It is interesting how topics from the past are coming back up with Houzz Here is what ended up happening with this arch. I looked at this bed all summer debating the empty spot, disliking the blah tone of the Netune's in the summer sun. Finding out that the other lavender rose given to me is pink with lavender tones. And the idea of all red on the arch just reminded me of a hat band in a reverse of the Red Hat Society. Not that there is anything wrong with celebrating being over 50-we earned that hat. It was just not the soft look I wanted. Don Juan stays be cause my dad planted him and frankly he has a lot of very happy Doc Huey under the side walk that I know I would be haunted by if I tried to move him. So after saying I wanted no stripes and red with lots of scent, I fell in love with a Raspberry Cream Twirl who clashes perfectly with most everything tall in the bed. But she has wonderful flexible green canes with no thorns and from the right seat I can enjoy her with the Sweet Chariots and what ever that pink rose happens to be. I did get Rhode Island Red (Fields of the Wood) for the main garden and her blooms are incredible, although kind of rare since she is still a baby. Noella Nabonnand does have fabulously clean foliage and is in my Nabonnand court with a persimmon tree to climb. And Cramoisi Superieur is in the garden as of just a few months ago. If I had the energy and a spot for them, the Neptune's and Ebb Tide would move some where else. You would never know Ebb Tide was there so that just leaves the Neptune's and mom loves them.... Don Juan is now part of the HT's for mom to cut and bring inside

I so understands the obsession with clematis. I was hooked last summer and I now have over 60 of them! As far as Brushwoods is concerned. I ordered 36 of them from him this winter. They came this spring and they are all thriving. I have no complaints. And his customer service is excellent. I also orders 4 from Debbie at Silver Star. Her plants are just as good if not even better although her shipping was more (but still reasonable). Funny bc my newest obsession is heucheras. Lol. That and hydrangeas and Japanese maples. I can't help it. I'm indecisive. I want it all!! Lol. Good luck with your clematis collection. I second the pairing with Huldine. They look nice together and they are both about equal in size and bloom.

My BC reaches the top of a 9' trellis and flops back down. She is a very untidy grower, be prepared to do a lot of tying her up. She sends vines in all directions. My EV reaches the top of a 7' trellis and flops back down. They should reach the top and mingle for you.

My Rebecca this year I was so disappointed as the color was nowhere near the color of the first one I had and lost. That one was planted at the base of a well established climbing rose and had that WOW factor. I don't think I gave it enough water because it didn't come back the following year :(. The new one I planted in another part of the garden must have heard me grumbling as it just thumbed it's nose at me and up and died. I planted a rooted cutting from the Rebecca my daughter bought to see if there is a difference in the flower color, it's still small but growing slowly. Low and behold the one I thought had died is coming back with a vengeance so maybe next year I'll be able to compare the two. This is the same pole I planted Lonicera Kintzley's Ghost. Now if this is really the real Rebecca, might different soil, temperature and location make a difference in the color, the roots were shaded. The first one was in in a hot spot compared to where I planted it's replacement. Annette