Advice please on best climber…

[Wheresmyguavagone]

… to grow up my fence of 2.5m. Must be evergreen. It’s a sunny sheltered spot. It’d be wonderful if it flowered, didn’t grow more than 3m, wouldn’t ruin fence but also wouldn’t need me to support. I realise what I’ve asked for is too restrictive so just the evergreen bit is the must have.

Any advice would be very much appreciated ! Thank you 🙏

An evergreen clematis?

https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/20-of-the-best-evergreen-climbers/

I looked at clematis but they are huge (armandii). If I planted one would it be easy enough to keep smaller?

Thanks for ideas list. There doesn’t seem to be anything that’s guaranteed evergreen, suitable for UK winters and is of reasonable size… maybe I’m being too restrictive ?

Here’s some evergreen options that need a bit of support (eg tucking into wires)

Sollya Heterophylla (half hardy, but may be ok in your sheltered spot) - blue flowers
Plumbago (half hardy) - blue or white flowers
Holboellia family - tiny flowers but beautiful smell. Some produce decorative fruits

Climbing hydrangea doesn’t need support as it self suckers, but it’s a bit of a thug and will need keeping in check.

Evergreen clematis as pp have said, but can look a bit sad in winter

Chocolate vine (akebia quinata) is classed as semi-evergreen. So it will lose some and sometimes all leaves in the winter in harsher climates and/or more exposed areas. It has always been evergreen for me when I’ve grown it in London suburbs.

It is beautiful, grows quickly, has dainty purple flowers in spring, and sometimes tiny sausage-like fruits to follow, and it doesn’t need nursemaiding. But it does need a support. I have grown it over wires, trellis and a pergola.

My passionflowers have been evergreen each winter until last. The frost killed them, but it was an unusually extremely cold spell.You might be OK with them if further south (I'm in Scotland).

Lonicera henryii. Can be a thug, but you can keep chopping it back. Lovely honeysuckle flowers in muted orange and purple, sadly unscented, followed by berries.

Thank you - think I’ll get one of these - sounds lovely !

The Lonicera henryii isn’t an impact plant to be viewed at a distance, but the flowers are lovely close up

You can always have two climbers together remember - an evergreen one which doesn’t have such spectacular flowers, but provides year round greenery; and then a non evergreen clematis climbing through it to provide flowers in season.

Evergreen Star Jasmine, smells divine! You just have to put something for it to cling onto as they don’t climb fences or walls without a bit of help.

You could also put a less thuggish clematis though it once it's established like an etoile violette so you get flowers a bit longer....

Evergreen Star Jasmine

How did I forget this, it’s all over our garden 😂 Trachelospermum Jasminoids. Perfect for you OP. It does need some wires or trellis but once they are in place will happily twine itself around them.

Evergreen Star Jasmine - that can get really big! You can cut it back fairly rigorously though.

Passionflower always works for me. I'm in the south and had no problems with frost. Very easy, tolerate lots of cutting if needed, flowers.

Akebia quinata is great, but rampant! Mine would easily reach 15 feet if I didn’t give it a regular haircut.

I’d avoid a climbing hydrangea, I’ve had mine for 12 years and I’m still waiting for it to flower!

We had an evergreen Solanum (potato vine) for years, lovely white flowers and purple berries. Drought, flood and snow put paid to it this year. Which reminds me I should source another!

Think it was this: https://www.rootsplants.co.uk/collections/climbing-plants/products/solanum-jasminoides-album-variegatum?variant=42142459199648&view=google&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2eilBhCCARIsAG0Pf8vH7ikQJOiBUgEKikGQMlfH4bfmYesBLhgePDVRu5vwHY2FIwfcG4aAhgzEALww_wcB