Gardening Ideas You've Got Mail! The Best Climbing Plants for Mailboxes By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on September 23, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Steve Bender Let's add a little pizzazz to the mail route with a few of our favorite climbing plants for your mailbox. These mailbox flowers are more than just plants to go around your mailbox, they'll add charm, interest, and might even make your end-of-day mail check just a little more whimsical. Whatever climbing plants you choose for your mailbox, you'll want to ensure they're kept tidy, manicured, and away from the mailbox door and flag—your mail carrier will thank you. 01 of 10 Mandevilla Photo: Ralph Lee Anderson Let Mandevilla get its footing in the spring and then watch this climber erupt in blooms until frost. They thrive in the warm and humid Coastal and Tropical South, but they can be brought inside during the winter months or given an annual role elsewhere. They should avoid peak afternoon sun but otherwise can hang in full or partial sun. They also make an excellent cover for trellises and fences. 02 of 10 Trumpet Honeysuckle Matt Lavin Also known as coral honeysuckle, these fluted blooms draw hummingbirds. Pretty red berries give the plant even more eye appeal. 03 of 10 Climbing Rose Ralph Anderson It doesn't matter what your architecture style is, every house can use a little cottage charm—and a climbing rose trailing around your mailbox is a surefire way to get it. If you want lots of flowers, choose either a 'New Dawn,' 'Cecile Brunner,' or 'Climbing Old Blush' variety. They'll bloom from spring through fall. If your mailbox receives sun all day long, a climbing rose will be relatively easy to grow and reward you with plenty of pretty blooms. 04 of 10 Purple Passionflower pjhpix/Getty Images Purple passionflower is a favorite of butterflies and other pollinators. The exotic blooms smell great and will make getting the mail a treat. 05 of 10 Carolina Jessamine Campwillowlake/Getty Images Let's just get this out of the way: It's Carolina jessamine, not Carolina jasmine. Jessamine is characterized by golden bell-shaped flowers that make their appearance toward the end of winter. It's a delicate vine, meaning it won't take out your mailbox as it grows and matures. They'll take sun or a bit of light shade. 06 of 10 Clematis Rosemary Calvert/Getty You'll recognize the petite white flowers of clematis as soon as you see them. Paired with dark green leaves, the clustered flowers make quite the show. They prefer full sun and regular watering and can be grown in USDA zones 6-9. 07 of 10 Crossvine Photo: Ralph Lee Anderson This Southern naive is a prolific climber and flowerer, and its fiery orange-yellow blooms start their show in mid-spring and continue to rebloom. 08 of 10 Morning Glory nipastock/Getty Images This beauty needs something to climb up at first, but once it gets going you'll be rewarded with loads of its signature sky-blue blooms. Bonus—morning glory is a lightweight vine is easy to deal with. 09 of 10 Climbing Hydrangea Getty/bkkm We know, it sounds too good to be true. We're happy to confirm there is such a thing as climbing hydrangea—and they're just as beautiful as you're imagining. It's a good choice for extremely sturdy and substantial mailboxes. It is extremely unwise to try and grow one around your post mailbox unless you're looking for a way to take it down. It can tolerate shade better than most flowering vines. 10 of 10 Bougainvillea Getty/Christelle Vaillant / EyeEm This tropical vine will be consumed with tiny blooms surrounded by brightly colored tissue-paper-esque bracts during the fall and cooler spring months. If you're looking for a summertime stunner, bougainvillea isn't your girl. They're another variety that is best for sturdy boxes such as brick or stucco versions. Place a trellis on either side of the mailbox, tie them to the structure as they grow, and prune back when needed (ideally after blooming in late winter or early spring). Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit