Strategies for Nurturing Maturing Plants: Special Advice for Blooming Climbers, Vining Vegetables, Oversized Perennials, and More
In the thriving world of horticulture, plant supports have become an essential element in garden design, playing a crucial role in both optimal plant growth and aesthetic appeal. With an increasing focus on structured and naturalistic designs, the use of plant supports has grown in popularity, as highlighted by several garden enthusiasts and experts.
Vicky Standing, a member of the Agriframes expert team, emphasises the importance of installing plant supports early in the growing season to guide the plants' natural growth and prevent potential damage to roots. For instance, plant supports can prevent plants from flopping over or suffering breakage due to harsh weather conditions, ensuring healthier growth and better airflow.
One of the most common uses of plant supports is for climbing plants, tall perennials, and layered shrubs. These structures encourage vertical growth, maintain garden structure, and contribute to the aesthetics favoured in current garden trends. According to Vicky, discreet link stakes and grow-through grids are suitable for herbaceous borders, keeping plants upright without stealing the show.
For vegetable patches, Vicky suggests using arches and decorative frames to support crops like squashes or beans, while adding structure and visual interest. Similarly, Chris Bonnett, the founder of online garden centre GardeningExpress, advocates for supporting vegetables such as beans, peas, and tomatoes with stylish frames to promote healthier growth. Tomatoes, in particular, can be grown in cages, allowing for easy pruning and harvesting.
A simple, budget-friendly solution for plant support is a sturdy stick or bamboo cane, which can be tied to plants. Chris also recommends bamboo as a simple, classic, and inexpensive way to support plants, and it can be easily purchased from Amazon. Soft ties, twine, or specialist plant clips should be used to gently secure stems to their supports.
Harriet Worsley, a garden designer who set up Worsley Design & Consultancy after studying Garden Design and Planting Design and studying for her RHS Certificate of Horticulture, has noticed the growing trend of using plant supports in gardens. Climbing roses, sweet peas, clematis, honeysuckle, delphiniums, peonies, dahlias, and Hydrangea arborescens "Annabelle" often need supports to reach their full height and flourish. Rambling roses, which don't naturally cling, need to be tied onto a robust frame like an arch or pergola.
Horizontal wires on vine eyes on walls and fences, and twist wire are used to tie in climbers. Barrel strainers are used on the horizontal wires to easily tighten them. Trellis panels along walls and fences are suitable for flowering vines or espaliered fruit.
Common garden trends in 2025 that require plant supports focus on enhancing both optimal plant growth and aesthetic appeal through structured and naturalistic designs. These trends include Lived-in Gardens, Living Fences, Pollinator-Friendly and Re-Wilding Gardens, and the use of Drought-Resistant Perennials and Mediterranean Herbs.
In Lived-in Gardens, roses and vines are encouraged to climb and extend into unexpected areas, which inherently requires supports such as trellises, arbors, or staking to maintain shape and health while creating a harmonious, textured landscape. Living Fences utilise shrubs and tall annuals planted densely to create privacy and ecological benefits without traditional fences. Supports help maintain structure and contribute to the aesthetic appeal of a natural, layered hedge or privacy screen.
Pollinator-Friendly and Re-Wilding Gardens focus on planting native wildflowers and nectar-rich blooms for attracting bees, butterflies, and birds. Many of these plants, such as tall wildflowers or climbers, benefit from staking or supports to withstand wind and prevent lodging, thereby ensuring they thrive and visually contribute to the garden environment.
The use of Drought-Resistant Perennials and Mediterranean Herbs, popular for their water efficiency, often grow upright but may require occasional support to prevent sprawling or breakage, especially in exposed areas. Such supports help maintain a clean, stylish look consistent with minimalist or structured garden trends.
In summary, plant supports in 2025 gardens are commonly used for climbing plants, tall perennials, and layered shrubs to encourage vertical growth, maintain garden structure, and achieve the naturalistic yet curated aesthetics favoured in current garden trends. Supports range from trellises and stakes to living fences and container aids, all promoting healthier plant growth and enhancing the garden’s overall visual appeal.
- Vicky Standing, a member of the Agriframes expert team, suggests installing plant supports early in the growing season to guide the plants' natural growth and prevent potential damage to roots.
- For vegetable patches, Vicky suggests using arches and decorative frames to support crops like squashes or beans, while Chris Bonnett, the founder of GardeningExpress, advocates for supporting vegetables such as beans, peas, and tomatoes with stylish frames to promote healthier growth.
- Harriet Worsley, a garden designer, has noticed the growing trend of using plant supports in gardens to help climbing roses, sweet peas, clematis, honeysuckle, delphiniums, peonies, dahlias, and Hydrangea arborescens "Annabelle" reach their full height and flourish.
- In Lived-in Gardens, roses and vines are encouraged to climb and extend into unexpected areas, requiring supports such as trellises, arbors, or staking to maintain shape and health while creating a harmonious, textured landscape.
