A bare fence can make even a well-planted garden feel unfinished. While some climbers take years to cover a wall or fence, others grow surprisingly quickly and can make a noticeable difference before the end of the summer.
Whether you’re looking to add colour, soften a boundary or improve privacy, these fast-growing climbers are among the best choices for UK gardens.
1. Sweet Peas (Lathyrus odoratus)
Annual sweet peas are incredibly quick to climb once they get going.
Regular watering, feeding and picking the flowers encourages them to keep producing fresh blooms right through the summer. Their colourful flowers and wonderful fragrance make them a favourite for fences, arches and obelisks.
If you buy young plants now, they’ll soon begin scrambling upwards.
2. Black-Eyed Susan Vine (Thunbergia alata)
Often grown as an annual in the UK, black-eyed Susan vine produces masses of cheerful orange, yellow or white flowers with distinctive dark centres.
Given warmth and regular watering, it quickly covers trellis panels and fences, adding colour well into autumn.
It’s particularly useful for bright, sheltered gardens.
3. Nasturtium
Trailing nasturtium varieties grow surprisingly fast from seed or young plants.
Their colourful flowers and rounded leaves quickly soften hard surfaces, and both the flowers and leaves are edible.
They’re also one of the easiest climbers for beginner gardeners.
4. Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea)
Morning glories are vigorous annual climbers that produce stunning trumpet-shaped flowers.
They prefer a warm, sunny position and can cover supports rapidly during the height of summer.
The flowers open in the morning before gradually closing later in the day, creating an ever-changing display.
5. Clematis ‘Polish Spirit’
If you’re looking for a perennial climber, ‘Polish Spirit’ is one of the fastest-growing clematis varieties.
It produces a profusion of rich purple flowers from midsummer into early autumn and quickly clothes fences and pergolas once established.
Give it sunshine on the stems and cooler conditions around the roots for the best performance.
6. Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle combines vigorous growth with beautifully scented flowers.
Many varieties flower throughout summer and are highly attractive to bees and other pollinators, while the dense growth helps soften fences surprisingly quickly.
Choose a strong support and tie in new shoots as they grow.
7. Annual Climbing Beans
Runner beans aren’t just productive—they’re ornamental too.
Their lush foliage, bright flowers and rapid growth can quickly disguise an unattractive fence or screen while providing a generous harvest.
They’re ideal if you’d like a climber that’s both beautiful and practical.
8. Chocolate Vine (Akebia quinata)
Chocolate vine is a vigorous semi-evergreen climber with attractive divided leaves and unusual maroon flowers in spring.
Although the flowers appear earlier in the year, the lush foliage continues growing strongly through summer, making it excellent for quickly covering large areas.
Allow plenty of room, as mature plants can become substantial.
9. Virginia Creeper
If your priority is fast foliage rather than flowers, Virginia creeper is difficult to beat.
Its vigorous growth rapidly covers fences, walls and trellises, while the leaves turn brilliant shades of crimson and scarlet in autumn.
Bear in mind that it can become very vigorous, so occasional pruning is usually needed to keep it under control.
Tips for Faster Growth
To help climbers establish quickly:
- Plant into well-prepared soil with plenty of organic matter.
- Water regularly during dry spells.
- Feed flowering climbers with a suitable high-potash fertiliser during the growing season.
- Tie in new shoots before they become tangled.
- Provide sturdy supports from the start.
- Remove damaged or dead growth promptly.
Healthy, well-watered climbers can put on remarkable growth during the warmest weeks of summer.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to wait years for a bare fence to disappear. With the right choice of climber, you can add colour, texture and height surprisingly quickly, even if you’re planting in midsummer.
Whether you prefer fragrant honeysuckle, colourful sweet peas or the lush foliage of Virginia creeper, these fast-growing climbers can transform an ordinary fence into one of the most attractive features in your garden before the season is over.
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