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The climbing hydrangea (H. anomala subsp. petiolaris, Zones 4-9) is a fabulous choice where you want to cover a large tree trunk or decorate a wall. The vine, left unpruned, can reach up to 50 feet or more. Its aerial roots cling to craggy surfaces such as the furrows in the bark of a tree. Grown freestanding, it becomes a hulking, shrublike form. White lacecap blooms garnish the plant in summer.
The climbing hydrangea also works well trained against a wall; or, to make the background surface easier to repaint, you can provide the plant with a sturdy trellis. As an espalier (see "Espalier,"), the climbing hydrangea adds a formal dimension to your garden, and the structure of its winter branches—in addition to its exfoliating bark—offers as much ornament out of flower as in. I've seen a climbing hydrangea growing happily in the Pacific Northwest on a wall 8 feet long and 6 feet high for more than 10 years. The climbing hydrangea also fares well in Maine, especially along the coast, reports the University of Maine's Lois Berg Stack.
