Name: The Plant Company
Address: 284 Meeanee Road, Meeanee, Napier, 4112, New Zealand
Telephone: 0800 843 752
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hardy climbing plants

If you’re looking to add height, versatility, and year-round interest to your garden, hardy climbing plants are an excellent choice. These resilient climbers thrive in New Zealand’s varied climates, making them ideal for covering fences, trellises, pergolas, and unsightly walls. Whether your outdoor space needs a splash of colour, lush foliage, or fragrant blooms, there are hardy climbing plants suitable for every spot—from sunny patios to shaded corners. With the right plants, you can create living screens, transform bare structures, and enjoy vibrant gardens that flourish season after season.

Ficus pumila (Creeping Fig)

Ficus pumila, commonly known as Creeping Fig or Climbing Ficus, is a vigorous, evergreen climber popular in New Zealand for covering walls, fences, and trellises. It features small, heart-shaped juvenile leaves that mature into larger, leathery foliage. Fast-growing and self-clinging, it can create dense, green coverage in sun or partial shade. Preferring well-drained soil and regular moisture, it thrives in sheltered sites and requires pruning to manage growth. Ideal for decorative and functional vertical greening.

Buy Ficus pumila (Creeping Fig)

From $18.23

Suited to regions: All regions

Plant type: Climbers

Height: 4.00 m

Spread: 4.00 m

Tolerances: Coastal, Extended dry periods, Hardy, Wind

Garden uses: Arches, Living areas, Screening, Walls

Garden styles: Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Frontyard, Japanese, Modern

Pimelea mimosa

Pimelea mimosa is a mat forming, NZ native, ground covering plant. It has soft, blue-grey leaves which are held on stems that tend to climb over objects. The plant becomes adorned with tiny, white flowers during summer. This evergreen typically grows to 30 cm tall and 80 cm wide, and performs best when grown in full sun on a well-drained soil. Pimelea mimosa is commonly used as a groundcover, added to coastal plantings, included in cottage gardens, planted around outdoor living areas, or mass planted on a bank.

Buy Pimelea mimosa

From $23.63

Suited to regions: Subtropical, Temperate

Plant type: Groundcover Plants

Height: 30 cm

Spread: 80 cm

Flowering time: Summer

Tolerances: Coastal, Hardy, Wind

Garden uses: Banks, Borders, Ground covering, Living areas, Paths & Steps, Pool areas

Garden styles: Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Cottage, Frontyard, Japanese, Mediterranean, Modern, Native

Why Choose Hardy Climbing Plants?

Hardy climbing plants are prized for their ability to withstand tough conditions, from chilly winds to seasonal temperature changes. These robust specimens can survive frosts and handle periods of drought, making them easier to maintain year-round. You’ll find climbers that are evergreen, semi-evergreen, or deciduous, each offering unique benefits. As well as beautifying your garden, many provide wildlife habitats, shade, privacy, and even edible fruits.

Top Hardy Climbing Plants for New Zealand Gardens

Ficus pumila (Creeping Fig)

A favourite for its lush, evergreen foliage and strong climbing ability, Ficus pumila (Creeping Fig) quickly cloaks walls and fences with a dense cover. This hardy climbing plant tolerates a range of conditions, including shade and dry spells, while adding year-round greenery to urban or rural gardens. It's also suitable indoors for a stylish, living wall look.

Hydrangea petiolaris

If you need a climber for a shady wall or a woodland garden, Hydrangea petiolaris stands out. This hardy climbing plant features large, lacy white flower clusters in late spring to early summer and attractive heart-shaped leaves. It’s tolerant of cold and shade, and its self-clinging habit makes it easy to train up brickwork, tree trunks, or pillars.

Rosa 'Iceberg' Climbing

For a classic touch and long-lasting blooms, Rosa 'Iceberg' Climbing is a must-have hardy climbing plant. It produces sprays of white flowers from spring right through autumn, thriving in both exposed and sheltered gardens. Perfect for archways or trellises, its disease resistance and repeat-flowering nature make it a reliable choice for New Zealand gardeners.

Rhaphidophora decursiva

If you're searching for a dramatic foliage plant that will also climb, Rhaphidophora decursiva is an exciting option. Its glossy, deeply-lobed leaves add tropical flair and it adapts well outdoors in frost-free areas, or indoors as an attractive climber.

Planting and Care Tips

To get the best performance from your hardy climbing plants, prepare the soil well and place them with support—such as trellises or wires—where they have room to spread. Prune as needed to train and shape, and mulch roots to protect them from extreme temperatures. Water established plants thoroughly during dry spells, and feed annually for robust growth.

Other Groundcover Options

While hardy climbing plants provide vertical impact, groundcovers also play a vital role in garden design. Consider pairing your climbers with Pimelea mimosa for a low-growing, hardy companion that offers foliage and flowers at ground level.

Hardy climbing plants are the backbone of many New Zealand gardens—explore these robust choices to build a garden that’s beautiful, functional, and easy to care for, whatever the weather.

Contact us

Whether you need assistance finding the plant you’re looking for or you simply want to know more about who we are and what we do, we invite you to get in touch with us today. A member of The Plant Company team will get back in touch as soon as possible.