A pergola is a beautiful structure to have in your lawn. It makes a wonderful focal point that you can turn into anything space you want – an outdoor dining area, a party space, or just a place where you can relax and enjoy a lazy day. To give your pergola privacy, one of the best ideas is to use plants. And the magnificent news is that there is a wide variety of beautiful climbing plants that you can grow. They will cover your structure and they require minimal care.

Top Pergola Plants

Here is a look at some of the best plants to choose for your pergola:

• Passionflower – Passionflower is a climber that is exotic and has intriguing white and purple flowers. It grows fast, quickly covering garden structures of all types. If you live in a cold region, you can choose varieties that are frost hardy. For a striking effect, pair passionflower with an early-blooming clematis.
• Clematis – Homeowners love clematis as it is a climber that is easy to grow, beautiful and colorful, and relatively lightweight. It starts blooming in early spring. You can combine this beautiful climber with climbing roses for a burst of color and quick coverage. You can also combine different varieties of clematis plants that bloom during different seasons.
• Wisteria – This is another favorite among homeowners when it comes to climbing plants. However, you need to keep in mind that wisteria needs sturdy support and a little maintenance to make sure that it looks its best at all times. This fragrant beauty also requires full sun to thrive.
• Honeysuckle – Honeysuckle flowers have a nostalgic fragrance and become stronger as dusk sets. There are more than 180 different species and almost all of them are creepers. Honeysuckle is a large vine that grows at a rapid rate. You can plant one honeysuckle plant and easily cover your pergola in no time.
• Jasmine – Jasmine is without a doubt one of the most intense flowers. You can smell its fragrance from far away. If you love flowers with a strong scent, this is the one you should pick for your pergola. In regions with a warm and humid climate, this magnificent flower blooms throughout the year. In cooler areas, you can grow it as an annual plant.
• Grape Vine – One of the best plants for pergolas, grape vines do not just give you privacy and shade but juicy fruits too. You can grow this in just about any type of climate. Grape vine varieties are native to Central Asia, South West Asia, America, and the Mediterranean, so you can find a diverse variety to choose from. If you want a beautiful climber that bears fruit, this is definitely a great choice.
• Trumpet Vine – Called the trumpet vine because of its gorgeous trumpet-shaped flowers, this is another beautiful choice for a pergola. You will trumpet vines that flower in a variety of colors such as red, orange, and yellow. These flowers attract pollinators like hummingbirds and bees. It grows best in full or part sun. Trumpet vine is a beautiful choice for garden structures such as pergolas, trellises, etc.
• Bignonia – Also known as cross vine and trumpet vine, bignonia is a breathtaking choice for pergolas. It has delicate bell-shaped flowers and is a fairly vigorous plant. It grows extremely well in USDA zones 6 – 9 and tolerates moderate to mild frost. It can also grow in tropics as long as you give it shade from the afternoon sun.
• Sweet Pea – This is a fragrant vine that has delicate flowers and it looks beautiful in all types of garden structures. It is a salient choice for pergolas. Keep in mind that you should not grow the bush-type varieties if you are considering sweet peas for your structure. Make sure that you plant them in well-drained soil and in the sun. Sweet peas grow best in warm regions in fall and winter. If you are in a warmer temperature area, plant this beautiful, sweet-smelling vine in the spring or summer.
• Bleeding Heart and Tropical Bleeding Heart – With beautiful heart-shaped flowers, this exotic-looking flower is another excellent choice for your pergola if you are looking for a climber for shade. Bleeding heart requires an area with partial sun and moist soil. It is suitable for cold climates and can be grown in USDA Zones 3 – 9. Tropical bleeding heart, also known as glory bower, has flowers that resemble the bleeding heart and thrives in warm temperatures like USDA Zones 10 – 11.

As you can see, you have a plethora of choices when it comes to climbing plants for your pergola. Other exquisite climbing plants include butterfly pea, climbing hydrangea, bougainvillea, ivy, golden hops, morning glory, kiwi, and many more. Make your landscape even more striking by adding beautiful climbing plants to your pergola.

Make your own Garden of Eden. Make your own little paradise. You only live once. You can make your backyard look like it should be on the front page of a magazine. And perhaps it should!