6 Evergreen Climbers for a Balcony or Small Garden

Looking to add year-round color or even a little privacy to your garden? Evergreen climbers are a perfect solution for screening and privacy on a balcony or in a mini garden. Plus, as climbing plants, these evergreen shrubs are also ideal for making the most of space if you have a really small garden.

When garden space is limited, choosing plants that grow ‘up’ instead of ‘out’ is great for making the most of available space.

Their climbing stems and tendrils will cling to a trellis or frame, filling a vertical space with beautiful foliage or flowers. This should leave you with extra space to grow some vertical vegetables or even plant some fruit trees in containers!

Evergreen climbers for a balcony or small garden

Other climbing plants that you can grow on a balcony, like sweet peas or morning glory will fade as autumn sets in. But the evergreens on this list will provide color and coverage in your garden throughout the year.

Below you’ll find a list of some beautiful evergreen climbers that should be easy to find online or in local plant nurseries. From fragrant flowers to lush, thick foliage!

1. Climbing Hydrangea 

Love the large showy flower clusters of hydrangea but don’t have space for a large shrub? Climbing hydrangea brings beautiful flowers in summer but saves space as it can climb up a wall or trellis.

It keeps its leaves throughout the winter, so it will provide color and screening year-round. It’s frost hardy, so should survive a mild winter, but for zones 7 and below you may need to protect it.

2. Passion flower (Passiflora)

Trying to make your balcony garden as productive as possible but still want a bit of color through winter? Passion flowers will produce deliciously tropical-tasting passion fruits in summer.

There are lots of different passion flower types so make sure you choose an evergreen variety. Common passion flower (Passiflora caerulea) should be hardy down to 15-23ºF. But around these lower temperatures, it could become semi-evergreen, and you might notice it losing a few leaves.

It’s a great vertical crop to grow in a small space, and it will provide foliage year-round in warmer areas.

3. Evergreen Clematis 

With an evergreen clematis, you can enjoy their delicate showy flowers along with year-round foliage. They’re one of the fastest-growing evergreen climbers if you’re looking to add quick coverage.

Like the passion flower, not all clematis varieties are evergreen, so double-check before buying. Some lovely evergreen clematis varieties include the spring-flowering Clematis Armandii and the winter-flowering Clematis cirrhosa.

Although evergreen, these clematis varieties are only hardy down to USDA hardiness zone 7.

4. Ivy (Hedera)

With lush foliage all year round, ivy is an ideal evergreen climber for a balcony to provide screening and a little privacy from overlooking neighbors. We also include it on our list of evergreen plants for a balcony.

Like the Clematis armandii, ivy is a quick-growing evergreen climber that will soon cover a trellis or frame to provide screening. With a common variety like English Ivy (Hedera helix) you can expect up to 20+ inches (50cm) of growth a year (28 inches or 70cm in optimum conditions!).

If your area experiences very cold winters there are some great hardy and low maintenance options to choose from. English ivy (Hedera helix ‘Glacier’) is a beautiful variegated variety that can provide color and interest through winter.

5. Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)

A wonderfully fragrant evergreen climber, star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is a beautiful evergreen balcony plant.

It produces a strong, woody stem with dark green oval leaves that stay on the plant year-round. In summer, it’ll be coated in white, star-shaped flowers that have an incredible fragrance. As winter approaches the leaves will usually turn a deep bronze color.

With its thick foliage, it’s definitely a great option for screening and providing a bit of privacy.

6. Cape Leadwort (Plumbago auriculata)

Producing pretty blue flowers in summer, cape leadwort is a perfect evergreen climber for warmer climates.

As it’s originally native to South Africa, cape leadwort isn’t very tolerant of the cold. It won’t survive a frost, so you may need to protect it or consider a cold hardy evergreen climber.

Tips for growing evergreen climbers on your balcony

Although evergreen, these plants will still need a little care and attention. We’ve listed some of our top tips below to help you maintain these beautiful evergreen climbers.

• Most of these evergreen climbers may need some support for their tendrils or branches. There are lots of different vertical support options you could use, from bamboo canes and string to wire fencing or a trellis.
• Some plants like the star jasmine can be vigorous climbers, so make sure you have the tools to cut back or prune. Keeping these plants in a container is generally a better option than planting them in the ground where their roots can easily spread.
• However, before you start cutting, double-check pruning requirements as some plants may not grow from old woody stems.

Featured Image: Image by Alla from Pixabay