10 Fast Growing Vines to Plant

If you have a fence or vertical area you want covered quickly one of the easiest ways to add privacy is to choose fast growing vines to plant. They’ll crawl up and fill in spaces, plus add a great aesthetic to your yard or patio.

Personally, I love vines. They’re not for everyone, of course, but I feel like they have a kind of English countryside vibe. There’s nothing more serene than feeling like you’ve completely escaped civilization (even if you haven’t). 

Not only are vines perfect for adding privacy to fencing or other areas with gaps, they also block out eyesores. On the ground, creeping vines can be used in place of grass which is great for shaded areas, low maintenance solutions, and biodiversity.

How to Choose Fast Growing Vines

The type you pick will depend on what your goals are. Here’s a list of helpful questions to ask yourself before you make a decision:

• Are you looking for vines that climb and cover up horizontal structures or ones that creep on the ground?
• What kind of coverage do you need?
• What climate or growing zone do you live in? 
• Are you looking for flowering vines or a certain colour?
• Is the vine you want safe for everyone who frequents your yard like kids and pets?

Another thing to keep in mind is that fast growing vines don’t just stop growing when they’ve covered the area you planted them for. It’s easy for vines to get out of control and take over the yard, so be prepared to do some regular pruning if you want your vines contained.

What Vines Can I Plant That will Grow Fast?

Some vines grow faster than others, though. Here’s some of my favourites that won’t waste any time creeping around your yard this summer.

English Ivy / Common Ivy

English Ivy is a hardy evergreen perennial ivy that’s excellent if you want a lot of coverage. This is pretty much the easiest to care for and most versatile choice when it comes to fast growing vines that you can plant. 

Not only does English Ivy make an excellent ground cover, it also climbs exceptionally well and when supported can reach up to 80 feet high (seriously!). Not only that, it’s partial to shady areas which makes it great for sides of your home or corners of the yard that don’t see a lot of sun.

Of course, the biggest downside is this stuff spreads like crazy. Left alone, you’ll have ivy up your trees, on the house, and generally everywhere in the yard.

Note: English ivy is considered an invasive species in some areas, so check with your local conservation office before planting.

Boston Ivy

If you want the coverage, easy care, and climbing ability of Ivy but are looking for a bit more colour, Boston ivy might be a better choice. Ivy is a bit of a misnomer here, though; Boston ivy is actually a type of grape vine.

This is the type of ivy most commonly found creeping up old stone buildings. In fact, Ivy League universities get their nickname because of this ivy growing on the sides of these historic schools! 

One thing that makes Boston ivy stand out is that it’s not an evergreen and turns into brilliant reds and oranges in the fall. It’s not as fast growing as common ivy, but that might be a blessing if you want something that’s easier to contain. 

Sweet Pea

I always feel like Sweet peas live up to their name. Not only are they really pretty, they also smell lovely and are a great addition to your garden. While they’re not big growers like other vines, they can get pretty tall especially when supported with a trellis. They can get as tall as 2 metres.

This flowering vine likes full or partial sun, which makes them a great choice to plant along the sunny side of a fence or house. They don’t like extreme heat or frost, but survive well in cooler climates during the summer. 

Since most Sweet Peas are annuals they’re easy to contain with minimal risk of taking over in an undesirable way. 

Virginia Creeper

Virginia creepers are another fast growing vine variety that doesn’t flower, but creates stunning colour displays when the leaves change during the fall. Extremely hardy, they grow in everything from full sun to shade Perfect if you need versatility!

A few things to keep in mind before you plant Virginia creeper, though:

First of all, it’s notoriously difficult to remove due to its sticky appendages that “grab” onto surfaces like walls. If you don’t want it somewhere permanently, consider using a trellis as a barrier. 

Second, it doesn’t sprawl very well so you should plant a few vines to cover an area.

Finally, while it normally is a climbing vine, it will sprawl out on the ground if it doesn’t have anywhere to go. It can be used for ground coverage but left unchecked may climb trees and block their sunlight.

Trumpet Creeper

Assuming you don’t consider this vine an invasive species, Trumpet creeper is a great choice if you want something hardy that will survive the winter. Once established, containment is going to be your biggest concern since this plant can really take off and overwhelm other plants in the area.

Take care when planting near buildings as the root system can damage your home’s foundation. Trumpet creepers can also get under shingles and strangle trees, so giving them a trellis to climb is a good idea.

Flowers will bloom better in sunny spots than in the shade, and the Trumpet creeper blooms during the summer and fall without any special maintenance. 

Rambler Roses

I can’t resist roses in the garden, but your typical rose bush takes a long time to grow. But if you want roses and fast growing vines to plant, Rambler roses are an awesome pick for your backyard.

What I love about the Rambler roses (vs climbing roses) is that they’re extremely pliable. You can get them to weave around a trellis, between fence boards, and around almost any structure you plant them near. The result is beautiful blooms woven between your garden’s structures.

Ramblers only bloom once per season, but add nice foliage year-round. Deadheading the blooms will help them grow faster and fuller. 

Euonymus Fortunei / Fortune’s Spindle / Wintercreeper / Emerald Gaiety

This pretty evergreen is very hardy in shaded, low moisture environments. Personally, I have some growing in place of grass in an area of my yard that is dried out from trees sucking the moisture, and thanks to its creeping nature it makes a great ground cover.

Perfect for cooler areas, Wintercreeper is a great way to add some colour to your yard or garden. While it’s technically a shrub, this vine will climb with the right support and has been known to destroy surrounding trees if left unchecked. 

Something that’s really cool about this plant, though, is that it looks like a plant that would die off, but it’s actually an evergreen and visible in the winter. 

Clematis (Buttercup)

While not as easy to care for as the other fast growing vines on this list, Clematis is still a great plant option for your garden. The biggest things to remember are that it needs a good five hours of sunlight and the dirt should be kept cool.

Since Clematis takes several years to establish it’s strongly recommended that you purchase a mature plant from a nursery. That way you won’t be waiting for coverage or flowers. 

Unlike other vines that stick or cover, Clematis uses its leaves to wrap around small objects that are less than ½” in diameter. Fishing line, small branches, a thin trellis, and even chain link fences are all great options for this climbing vine.

That also means that they’re less likely to get out of hand than other more hardy vines. Also unlike other more hardy creepers and vines, Clematis will need watering and pruning to help it grow.

Morning Glory

If you want that pretty old-fashioned look, Morning Glory is a great climbing vine that blooms from early summer all the way through fall. The flowers only open for a few hours in the morning, hence this vine’s namesake.

Morning glory flowers, which are coloured in white, pink, purple, blue, and magenta, look beautiful, smell lovely, and are attractive to butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees.

Unfortunately, Morning glories are not perennials and will need to be replanted every year. There are some related weed-species that do come up, but these aren’t recommended since they’re so invasive.

Of course, if containment is a concern then the fact that Morning glories die every fall is actually a perk since you’ll have a lot more control over their spread.

Climbing Hydrangea

Climbing hydrangea is another tolerant and easy to grow flowering vine. What’s nice is that they don’t need full sun to bloom, making it a beautiful choice for shady areas you want covered. This is also a vine that will easily climb without a trellis, including your home’s exterior.

The reason I have this vine listed last is because of the way it grows. Climbing hydrangeas are slow to establish, so if you’re looking for fast growing vines that will cover now they’re not a great choice. 

But once established, Climbing hydrangea plants grow quickly and require little to no maintenance. If you have the time and patience, they’re absolutely worth it.

Other Tips for These 10 Fast Growing Vines to Plant

All fast growing vines to plant have a unique set of conditions for them to grow. Most need a bit of time to establish themselves, but once established all these vines grow quickly during the summer months .If you need quick coverage, consider purchasing a mature plant from a greenhouse. 

Sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish between a welcomed plant and a weed, and many fast-growing vines have become invasive species because they often grow too quickly to keep up with.

A lot of the vines on this list are also toxic to humans and pets, so be aware of your environment when making a choice. Even if it’s not a concern for you, be aware that vines can easily invade nearby yards and pose a hazard for your neighbours.

This list isn’t exhaustive, and most creeping or climbing vines grow quickly once mature. I also excluded a few great options, like Black-eyed susans, Star jasmine, and Bougainvillea from the warmer zones. If you have the patience, Wisteria is also pretty, but takes several years to get going and unfortunately grows unmanageably fast once established. 

While it can be a bit of work to maintain fast growing vines, the end results are worth it. Especially when it comes to covering up unsightly areas of your yard.