Does anybody know of a climbing plant that will grow anywhere?

[aristomache]

I Have ordered some trellis panels to screen the side of my house but, despite fervent googling, still have no idea what to plant to cover them.

Very heavy,rocky, soil that doesn't drain well and gets minimal sunshine. I tried clematis montana last year but they didn't appear to like it very much. The one plant that didn't die, didn't thrive either.

I'd obviously prefer something that would look good as well, but more interested in screening properties.

If anyone has any ideas, I'd be most grateful :)

climbing hydrangea loves a north facing wall and poor soil, very pretty and evergreen too.

ooh thanks!! off to look at some shopping results

Russian vine...although it really will climb anywhere, everywhere and could take over your entire house!

A variegated ivy, or a mix of them, can look attractive and they have the will to live, better in the minimal sunshine you describe. Sorry about the clematis montana, they like to be in sun but need to have their roots shaded and cool. Also they make a mess and only give you a display in the spring. That considered look into the many different varities of ivy as they are evergreen and you can be brutal with them when is comes to tidying them up, shaping them. Also cheap and easy to propagate.

I considered and discounted Russian vine after googling, apparently it can be a real nuisance - taking over neighbourhoods(not just houses!!) and is almost impossible to get rid of?

Ivy a good idea. We have a chinese virginia creeper on the front of our house and an evergreen honeysuckle which works well. It's a north facing wall. The chinese version is much less rampant than the standard virginia creeper.

Ivy is rampant in my experience, needs moisture.

virgina creeper? i love mine and it seems to like my awful clay soil

I really like the idea of the solanum crispum glasnevin - but does say on that link that it prefers well drained,light soil - So maybe wouldn't establish

I've gone ahead and ordered a 2ft climbing hydrangea, so I'll see how that gets on.

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions :)

The berries of solanum are poisonous (like the tomato it's a relative of deadly nightshade). I have it in my garden but you need to consider how accessible it will be to children (if yours are little) and how likely they are to put the tempting red berries in their mouth.

Ivy. As long as it's not near many other plants which is will strangle the life out of given the chance, although on its own quite pretty leaves.

Winter flowering honeysuckle. Its flowering now and smells divine.

Our Jasmine grows on clay, in a north facing garden.. it does need clipping back often though, as it's a bit of a beast. We recently cut it back to roots and expect it to be as tall as me by the end of the summer.

trice - I was looking for something else to plant, thanks for that idea.