. They’re followed by fluffy seedheads,” notes Claire. It reaches 3m, or look out for the compact cultivar ‘Little Lemons’. At 50cm, it’s perfect for pots.
4 Wisteria sinensis var. sinensis f. alba
“Pendent clusters of fragrant, pure white, pea-like flowers in May and June are followed in hot summers by velvety green seedpods. Renowned for its superior fragrance, it’s not particular to any soil, and it’s an ideal, fast-growing climber for covering a sheltered wall or strong pergola or for scrambling through a tree,” says Claire.
5 Rosa ‘Mermaid’
‘Mermaid’ is a tall and vigorous climber that will grow to about 10m, even on a north-facing wall. It bears large single yellow flowers throughout summer. In the main, it needs pruning only to remove dead wood and it’s possible to train this rose into
