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Perennial vines will "come back" each season, making them good vines for pergolas. Once trained onto the structure, a perennial vine will then produce new leaves and blooms each season without you having to plant new vines. Some perennial vines are clematis, Virginia creeper, jasmine and honeysuckle.
Jasmine, clematis and honeysuckle are twining vines and require strong supports. Their flexible stems and branches wrap around the supports and crossbeams, creating a strong network of plant life. Be sure your pergola can support the weight of the vines when fully grown.
Virginia creeper, along with ivy plants such as Boston or English ivy, is a clinging vine. Clinging vines attach themselves to the pergola with sticky tendrils or sucker like disks. They grow dense foliage and may be difficult to remove. - Annual vines have one growing season and then die back. The advantage of annuals for your pergola is annuals tend to have brighter, more colorful flowers than perennials. You may also opt for annuals so you can have different types of vines each new season. Examples of good annual vines are nasturtiums, black-eyed Susan, cathedral bells, morning glory and hyacinth bean.
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A classic choice for pergolas, the grape vine not only provides shade but food as well. Unlike flowering vines, however, a grape vine requires two to three seasons to become established and produce enough greenery and vines to cover a pergola.
Grape vines grab onto the supports and crossbeams with tendrils. The tendrils aren't sticky as with clinging vines, so the vines are more easily removed. -
Though they may not have the same characteristics as other vines, roses can be grown over a pergola. Train roses to grow over your pergola by tying them to the support columns as they grow. Secure them to the crossbeams with ties, and the rose vines soon cover your pergola.
Wisteria is a lovely climbing vine for pergolas. This twining vine needs strong support though, as it is a dense vine; the growth is thick and heavy. The flowers hang down in large masses, making the wisteria a good vine for pergolas.
