Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris

Climbing hydrangea, Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris, is a useful low-maintenance climbing shrub, perfect for a shady or north-facing wall. It's slow to get going, often making little new growth in the first few years. However, it's well worth the wait. In midsummer it bears huge, white lacecap-style hydrangea flowers, which can almost completely cover the stems. The craggy stems cling to the walls by adventitious roots. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM).

Grow Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris in moist but well-drained soil in shade or partial shade. Plants grow well in sunnier locations but the flowers don't last as well as in shadier sites.