Doors of PERCEPTION

Dress up your front door with a showstopping climber to create a magnificent entrance

- KATY HOLLAND

Well-chosen climbing plants bring colour, structure and impact to a doorway, especially if you opt for a scented variety: nothing beats arriving home to a fragrant fanfare. Whether you hanker after rambling roses, cascades of clematis, pillowy wisteria blooms or veils of glistening leaves, there's a vast array of climbers to choose from, so let your imagination run wild.

WISTFUL THINKING

Paint a heavenly picture with heady wisteria, perfect for a south-facing or west-facing wall or entrance. Wisteria sinensis tends to produce shorter racemes than other varieties, making it ideal for growing around a restricted area, such as a doorway. Wisteria frutescens subsp. macrostachya 'Blue Moon' is also a good bet, and can be grown in a large container if kept well fed and watered. All wisterias demand lots of sun and strong support for their heavy trunks - ideally, train them as espaliers. Prune rigorously, according to their variety, in order to keep them blooming and to maintain their frame.

Blooming marvels