I'm with you, Robin. I would like to plant Clematis in with my roses, but don't know where to begin.

There are continuous blooming Clematis, I fould that out.
here's a link to a nice Clematis Nursery

http://www.silverstarvinery.com/

From what I understand about montana, I would not put it anywhere near a rose plant. I think it needs its own sturdy large support. IIRC, it's pruning Group 1 (no prune) so once it's up, it's only going to get bigger. I think it will swamp anything other than a redwood tree. (More or less.)

My clematis montana is vigorous but not destructive. I have it paired with a New Dawn and together they are a big swirl of canes and vines. I do prune it back after blooming to try to control the chaos. The montana smells so good!

My clematis montana is blooming its head off atop a privacy fence taking up about 8' high and at least as wide. I have given it some space with roses planted about 4' away on each side (8' clearance). There is some intermingling but the clematis is finishing before the roses start and I can cut it back to keep it in bounds somewhat.

I grow lots of different kinds of clematis with roses on this fence(more than a dozen varieties of clematis; I've lost track). I have an 8' high x 12' wide section of fence covered with the Sweet Autumn clematis (paniculata) in fall, though I also have two roses and another clematis (jackmanii) planted to bloom at different times in this section. They all intermingle and I cut back only if something is getting suffocated.

OK, so I take it that I can plant HF Young at the base of a climbing rose and let it strut its stuff with impunity?

As for Montana - here's an older photo of a section or the fence line trellising (before the climbers started to climb). Would the Montana be too big and heavy to run along the top, do you think?
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My Montana Mayleen is the first bloom in March and lasts about 6 weeks. The fragrance is wonderful and it is very strong grower. In the same bed I have Darlow's Enigma, Westerland and three Austins (say 'Cram'). Although they say not to prune a Group 1, I do it all the time and it has not hurt this beauty at all.

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My favorte Clems are the Vitecellas. Easy to grow, no problems, big show. They grow among the roses, always seem to bloom as the rose blooms are fading.

Roses and Clematis are a marriage made in heaven and earth.

Carol

Carol I'm so jealous you can grow Mayleen.
Although I did keep a Florida Sieboldii alive this terrible winter so maybe I should give it a try...
: )

That's lovely! Mine is a rooted cutting off a friend's plant - she said it was Clematis Montana 'Odorata', but she's not really very good at remembering botanical names... :-)

Robin, I think I would plan a place for a Montana to get quite tall and wide.

Your HF Young can do its thing wherever. Just make sure you have something for it to cling to until it gets the idea about the roses. Maybe some bamboo poles or something, even plastic ones but make sure they are no bigger around than a pencil.