Having a pergola in your yard should be a lot of fun. Many people gravitate toward them because they look really nice.
They can give you a fun little seating area in the yard where you can enjoy a bit of shade. It’s also common for people to place them right in the middle of garden areas.
This will allow you to admire your plants that much more often. Some people even choose to have plants grow on their pergolas so they will provide shade.
What are the best plants to grow on a pergola? Continue reading to learn about some of the most popular options.
What Plants Are Good for a Pergola?
There are many different plants that are perfect for pergolas. Typically, people will go with climbing plants.
Below, you’ll learn about some of the most popular climbing plants that people put on pergolas. You should have an easy time finding a plant that will appeal to you once you’ve looked at all of the amazing options.
1 – Trumpet Vines
Trumpet vines are great because they’re a type of flowering vine. The vines will have a simple time covering the pergola, and it’s going to make things look nicer as well.
You’ll love that these vines come in many different colors. You can pick from red, yellow, and orange.
As an added bonus, these flowers are known to attract bees and hummingbirds to your yard. That might not be a good thing if you’re allergic to bees or if you’re scared of them, but it’s very good for your garden.
2 – Roses
Roses have long been considered to be classy options for pergolas. You want to specifically seek out climbing roses that will climb the pergola with ease.
The roses will provide you with a fair bit of shade. They’ll also look stunning once they’ve covered the top of the pergola properly.
It’s hard to deny the traditional beauty of roses. This might be the perfect option if you’re looking to make your pergola that much more presentable.
3 – Grape Vines
Grape vines can easily be considered to be among the best climbing vines. They’re perfect for pergolas and are an option you should consider when you want shade.
It’ll be easier to get the shade that you desire when you utilize these vines. They should look really nice once they cover the pergola, too.
Many will love the fact that they can harvest grapes from the vines. You might love being able to pick your own fresh grapes when the time is right.
4 – Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle is another option that you should be aware of. This is a good climbing plant that will provide the cover that you’re looking for on the pergola.
It’s also great that this plant smells lovely. You’ll love stepping out into the garden and smelling the pleasant scent of the honeysuckle plants.
These vines grow so fast that it won’t take long for the pergola to be covered. Just one honeysuckle plant will be enough to cover your pergola.
Even if the pergola is a bit on the large side, it should be easy enough for the honeysuckle plant to cover it. So you won’t need to spend a lot of money on plants.
5 – Jasmine
Jasmine will be a good choice for many pergola owners. This plant has a powerful scent that many people love.
If you live in a place that’s warm and humid, you can enjoy seeing these plants bloom all year. In cool areas, they can easily be grown as annuals.
Jasmine plants are an appealing choice that will make sense for many people. If you love the way that these plants smell, it’s easy to recommend this option.
6 – Passion Flower
Have you considered going with passion flowers? You’ll find that the passion flower is a great choice when looking for a plant to cover a pergola.
It works well when you live in a warm climate and can also be grown in moderate climates. It has a nice fragrance and the passion flowers are beautifully colored.
This is easily one of the prettiest options that you have when looking for plants to grow on your pergola. Some might prefer roses, but passion flowers can easily hold their own in a battle of beauty.
7 – Clematis
Clematis is a neat plant that many people use for pergolas. It’s also a popular climbing plant that people place on archways.
One of the best aspects of clematis plants is that it will grow so easily. This is a simple plant to handle that will grow fast under normal conditions.
It’s also nice that the plant blooms a lot and looks amazing when it does. The clematis plant will start blooming in the spring and you’ll be able to enjoy the lovely blooms for the entire season.
Many people choose to combine clematis plants with other options. So this plant can be paired with some of the other choices from this list.
8 – Wisteria
Wisteria plants have long been considered to be excellent pergola plants. These plants grow fast and they will completely take over a pergola if you allow them to.
If you want to keep things under control, you’ll need to keep trimming the wisteria. Regular pruning is a must when you want to keep things manageable, but it’s not that hard to handle once you get used to it.
This is a plant that will work out best if you have a large pergola. It’ll be perfect for covering large pergolas that are built using durable types of wood.
9 – Ivy
You likely expected that one of the most ubiquitous climbing plants would be here. Ivy plants are often used to cover pergolas because they grow so easily.
It might be one of the best choices when you’re looking for shade. Of course, ivy has the potential to be an invasive plant that will get out of control.
One of the best reasons to go with ivy plants is that they don’t require too much maintenance. They can tolerate many different weather conditions, and they’ll give your pergola area a nice touch of green.
10 – Begonias
Begonias deserved to be mentioned as good pergola plants, too. These plants climb very well and they produce amazing flowers.
You just might fall in love with the bell-shaped blooms of these plants. They’ll easily provide the pergola area with shade, and you’ll find them to be aesthetically pleasing, too.
It’s nice that begonias are hardy as well. They can even tolerate a bit of frost, but they might not survive if you live in an area with harsh winters.
11 – Morning Glory Vines
Morning glory vines are another vine option that you might find to be ideal. One reason to consider going with this vine is that it’s easy to grow.
This is a low-effort vine that won’t require a lot of work on your end. It’s great for covering up pergolas and giving you a bit of shade.
12 – Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas can be nice to utilize as well. There are climbing varieties of hydrangeas that will get the job done well.
These plants produce heart-shaped leaves and gorgeous white flowers. They also smell very nice.
The only downside is that this plant doesn’t grow that fast. So it’ll take some time for it to cover the pergola if you choose to go this route.
13 – Crimson Glory Vines
Crimson glory vines have the potential to work out nicely, too. These vines will work best on pergolas that get a lot of sunlight, though.
If your pergola is in a sunny spot, crimson glory vines will grow strong. They’ll look gorgeous and will be as colorful as possible when put in full sun.
It’s easy to see the appeal of these crimson red vines. They can be perfect additions to your pergola if you’re looking for something unique.
How Many Wisteria Plants Should You Plant for a Pergola?
Just one wisteria plant will eventually cover the entire pergola. So as long as you have one wisteria plant you’ll be all set.
However, many people choose to go with two plants to speed up the process. You could plant a wisteria plant on each side and it’ll make it cover the pergola faster.
Will Grass Grow Under a Pergola?
Yes, grass can grow under a pergola. There could be some issues with the grass under the pergola if it doesn’t get enough sunlight, though.
It’s also worth noting that placing a pergola on grass is a less popular option. Building a pergola on grass is a little tougher than building it on a concrete slab or another type of pergola placement.
So this might not be ideal. When placing a pergola on grass you typically have to use concrete tubes and place them in the ground so you can properly anchor the pergola.
While it’s possible for the grass to grow, you’ll need to take steps to water the grass and keep it as healthy as the rest of the lawn. Sometimes furniture and foot traffic can make the grass underneath the pergola not look as presentable as the rest of the lawn.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and over 10 years of experience working in IT. As a homeowner, I love working on projects around the house, and as a father, I love investigating various ways to keep my family safe (whether or not this involves tech). I’ve also played guitar for almost 20 years and love writing music, although it’s hard to find the time these days.