Seven climbers for the balcony
Great as a privacy screen, add some greenery to façades and look simply delightful: climbers for the balcony. Here are seven very special climbers for your outdoor space.
1. Clematis — abundantly flowering, happy little soul
The clematis is one of the most beautiful flowering balcony climbers. The clematis has several advantages, which make it all the more impressive. It is ablaze with many brightly coloured shades such as red, pink, purple and blue, but also flowers in a neutral white. This allows you to happily combine the abundant flowers with other plants on your balcony. They grow extremely rapidly too. So that you can enjoy the large flowers, which can grow up to 20 centimetres tall, from June to September, you must water them well on a regular basis, but avoid water-logging them. If you treat the ornamental plant to a spot that is sunny to semi-shaded, your loyalty will pay off in the balcony box for many years to come. Over time, it will produce masses and masses of flowers which will become more and more beautiful.
2. Honeysuckle — vigorous, evergreen climber
The gutsy honeysuckle grows with all-pervading vigour on trellises and attracts admiring glances. No need to be jealous because you can easily grow evergreen varieties in a tub on your balcony. The climber grows wonderfully on balconies in winter provided they are placed in a bright location that is never in full sun. East and west-facing balconies are therefore well-suited to this. To allow the honeysuckle to climb, you should five the tub a trellis such as a lattice, rods or wire cables.
3. Common ivy — a quick-growing classic
It is a classic among climbers for the balcony or any wall which it adorns with its green robe of leaves. There is a good reason why it is popular: the perennial common ivy is particularly easy to look after. But beware, the attractive, hardy privacy screen takes on a life of its own if you don't cut it properly. Particularly if it has been adorning your balcony for several years, it will grow wild and in the worst case scenario, can damage the façade.
4. Black-Eyed Susan — likes it warm and bright
The Black-Eyed Susan behaves somewhat differently to its fellow climbers. This flowering beauty snakes upwards in an anti-clockwise direction. This plant, which is native to South East Africa, adds a little joy to your balcony thanks to its yellow, orange or brown-orange flowers. Black-Eyed Susans feel most at home in a warm and sunny location which should be protected from the wind and rain. This attractive plant will grow up to a height of two metres if you look after it properly. So, like most balcony climbers, it needs a climbing aid. Please note that although the plant is called a perennial, it is cultivated annually at our degree of latitude, unless they overwinter indoors.
5. Trumpet flower — exotic charm on the balcony
You can use trumpet flowers to turn your balcony into an exotic oasis. The climber's beautiful funnel-shaped flowers create this effect. Originally native to North America, the plant rejoices in its colours of orange, yellow and red. Thanks to its hold-fast tendrils and lightly looping shoots, this happy little plant does not necessarily have to rely on a climbing aid. However a climbing aid would come in handy if you want to make it grow in a particular direction. If it is placed in a location that is sunny, warm and protected from the wind, it develops into a strong-growing climber. So that it stays like this every year, you should provide it with winter protection during the colder months.
6. Knotweed — curtain-like beauty
Knotweed, also known as bridal veil or architect's consolation, actually comes from China. Its heart-shaped green leaves, which turn pale yellow in the autumn, really do draw the eye to the balcony. Because they usually grow very densely, knotweed is an attractive natural privacy screen. From July to October, it also produces white panicles, which give it a romantic appearance. To keep it under control, you should prune it once a year or use pruning shears to put it on the right track. The knotweed flourishes in a sunny or semi-shaded location.
7. Blue passion flower — grows tall
The passion flower is another attractive flowering climber with an exotic touch. You should place the perennial in a bright and sunny location so that you can delight in its abundant flowers. The little beauty needs a climbing aid because it can grow up to several metres tall. Even though it is very resistant to frost, in winter you should keep it above freezing so that you can continue to enjoy it for a long time.
