True climbing plants

Tendrils

These are species which develop all sorts of tendrils with which they can attach themselves to various things. Species with tendrils include Clematis, the passionflowers (Passiflora) and the grape.

You can find adhesive roots on ivy (Hedera), the trumpet creeper (Campsis) and the climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris), as well as Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus). These plants all need a surface to which they affix themselves and will spread across it.

Watch out with these climbers

On species such as ivy (Hedera) and Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus) it is important that they do not develop harmfully in places where you would rather not have them, such as on paintwork and in and under gutters. It is a myth that these plants destroy walls, but they can pull off parts of a rendered wall which are already loose, for example. So keep them in check and train them to places where you want to have them.