Climbing Hydrangea 'Silver Lining'

'Silver Lining' is a relatively new and highly decorative cultivar of the traditional climbing hydrangea. It is particularly valued for its stunning variegated foliage, which features heart-shaped green leaves with irregular, silvery-white margins. This variegation is stable and adds a bright, luminous quality to darker corners of the garden even when the plant is not in flower. Like the species, it is a self-clinging climber using aerial roots, making it perfect for north-facing walls where few other plants thrive. In early summer, it produces flattened lacecap clusters of white flowers. It is slow to establish initially but eventually becomes a vigorous and substantial plant. In the UK, it is fully hardy (H5) and deciduous, with the leaves turning yellow in autumn and the peeling cinnamon-coloured bark providing winter interest. It is an excellent choice for adding texture and light to a shaded brick wall or a large tree trunk. It requires minimal pruning once established.

Sun: Partial shade to full shade.

Soil: Moist, well-drained, fertile soil.

Hardiness: H5 — down to −15°C.

Flowering: Jun, Jul.