Gardening Plants & Flowers Groundcovers & Vines

4 Herbs That Can Grow as Climbing Vines

By
Amy Jeanroy
Amy Jeanroy

Amy Jeanroy is a master gardener and farm homesteader who has operated a greenhouse business since 1999. She served as the herbal gardening expert for The Spruce for eight years. Using her expertise in herbalism, she makes and sells herbal soaps, tinctures, salves, teas, and recipes at farmers' markets in Maine. She has also authored three books on canning and fermenting foods.

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Updated on 09/12/22
Reviewed by
Debra LaGattuta
Debra LaGattuta
Reviewed by Debra LaGattuta

Debra LaGattuta is a Master Gardener with 30+ years of experience in perennial and flowering plants, container gardening, and raised bed vegetable gardening. She is a lead gardener in a Plant-A-Row, which is a program that offers thousands of pounds of organically-grown vegetables to local food banks. Debra is a member of The Spruce Garden Review Board.

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jasmine

​The Spruce / K. Dave 

When designing your herb gardens, don't forget to include a vertical element as well. Some herbs grow on vines, making romantic backdrops for privacy or stunning focal points in the garden. The vining plants described here might surprise you because they are not commonly thought of as being herbs, although they are.

A well-established herbal vine can produce a nearly impassable wall of color and fragrance. Vines also give a lush appearance to an area that might not be fully planted and filled with other herbs. Any way you look at it, herbal vines should be considered as an element in your garden landscape.

  • 01 of 04

    Jasmine

    jasmine

    The Spruce / K. Dave

    The lovely jasmine plant has a scented bloom that will make you fall in love every time you smell it. The scent alone is enough reason to plant this climbing vine, but jasmine also has the wonderful ability to scent any tea mix you put together. This is how it works:

    Jasmine tea is an herbal tea typically blended with green or white tea, which is then dried and stored until the jasmine leaves are ready.

    Once the jasmine blooms start opening, the dried tea is spread out and the fresh jasmine blooms are laid on top. They are replaced as they wilt, while their heady fragrance permeates the tea leaves beneath.

    Why not do the same thing with some of your dried herbs? You could also leave the jasmine blooms right in the herb mixture, although they are not as pretty as other herb blooms are.

    Jasmine scented tea is very soothing and relaxing. It makes a great cup of tea after a stressful day.

  • 02 of 04

    Roses

    climbing roses

    ​The Spruce / K. Dave

    Roses are a fabulous way to create a wall of color and fragrance. They are useful for herbal healing, for color, and privacy. Remember that growing vining roses will require a bit more tending, so ask for local/hardy varieties at your garden center.

    If you are looking for a highly fragranced hedge, wild roses can't ​be beat. They are not the stunning beauty of a cultivated rose, but they make up for it in prolific, heady blooms.

  • 03 of 04

    Raspberry

    raspberries

    ​The Spruce / K. Dave 

    Raspberry is another must-have vine for the herb garden. It grows thick and quite fast in a single season, and if you are looking for a natural fence, raspberry canes are the quick answer.

    There are thornless varieties for those who don't want to fight with the thorns, and the leaves are just as tasty. Raspberry plants can be prolific producers of fruit. So, it makes frugal sense to consider growing raspberries both for it's delicious fruit and as a privacy screen.

    Raspberry leaves can be dried to make a wonderful tea. In fact, the natural tannin makes this a good choice to use as a base in all your herb tea recipes. You can harvest raspberry leaves all season, with no effect on the berry yield.

  • 04 of 04

    Hops

    hops

    ​The Spruce / K. Dave 

    Hops are known for their relaxing effect as well as their importance in beer brewing. Now, consider how lovely the hops vine is and consider growing one of these beautiful climbing herbal vines.

    Harvesting is easy; merely cut down the female hops plant to the roots in the fall. The hops that hang from the vines are what makes for a relaxing brew.

    Because the hops vine dies back every fall, cleanup is a breeze, and you can start fresh the next spring.