What to grow over an arch

AskAlice

Just an idea, but if you grown annual climbers on your arch rather than heavier climbing perennials you could still make the arch a feature in the winter/early spring by stringing solar powered lights through it.

I've done that with the arch at the bottom of my garden (which is actually against the fence so doesn't lead to anything but adds height and interest.) If you position the solar panel right up at the top I've found it still gets enough light from weak sunshine even in the darker months to put on a light show for a couple of hours each evening. And in the summer the lights show through the planting and make it a lovely feature.

AskAlice - Such a lovely idea to use solar lights in the winter when the annual climbers have died down. I’ll get some today. And maybe replace my rusty wobbly old arch as well!

Great idea about lights, AskAlice. I threaded some plug in ones over mine at Christmas time, but solar powered ones for all year sound good.
I have perennial sweet pea on one side of my arch and a climbing rose on other side.

Thanks again to all of you and I think I’ve made a decision after your good advice and a trip to my local garden centre today. It’s Trachelospermum Star of Milano (Star Jasmine, pink flowers). The lady in the garden centre tells me it’s not too heavy a plant, although it can be quite vigorous. I’ve not bought it yet, but may do so later in the week. Askalice, I love your idea of lights on the arch - I may try that!

Just an idea, but if you grown annual climbers on your arch rather than heavier climbing perennials you could still make the arch a feature in the winter/early spring by stringing solar powered lights through it.

I've done that with the arch at the bottom of my garden (which is actually against the fence so doesn't lead to anything but adds height and interest.) If you position the solar panel right up at the top I've found it still gets enough light from weak sunshine even in the darker months to put on a light show for a couple of hours each evening. And in the summer the lights show through the planting and make it a lovely feature.

Thanks - very helpful replies. I wish that I’d splashed out a bit more money and brought a stronger one so that I could have more choice of planting, but I’ll bear the weight problem in mind when choosing something. I saw a bargain rose arch (£10) in a well-known German-owned supermarket locally and bought it!

Trachelospermum jasminoides. Its evergreen and scented flowers in early summer.

I can echo the warning not to grow anything too heavy over the arch as today I had to dismantle a metal arch which had rusted and collapsed. It was the second one we’ve had and had honeysuckle on one side and a Rambling Rector rose on the other. Both glorious but needed more pruning than I’d given them. I would go for an evergreen honeysuckle and Jasmine plus a clematis.

Star jasmine for the smell

The one I've got now is at the bottom of garden and has two clematis growing up it. It is north facing, the heads of the clematis get the sun in the afternoon when the sun comes round to the west, but the roots are still in shade which is what clematis likes.

It's also wired to the fence posts with cup hooks so that it doesn't get blown about.

I have one and it blew over at every breeze, now it’s cable-tied to the gate hinge and a post the other side. My clematis snapped. It has sweet peas this year, but it needed a bit of netting too

Passion flowers are lovely and possibly a search on Google AI to find a clematis that grows in your soil? I had an arch and mixed 2 different climbers which flowered at different times

As we have moved house I can’t post pics of previous arches but would love to see photos of those mentioned so far.
Honeyrose would probably appreciate photos too.

Thanks everyone. I’ll start Googling your suggestions. It IS quite a lightweight structure, as rightly observed, so I’ll beware of anything too heavy growing up it. We actually took one length of metal struts out of it (it’s sectional) so it’s approx 6 feet tall. I do like the idea of something with year round interest (if possible) and preferably with fragrance, but that’s not essential.

Hydrangea Petiolaris ,Clematis Montana ,Wisteria and Passion flower are all very pretty on an arch .
You do need to think about pruning in case they become too heavy .
I love an arch in a garden-it's like a door into another world .

Just a word of warning - honeysuckle does grow fast and is lovely, but the arch you have bought is, I suspect, quite lightweight. I made the mistake of growing a honeysuckle over one of those (I got mine online) and the eventual weight of it buckled the arch after a few years. Passion Flower likewise is a pretty heavy plant once it gets going.

I'd try Spanish Flag (Mina Lobata) as Gin has suggested - although it does have a bit of yellow in it. Or a pink version of Black Eyed Susan.

I have three arches and grow a variety of plants to climb over them. I have quite a few clematis, one a very small cream flower that flowers prolifically but only once. My jasmine has gone bananas this year, itv smells delightful but is swamping everything else. I do have roses. and every year I grow from seed Spanish Flag and this gived a really vibrant splash of colour in late summer. This year I have planted a Mexican Trunpet Flower which is climbing vigorously, I cannot wait for it to bloom, it is up to five feet so far this year.

Agree, honeysuckle or jasmine for the perfume. Honeysuckle grows very quickly. For a real splash of colour with one of those, if you have sunshine, is Morning Glory - Ipomoea learii - choose a violet one with a shocking pink/orange centre. Lots of regular watering and they're not fussy!

Oh I crossed over with yours LauraN. Great minds!

Sorry it didn’t register that you don’t want roses.

Honeysuckle...jasmine....? We have both and they grow quickly and are fragrant. Also passion...I love the flowers.

How about honeysuckle, there’s a nice pinky white one or jasmine with its lovely perfume and tiny white flowers. You can grow climbing roses through the middle of either.