13 Colorful Blooming Vines to Enhance All Your Garden Structures

Climbing violet clematis on a white fence in the garden. — Credit:
Valerii Maksimov / Getty Images

Blooming vines are a beautiful way to make use of vertical space in your yard. These often fast-growing plants can be trained to trail up fences, pergolas, trellises, arbors, and other support structures, creating interest in often underutilized areas of the garden. From familiar favorites, like roses and wisteria, to pollinator-friendly iterations with bold blooms, these flowering vines will add beauty (and privacy) to your landscape.

Kelly Funk, president Jackson & Perkins
Mary Phillips, head of native plant habitat strategy and certifications at the National Wildlife Federation
Justin Hancock, horticulturist for Costa Farms

01 of 13

Climbing Rose

When you think of roses, a beautiful shrub likely comes to mind, but ‘Oxford Girl’ is a climbing variety that can be grown vertically. It's a vigorous grower with arching canes that can reach heights tall enough for privacy screens. “Born in clusters, the 3-inch double flowers have 26 to 40 pink petals and a strong fragrance,” says Kelly Funk, president of Jackson & Perkins. “The blooms repeat throughout the season, from late spring to late fall.”

Zones: 5 to 9
Size: 10 feet tall x 4 feet wide
Care requirements: full sun to part shade; moist, well-draining soil

02 of 13

Wisteria

Wisteria is a vigorous climbing vine that adds vertical interest to your yard. One particularly attractive variety is ‘Amethyst Falls Wisteria’—a strong vine that can quickly transform your garden into a breathtaking oasis. “As a strong yet easily manageable grower, ‘Amethyst Falls Wisteria’ blooms its first season with fragrant, vividly blue flowers,” says Funk. “Resistant to deer and tolerant of drought, this vine is great for arbors, garden buildings, strong trellises, and other supports.”

Zones: 5 to 9
Size: 30 feet tall x 4 feet wide
Care requirements: full sun to part shade; moist, well-draining soil

03 of 13

Native Crossvine

Capreolate bignonia in bloom — 7seventy / Getty Images

Native crossvine (Bignonia capreolata L.) has dense foliage that provides year-round privacy, with semi-evergreen leaves contrasted by clusters of vibrant, orange-red blooms. This easy-to-care-for plant is an early nectar source for pollinators, especially hummingbirds, which are drawn to the trumpet-shaped flowers, says Mary Phillips, head of native plant habitat strategy and certifications at the National Wildlife Federation.

Zones: 6 to 9
Size: 30 to 50 feet tall x 6 to 9 feet wide
Care requirements: full sun to part shade; well-draining soil

04 of 13

Native Passion Vine

A perennial climbing vine also known as maypop, wild passion vine, and wild apricot — williamhc / Getty Images

"A fast-growing vine with fragrant purple blooms, native passion vine (Passiflora incarnata L.) creates a dense leafy privacy curtain in the garden,” says Phillips. The pollinator-friendly plant blooms from spring into fall, providing multiple seasons of eye-catching interest.

Zones: 6 to 10
Size: 25 feet tall x 3 to 6 feet wide
Care requirements: full sun to part shade; well-draining soil

05 of 13

Clematis

Clematis is one of Martha’s favorite climbing flowers. For an especially beautiful variety, try Clematis 'Tekla Garland'–a showy perennial offering unbeatable summer interest. “The plant blooms abundantly with 6-inch hot pink flowers, ruffled petals, and a light center band,” says Funk. “It is very easy to grow, cold-hardy, and disease-resistant.” This vigorous grower attracts butterflies and hummingbirds, enhancing the charm of outdoor spaces.

Zones: 4 to 9
Size: 5 feet tall x 2 feet wide
Care requirements: full sun to part shade; moist, well-draining soil

06 of 13

Chocolate Vine

Chocolate vine (Akebia quinata) is an underappreciated hardy vine with intricate and lovely fragrant flowers that smell like chocolate. The flowers sometimes hide behind the vine's tropical-looking hand-shaped leaves, says Justin Hancock, horticulturist for Costa Farms. "It’s a twining vine capable of growing more than 30 feet, so be sure you have plenty of space for it before planting," he says.

Zones: 5 to 8
Size: 20 to 40 feet tall x 6 to 9 feet wide
Care requirements: full sun to part shade; moist, well-draining soil

07 of 13

Vining Mandevilla

Beautiful Pink Mandevilla in a planter in a formal garden. Selective focus. Nice summer background. — Blanchi Costela / Getty Images

Mandevilla (Mandevilla spp.) produces trumpet-shaped flowers primarily in shades of red, pink, and white. "These vines are characterized by their glossy, dark green foliage, which really helps accent the many flowers they produce," says Hancock. "These flowers are attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees." Once the weather warms, Mandevilla grows quickly, so it’s a great choice for quickly twining up a chain-link fence or other structure for summer screening.

Zones: 5 to 11
Size: 3 to 8 feet tall x up to 20 feet wide
Care requirements: full sun; rich, sandy, well-draining soil

08 of 13

Virginia Creeper

Native to North America, Virginia creeper is a fast-growing vine that climbs via tendrils, grabbing its support as it grows. "In spring and summer, the vine is clothed in medium-green, hand-shaped leaves," says Hancock. "The foliage turns a feisty shade of red come autumn," he says. In fall and winter, its small clusters of flowers turn into decorative grape-like fruits that attract birds.

Zones: 4 to 8
Size: 15 to 20 feet tall x 15 to 20 feet wide
Care requirements: full sun to partial shade; moist, well-draining soil

09 of 13

Black-Eye Susan Vine

Black Eyed Susans climbing a fence at Lake Atitlan Guatemala. — Valeri Pavljuk / Getty Images

Black-Eye Susan Vine (Thunbergia spp.) is a pollinator-friendly plant that bears orange, yellow, white, or pink flowers in abundance. "Many varieties have a dark purple-black center, which is how it gets its common name," says Hancock. "In the North, this quick-growing vine is grown as an annual that blooms from spring to autumn. In frost-free areas, it blooms nearly year-round."

Zones: 10 to 11
Size: 3 to 8 feet tall x 3 to 6 feet wide
Care requirements: full sun to part shade; rich, well-draining soil

10 of 13

Honeysuckle

A beautiful red-flowered honeysuckle, 'Major Wheeler' delights with its entirely mildew-free foliage. “For zones 4 to 8, each long, slender, trumpet-shaped bloom is a radiant shade of red with yellow tips and interior that attracts butterflies and hummingbirds,” says Funk.

Zones: 4 to 8
Size: 6 to 8 feet tall x 6 to 8 feet wide
Care requirements: full sun to part shade; moist, well-draining soil

11 of 13

Paperflower

Close-up of pink bougainvillea flowers hanging over a fence. — Jenny Dettrick / Getty Images

Known for its vibrant flowers, paperflower (Bougainvillea glabra) is a blooming vine that will bring unparalleled color into your garden. This drought- and heat-tolerant plant can be pruned to take on a shrub-like shape or trained to grow up fences and trellises.

Zones: 9 to 11
Size: 15 to 40 feet tall x 15 to 40 feet wide
Care requirements: full sun; acidic, well-draining soils

12 of 13

Climbing Hydrangea

Another favorite of Martha's, climbing hydrangeas provide multiple seasons of interest. They bloom in early summer and by autumn the leaves turn a vibrant yellow. In winter, once the foliage has died, the exfoliating bark offers a beautiful rich, brownish-red hue.

Zones: 4 to 10
Size: 30 to 50 feet tall x 6 to 7 feet wide
Care requirements: full sun to part shade; rich well-draining soils

13 of 13

Morning Glory

Sky Blue Morning Glories On Fence — borchee / GETTY IMAGES

Morning glory (Ipomoea) is known for its vibrant purple-blue flowers, which look beautiful alongside fences, trellises, and other structures. The blooming vine gets its name because it opens in the morning and closes in the evening.