OK, I finally lol decided that I am going with Ramblin' Red and John Cabot for my roses. Both should do well enough. John Cabot will be paired with Franziska Maria, and possibly the Rebecca Clem. Ramblin Red with Crystal Fountain (which by the way looked beautiful last summer, and bloomed a bit . For a first season that's not bad). Then I have clem Henryi, Beauty of Worcester, and Dr Ruppel in the center of the long trellis. I plan to have one rose on each end of trellis, and when I train them to meet they will (hopefully) intertwine with the clems in the center. That's my plan anyways lol... I bought the roses at two great places. Ramblin' Red from High Country Roses, and John Cabot from Pickering Nurseries. The new clems (Beauty of Worcester, Henryi, Dr Ruppel,and Rebecca) are from Brushwood, Bluestone, and Garden Crossings. All are on Dave's Watchdog30 site as being good places to buy. In fact, Bluestone Perennials is not far from me, I may have to take a drive up there. It's only about 1/2 hour away! OH NO, that might be dangerous! I have C.H.A.D. (Compulsive Horticultural Aquisition Disorder)! lol.

I do not grow it, but know people who do, it can get big and might need a lot of work to keep tidy, a garden in new ulm, mn grows it around a trellis of sorts.. They really wack it hard to keep it trim and proper. Depending upon your space for it, you could let it grown big... Willam Baffin grown in the august shell garden at new ulm mn, june 2006

Ok, Thank You all for helping me. I just went ot help me find to check out Climbing CI only to realize I have an impostor! I think... I tried to take a picture of this octopus like rose. I have over 200 roses and this rose is not a good example but I like it because it is covered with blooms. Right now it is fading away, kind of like a red Persian Yellow complete with black spot. But when she starts to bloom she looks like a chandelier and the blooms are full and deep red. According to all you have told me this is not how CI should look. Any suggestion on which rose this is???

Mary Jane, I agree with Jeanne - its a matter of personal preference. I also have William Baffin (which to me is more of a magenta color, not pink) and have him growing with the white clematis, Huldine. If white isn't your preference, purple is a great choice. I would recommend, clematis, Etoile Violette. In the pics below there's, clematis, Etoile Violette (pic 1), WB with Huldine (pics 2, 4 and 5) and clematis Huldine (pic 3). Both EV and H are very vigorous clematis, but WB is pretty vigorous (almost too much!), too.