Most conservatories have plenty of space on the glass sides and adjoining walls that are ideal for climbing plants
Clothing the sides with flowers and foliage beautifies the interior of a conservatory, and climbing plants also help regulate humidity and provide shade.
Choosing
Which ones to choose for your conservatory depends primarily on how warm it is in winter.
A frost-free conservatory can house near-hardy plants such as Lapageria and Passiflora (passionflower), including P. ‘Amethyst’ and P. caerulea ‘Constance Elliott’.
A minimum of 7ºC (45ºF) allows a wider selection to be grown such as Bougainvillea, Lophospermum and Mandevilla.
As well as temperature, be guided by how much space you can give each plant - Bougainvillea, for example, can grow 3m (10ft) in a season. In smaller conservatories, try jasmine, Trachelospermum, plumbago and Rhodochiton, all of which can be kept under control with a little trimming.
Add annual colour
If you only want to shade the conservatory in summer, try annual climbers such as some morning glories, Ipomoea lobata or Thunbergia (black-eyed Susan). These grow as prolifically inside as in outdoor displays.
Supporting plants
Fix trellis or a series of horizontal wires to walls to give climbers support. On glass sides, screw hooks into wooden structures and stretch wires between them. Alternatively, push long canes into the plant’s pot or wedge trellis panels inside the container. Tie plants with twining stems or tendrils loosely to supports. Non-clinging plants will need to be tied in regularly.
Leigh Hunt