Collection: Climbing Plants for Shade

While few climbers love being dark all the time, there are certainly those that can still flourish while growing in partial or dappled shade, with some plants, like ivy, able to withstand a fully shaded position. Honeysuckle generally doesn’t mind a bit of shade, and it’s not uncommon to see (or smell) these lovely plants growing in woodlands. Clematis varieties also tend to like to have their roots shaded with their vines in the sun. From a foliage perspective, Virginia creeper also grows nicely in shade, with the best autumn colour occurring when planted in partial shade.

Climbing plants for shade generally have similar requirements to those grown in sun, at least in terms of soil type, moist but well-drained being the preferred choice. If your soil is poor and heavy, consider amending with some well-rotted manure or organic compost. Unsure on which soil you have? Check out our guide.

If you grow a climbing plant in shade, it’ll usually need less water than one grown in sunshine. The reason is simple: the soil doesn’t dry out as quickly as it does when being baked by sunshine. You’ll still need to water your plants during dry spells and to help newer plants establish, and a good rule of thumb is to give your plant a watering if the top inch or so of soil is dry. Also, conversely, watch out for any rain shadow effect which might lead to drier soil, even in shade. Do climbing plants for shade need support?

Some climbing plants like to be in full sun and full sun only. Grape vines, for instance, and wisteria both like to be grown in full sun, with respective fruit and flower production at its most maximal when given at least six hours of direct sunlight per day.