Dry Shade Climbers

Climbers like to get their feet down into the water table as once they are maturing they need a steady water supply to help them sustain new growth and to flower. It is a long way for the energy of a climber to travel from the root source to the tips of the plant which can be a hundred feet away or more.

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Some of the most dry shade tolerant climbers such Ivy or Hedera is so successful because it has been given  the ability to produce mini root systems along its stems so that it can pick up any available moisture that is there.  The leaves are also quite leathery and therefore able to store what little moisture it does get, depending on where it is growing.

Celastrus orbiculatus is a very tolerant climber for dry shade but this one develops a very deep root system over time and therefore it is advantageous for you to prepare the planting hole as deeply as possible to make it as easy as possible to establish.  Celastrus is related to Euonymus and can thrive in the most inhospitable of situations.  It twines vigourously and has the most fantastic yellow autumn colour and drips in red berries at the same time.

Euonymus fortunei  Silver Queen is a striking evergreen that will thrive in a dry shade situation  as all fortunei  types of Euonymus. This one enjoys being positioned at the bottom of a fence or wall and it will bush at the base to begin with and then the back of the plant will start to rise up the support it is given.

Xfatshedera lizei is a super cross between an Ivy and a Castor Oil plant, or a Hedera and a Fatsia.  The leaves are bigger than most ivy leaves.  The plant is slow at first but starts to speed up once established.  There are also variegated varieties to consider.  It is definitely best to position this wonderful plant in a sheltered situation from winPileostegia viburnoides is a slow to establish evergreen with a showy white flower display in July and large leathery green leaves. Do not expect this one to be focal for quite a few years, but plant it and let it quietly do its thing and then it will suddenly start to come into its own and it really is a masterpiece.                                                                                                                                                            

I hope that this gives you an insight to the wonderful opportunities we are given even for enhancing a dry shaded area of the garden.  You just need to water an introduction, such as these regularly to help them  thrive for the long term. Good Luck.