Last week’s challenge for Wildflower Hour on social media was to find climbing plants that were in bloom, and there were lots of wonderful examples of flora with a penchant for climbing. These are some I’ve found locally that are still in flower …

The bindweeds – these are Hedge bindweed (top) and Field bindweed (below).

Ivy (it’s only just coming into flower in my area so this was difficult to find) and Bramble (most plants are now covered in delicious berries but I found a couple in bloom).

Old man’s beard (also known as Traveller’s joy) and Honeysuckle.

The vetches: Tufted vetch and Meadow vetchling (most of the vetches have now finished flowering).

How plants climb:
The twisters: plants like Old man’s beard and Honeysuckle, and the various species of vetch, all twist themselves around other plants to gain support and climb upwards.
The grappler: think of those thorns on Bramble and the many rose species, used like grappling hooks to grab on to anything that will support them.
The clinger: Ivy is a good example of this, producing roots along its stem that help it cling to other plants, as well as to wooden posts, and brick and stone buildings.