Climbers for a new pergola, 2023 planting ?

We have just had an area of decking (10ft x 8ft) completed with a pergola structure above. The area gets almost all-day sunshine and are located in rural NE Northamptonshire. We would like to have some climbers going up the posts and pergola beams. I can think of the two obvious ones, Honeysuckle and Clematis and we thought a vine might do nicely, fresh grapes sound good !
We want colour so if you have any other plant suggestions please let me know.
I am not a gardener so what is the best time to put this type of plant into the ground ?
Any thing else I should be aware off ?
Many thanks
Brian.

 

I have loads of honeysuckle in my garden. I like it, as it fits well in my cultivated wild themed garden, but if it's colour you're looking for, I'd advise you to go and look at some mature honeysuckle somewhere. I'll nip out and do a photo of mine later.

It's nice, but for most of the year it's just green leaves. Even when it flowers it's not that showy.

I had jasmine at a previous garden which is gorgeous, with an equally gorgeous fragrance. It was more showy than my honeysuckle but the flowers are pretty tiny, and white, so not exactly stunning colours.

For novelty (nowadays at least) have you considered beans? Even the most mundane runner beans are pretty plants with stunning crimson red flowers before the bean pods form. But there are different beans that used to be grown primarily as ornamentals. You get the added bonus that they'll cover your pergola in year one, whereas the perennial climbers will take a few years to really get going.

 

Hello BrianL, in my experience of gardening in Northants, Honeysuckle needs shade or lots of water, preferably both. The Viticella and Texensis Clematis don't mind sun, but some of the large-flowered hybrids will need good soil and watering in the summer to do well. A grapevine sounds good, but avoid the late-ripening muscat types. The summer's too short in UK for the fruit to ripen outdoors. There are some interesting seedless varieties available now.
What about a climbing, thornless rose? Zephirine Drouhin is a striking pink but the David Austin site would be a good place to have a browse.
If you want an evergreen, Trachelospermum jasminoides (white) or asiaticum (cream) has a nice perfume and the leaves turn red in winter.

 

Another vote for looking at climbing roses - there are so many lovely ones to choose from - and note of caution re a grape vine - I think in Yorkshire you will be lucky to get many ripe grapes! But the leaves can still be very decorative - bear in mind leaf-shape and autumn colour. I have a 'Fragola' here which produces nice tasty fruit but is not so pretty to look at as some.

I love passion flowers and would suggest taking a look at those too, while noting that some can get very rampant.

Good idea as above to use some annuals, while the permanent plantings get going; thunbergia or nasturtiums, perhaps?

 

Brian is in Northants, @Clare G The climate's a bit different to Yorkshire

 

Thanks all, really helpful.
As the pants will probably be in containers/pots (nursery bought), will it matter what time of year they are planted ie autumn or spring ? (obviously not winter).
A vine will possibly have to be specialist bought so that might well wait until next spring.
Yorkshire -- I was born and brought up there, often back to see old friends/family/football.
I consider myself as a Yorkshireman living in exile !!
Cheers
Brian.

 

I always like planting in autumn myself, if that's an option - gives the plants time to establish a good root system before they start growing in the spring. It's also the right time to put in bare-root plants, which are worth considering - gives you a much wider selection of rose and vine varieties, say, to choose from. And they will be cheaper, which might appeal to the Yorkshireman in you (as it does to me!)