Best Plants To Cover A Wall – 10 Ideas For A Fabulous Sweep Of Flowers And Foliage

If you want to brighten the blank face of a Wall with flowers and foliage there are many shrubs to choose from that will make an attractive enhancement. You can either cover the wall with a climbing variety or choose a shrub that can be planted in front of the wall to create an attractive screen. You can also consider using a large host plant that's already established and adding a second plant to intertwine through its stems.

Several factors should influence your choice of plant. Think about the dimensions of the area of the wall to be covered, the ultimate height the plant may reach, and how the color of any flowers combines with other plantings in your yard. You also need to consider whether your plant of choice likes a sunny or shady aspect, and what sort of soil it requires to thrive.

Next, think about how best to support the plant. There are many varieties of trellis and wire available in various shapes, colors and sizes. Choose one that best fits in with your existing garden wall ideas and the rest of your landscaping, as well as one that will support the weight of the foliage as it grows.

With the practicalities taken into consideration, now comes the fun part of choosing from our expert selection of the best plants to cover a wall.

pink climbing rose on wall

If you're looking for the best fast-growing climbing plants you're in the right place. We asked some of our favorite garden experts to share their ideas for the best plants to cover a wall. From fragrant climbing roses and tropical vines with lush blooms to trailing varieties covered in a mass of flowers and cool evergreens for year-round cover, there is one here that will transform your garden wall.

1. Climbing rose

Claire Austin English climbing rose

Training climbing roses on a wall is easy and they are a good choice whatever the style of your backyard. Try training a fabulous, fragrant climbing or rambling rose up a wall to convert a dull or unsightly area into one of the most stunning features in your yard. There are many varieties of best climbing roses to choose from too.

'We recommend planting your rose around 8 inches away from the wall,' say the experts at David Austin Roses. 'The hole you're planting in should be 16 inches in diameter. Place the rose in the middle of the area you would like to cover, fanning the stems out either side.'

One of the best places to grow a climber is on a wall, particularly the walls of a house, according to the David Austin Roses team. 'The formality of architecture contrasts beautifully with the natural growth of the roses. A wall also has the effect of drawing roses to a much greater height than they would grow elsewhere. Most climbers will thrive on a sunny south or west-facing wall, although some varieties will flourish on a shady north-facing wall too.'

2. Clematis Armandii

white flowers of Clematis armandii growing on wall

Try growing a vigorous evergreen climber like Clematis Armandii with its saucer-shaped, highly scented white flowers and lush foliage to create a wall of greenery. It's one of the best clematis to grow if you want a variety that retains its lush appearance even during the winter months.

'The glossy leaves of Clematis armandii provide year-round interest, ensuring your wall remains lush and vibrant even during the dormant season,' says Robin Phelps, gardening coach at Sow Many Plants. 'Clematis armandii is a vigorous climber, quickly covering walls with its dense foliage. It can reach heights of up to 20 feet within a few years, creating an impressive vertical garden. The evergreen leaves of this variety make it an ideal choice for year-round screening.'

As well as growing a clematis against a wall with a support like a trellis you can grow it through a host plant such as a climbing rose, jasmine, wisteria, or an evergreen like Garrya elliptica. The main advantage of using a host plant is that your clematis will grow naturally with very little training necessary.

If you choose to grow a clematis against a wall the plant should be positioned at least 2 inches away from the base of the wall. Find out how to prune clematis as it needs to be cut back hard in its first two years to encourage it to produce a good low framework of branches.

This helps to create a well-formed plant and avoids one straight bare stem and then a lot of twiggy growth high up, which is important, of course, if the purpose of planting the clematis is to cover the wall.

3. Ivy

ivy Hedera helix

Ivy is one of the best evergreen climbers if you want to add a lush year-round green backdrop to a garden wall. It's an especially good choice if your wall is north facing as ivy grows prolifically even in heavy shade. It's self-clinging so you simply plant it at the base of the wall and it will naturally adhere to the climbing surface using aerial roots or adhesive 'pads'.

There are many different types of ivy to choose from. 'Hedera helix 'Green Ripple' has lovely fresh green foliage. It's vigorous and great for providing a green background to other plants,' says planting design specialist Susanna Grant. You can find her book Shade here at Amazon. 'Ivy has a poor reputation, but it is actually a really useful plant for wildlife, especially through winter when there's not much else around.' It makes a great home for nesting birds and hibernating insects.

4. Passionflower

blue crown passionflower growing on wall

Passionflower is a perennial, flowering vine that is a great choice for growing up a wall. In fact, the best place to plant a passionflower is in a sunny spot that is sheltered by a garden wall. Many types of passionflower can be damaged by major winds or harsh weather, and a sheltering wall offers protection.

Plant it as part of your trellis ideas with room to spread as these vines love to roam, growing as high and as wide as the wall allows. It's a great choice for your landscaping as long as you keep it in check with regular pruning, which can be done in late summer. Remove any spindly stems at the base of the plant at the same time to improve the look.

Native to North America and also known as maypop, passionflowers perform best in full sun but can tolerate some shade. The stunning blooms attract hummingbirds and butterflies in the summer and fall. For other wildlife, the foliage provides good, dense cover year-round.

5. Chocolate vine

chocolate vine Akebia quinata

This vigorous and very pretty twining vine is covered with clusters of deep burgundy flowers with a spicy vanilla-chocolate scent. Also known as Akebia quinata, it's one of the best fast-growing flowering vines and if you live in a climate that gets hot summers it will even produce fruit. It looks exotic but it's super-easy to grow.

Its happy place is being trained against a partially shaded wall, where it will provide quick cover and can grow up to 20 feet tall. It thrives in most soils and most aspects. You will need to control it with regular pruning though or it will quickly dominate its space and may overpower smaller plants. Give your vine plenty of room to spread but make sure it doesn't take over the garden.

A lovely idea is to combine a chocolate vine with a clematis armandii, letting them trail and twine through each other for a beautifully naturalistic look.

6. Calico asters

calico asters 'Black Lady'

Calico asters (also known as Symphyotrichum lateriflorum) are native perennial flowers with masses of tiny white blossoms and pretty rosy pink centers. In late fall, the flowers go to seed, turning to tufts of cottony (hence the name) brown and white that are dispersed by the wind to self-sow.

This is a great example of a plant that will bush up against a wall with a profusion of flowers to offer plenty of screening, rather than being a climbing variety. Once established it's one of the best low-maintenance shrubs.

'Calico asters can grow up to 6 feet tall and wide, making them a good choice for covering large areas such as walls,' says Shubber Ali, CEO of Garden for Wildlife, based in Bethesda, Maryland. 'This North American native provides a colorful display of flowers from late summer to fall, attracting butterflies and other pollinators.'

7. Swamp azaleas

white swamp azalea flowers

'Swamp azaleas (also known as Rhododendron viscosum and swamp honeysuckle) are North American native shrubs that can grow fast and tolerate a variety of conditions, including full sun or partial shade, moist soil, and even wet soil,' says Shubber Ali.

'They grow 3 feet tall and 5 feet wide, making them a good choice for covering a wall. Plus, they produce beautiful flowers in the spring and summer, making them one of the best plants for attracting and supporting pollinators. Their dense foliage provides year-round interest too.'

Preferring sun-dappled shade, this plant is best cited in a location that is protected from harsh winter winds. It's typically found in swamps, stream margins, and wet lowlands in the eastern and southern US, which means it's ideal for persistent damp spots in your backyard.

8. Trumpet vine

pink trumpet vine flowers growing on wall

The vivid blooms of the US native trumpet vine (Campsis radicans) will drape softly over a wall to add a vibrant and colorful look to your landscaping. In addition to shades of red and coral pink, the beautiful, tubular flowers come in yellow and orange too. Blooms appear on the trumpet vine throughout summer and into fall. It's also one of the best flowers that attract hummingbirds, who just can't resist them.

This attractive creeper will spread rapidly over a wall, so keep it contained by trimming it back regularly. 'It can be cut back hard in winter and will grow back in the blink of an eye, so be as aggressive as you want with it,' say the team at Omaha-based plant nursery Nature Hills. 'Be on the lookout for runners and be ready to pull them out.'

You can find 'Atomic Red' trumpet vine here at Nature Hills., which makes an excellent wall screen trained on a sturdy trellis.

9. False cypress

'Filifera Aurea' false cypress

Evergreen shrubs are also one of the best options to cover a wall. 'Filifera Aurea', commonly called threadleaf false cypress, is favored for its dense gold-tipped weeping foliage and small cones on mature plants. It's an attractive, resilient shrub that makes a great accent plant to use as screening.

'False cypress 'Filifera Aurea' boasts a 15-foot stature and can spread up to 10 feet wide, making it perfect for covering a wall,' says Rich Christakes, founder of the plant-based marketplace Ship My Plants. 'The name comes from its fine, almost string-like golden foliage. They thrive in partial to full sun and are ideal for color and textural contrast in the garden.'

False cypress is one of the best evergreen shrubs. It thrives in full sun and once established, is resistant to drought. It does need to be sheltered from harsh, winter winds though. It's a low-maintenance shrub, and the good news is it doesn't require pruning either.

10. Sausage vine

sausage vine Holboellia flowers

Look beyond the name (it's also known as Holboellia and Stauntonia if you prefer) and you'll find an excellent climbing vine and one of the best plants to hide a garden wall. The mauve, red-purple, or cream-lime spring flowers will fill the air with heady notes of cantaloupe melon, cucumber and jasmine. In fall it has edible sausage-shaped pink or purple fruit, which gives this vine its name.

For best results plant these evergreen climbers in fertile, well-drained soil against a sheltered wall that gets sun. During late spring and early summer, they have a real growth spurt. Don't be tempted to prune them, as you will lose the scented blooms. Instead cut back new growth to just 2 or 3 leaves, as this is where next year's flowers will appear.

Find more inspiration for the best plants to cover a wall with our living wall ideas. Verdant green walls have become a sought-after decorative design solution for gardens. They make use of vertical surfaces for planting to add an aesthetic touch to your yard, and are a particularly useful garden idea if space is limited.

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7 Plants That Don't Require Pruning

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Many shrubs and plants require regular pruning to keep them looking their best. Pruning removes dead or diseased branches, can improve flower or fruit production, and can improve the overall aesthetics of the plant. However, pruning can be a time-consuming process. And, if you don't know what you're doing, you could actually end up damaging the plant, stunting its growth, or interfering with the flowering process. Whether you're looking for a plant that is easy to care for or just want to avoid doing more harm than good, selecting something that doesn't require pruning can be a good choice. Read on to learn about some of the best plants to add to your outdoor landscaping that will not require much or any pruning.

RELATED: The Best Low-Maintenance Ground Cover Plants for Your Property

1. Creeping Juniper

When you're looking for a low-maintenance plant, creeping juniper is an excellent option to consider. It is a low-growing ground cover that is very adaptable, thriving in zones 3 through 9. Pruning is not needed, but you can cut it back some if it grows too large for the space you're trying to cover. In addition to the lack of necessary pruning, creeping juniper doesn't require much attention in other areas, either. It can grow in several types of soil—including poor soil—without the need for any fertilizer. It is drought-tolerant and does well in a wide temperature range.

RELATED: 25 No-Effort Plants for a Foolproof Landscape

2. Gold Mop Cypress

As you may guess from its name, the gold mop cypress has golden yellow leaves. The brightness of the leaves can change based on the amount of sunlight the plant receives, with the leaves being more vibrant when the plant is grown in full sun. The shrub grows slowly, eventually becoming about 3 feet wide and 4 feet tall, requiring no pruning as it grows into its final form, which resembles an upside-down mop head. If you can't help yourself, pruning won't hurt the shrub and may be employed if you want to give your landscaping a more polished appearance.

RELATED: 9 of the Best Shrubs for Any Garden

3. Spotted Laurel

Spotted laurel is a type of shrub that grows in zones 7 to 10. The evergreen shrub does best in shaded or partly shaded areas and grows very slowly, making pruning a rare event. In fact, you don't have to prune spotted laurel at all if you've planted it as a standalone plant. If, however, you're using spotted laurels as a hedge, you will likely want to do some light pruning to provide a more streamlined appearance. Just take note: if you are going to prune a spotted laurel plant, you should do so in the spring after it has finished blooming. Pruning this plant in the fall could reduce the number of pretty red berries that typically cover the plant in winter.

RELATED: 15 Flowers That Attract Butterflies

4. Blue Chip Butterfly Bush

While you can prune a Blue Chip butterfly bush, doing so is not required. The plant grows spikes of purple-blue flowers that emerge in midsummer and last into October. Unlike other butterfly bushes, the Blue Chip is not an invasive species. Butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds will all be drawn to your garden if you plant it. These bushes are relatively compact, making pruning even less of a necessity. However, if you notice that your bush isn't yielding as many flowers as you would like, a quick pruning may help the situation. The best time of the year to complete this task is in the spring, just after the first leaf buds have emerged. Use your pruning shears to trim the branches that are above the new buds.

RELATED: 15 Snake Plant Varieties for Low-Maintenance Living Decor

5. Snake Plant

Snake plants are known for a few things, one of which is their distinct appearance. The plant features long, skinny leaves that grow straight up. The leaves are green, but can have some cream, white, or yellow edging or variegation. Another thing that snake plants are known for is being easy to care for. They grow well in indirect sunlight, don't require too much attention when it comes to watering, and do not require regular pruning. While pruning isn't always necessary for a snake plant, it is still a good idea to check over the plant periodically and trim away any damaged or dead leaves to keep it healthy and attractive.

6. Bog Rosemary

As bog rosemary grows, it becomes denser and fills in the ground it covers. It features thin and pointy bluish-green leaves, which are accompanied by small pink flowers in the spring. Bog rosemary plants do not need to be pruned. However, they do have high water needs as they are native to wetlands. For this reason, if you're looking for a low-maintenance plant, bog rosemary would only be a good choice if you have soil that remains moist most of the time. Bog rosemary plants are poisonous to people and animals, so keep this in mind when deciding if one will be the right fit for your yard.

RELATED: 50 Plants That Thrive in Any Yard

7. Yuki Cherry Blossom Deutzia

Yuki cherry blossom deutzia plants grow well in partial shade and full sun in zones 5 through 8. The shrubs — which are deer resistant — bloom with pretty pink flowers in the spring. In the fall, the leaves change to burgundy, allowing the plant to continue to add color to your landscaping. Pruning is not necessary with Yuki cherry blossom deutzia plants; they are compact and only grow to 2 feet tall. You may want to prune them from time to time to reshape or remove dead branches, but just make sure to wait until after the plant has finished blooming.

The Best Plants To Put In Your Bedroom

Contrary to popular belief, houseplants aren't nature's air purifiers, capable of "cleaning" the air before your breathe it in. They do, however, come with other health benefits, and can help reduce stress levels, boost our productivity, and improve our mood and outlook. Plus, from a design perspective, houseplants add color and life to a room, as well as the feeling of bringing the calming effects of nature indoors.

For these, and other reasons, many people opt to keep plants in their bedroom. But some are better suited to the boudoir than others. Here are a few examples of the best houseplants for bedrooms.

First and foremost, the best plants for your bedroom are ones that you won't kill, and won't kill you (or, more realistically, trigger your allergies). So, before investing in any kind of houseplant, be sure it's not one you're allergic to, but is one that you're comfortable maintaining. Here are a few to consider:

Aloe vera

Although aloe requires a lot of sunlight, it doesn't need a lot of water to survive, making it a great set-it-and-forget-it bedroom plant. Plus, it's pretty convenient if you need to soothe any cuts or burns.

Snake plant

Also known as "mother-in-law's tongue," this is one of the easiest plants to keep alive. It just needs partial or low light, and the occasional watering, and it'll keep growing. It's also easy to dust.

French lavender

Lavender has a reputation of promoting sleep, and there's even some limited scientific evidence supporting that claim. But even if sniffing the plant or its oil doesn't lull you to sleep, you may enjoy the aroma and colorful blossoms when they're in season.

The tricky part is that most lavender won't survive indoors. You can always plant some outside your bedroom window, or, if you want it in houseplant form, opt for potted French lavender.

Money plants

Not only do their long, slender leaves add a unique shape to your decor, but as long as they're placed in bright, indirect light, they're relatively easy to maintain.

Fake plants

Plants don't necessarily need to be real in order for you to reap their health benefits. Plus, faux foliage is the easiest to maintain—just don't forget to dust it regularly.

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