10 of the best climbing plants for your garden, from honeysuckle to sweet pea

Climbers bring vibrant vertical blooms to a dull fence – along with shelter for insects and even a cooling system for buildings during warm months. Here are the ones that our expert rates

• The best secateurs to save you time and effort when pruning your garden, tested

Within a week of moving house, three years ago, I was dreaming of climbing plants: anything that could clothe the uninspiring domesticity of my new garden’s bare fences.

Three summers on, I have a good sense of which climbers thrust ahead and which take their time to get established; which spread thinly or densely; which annuals offer up a temporary, seasonal backdrop; which climb perfectly well unaided; and which benefit from a supportive frame. Here are 10 climbers I’ve enjoyed growing, and how to nurture them.