PLANTS for clematis to grow on, over & through?
sweetpea_path
15 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (36)
nckvilledudes
15 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
15 years agoRelated Discussions
Is it ok to grow clematis over privet?
Comments (5)One of the big reasons I wanted to go on the tour yesterday that I had posted to Violetta about is that the local author talks about growing Clematis over evergreens in her book and her garden was on the tour. I wanted to see it done in person so badly. I've got 53 crammed into my very small yard and need to figure out more ways to use them but really cannot use any more man made structures without looking like a junkyard. I've read about them used as groundcovers over heaths and heathers too and really hoped to see that as well.....I have a big section of heaths and heathers and conifers that is clematis free except for an obelisk.......See MoreHow to plant clematis through shrubs
Comments (6)I grow most of my clematis through trees and shrubs. If your shrubs are against the house, I would plant your clematis about 2 feet in front of your shrubs. With an E exposure they should get plenty of morning sun. I would plant type 3 clematis with light colored flowers. They show up best against a dark green background. There are type 3 clematis that bloom at different times from May to September. You can select different varieties so you always have at least one in bloom. You can hard prune them the first couple of years. If you want your vines to grow higher, you can cut them back at 3-4 feet after a few years. You will need to give them extra water during the summer as your shrubs will take up a lot of moisture. They will have no problem climbing your shrubs. Just guide the vines into the lower branches and away they will go. Polish spirit is much too vigourous for most shrubs and small trees. Plant it on a large fence, shed, wall etc. I can get 15-20 feet and produce 50 or more vines. It is beautiful and blooms all summer for me. I love it but it needs room. Here are a couple of photos of some clematis growing up junipers and cedar shrubs to give you an idea. Huldine and Betty Corning growing up a cedar shrub. This is Viola. I love this flower, but the dark color doesn't show up well with the dark green foliage. A lighter background would have been better. This was Polish spirit last year. It got so large it smothered this 14' eldeberry and caused the branches to break. I moved the clematis this spring to a 30' cement light pole, and my eldeberry is starting to recover. Good luck with your clematis. Karen...See MoreClematis experts: growing over shrubs?
Comments (21)Cameron - got this newsletter from White Flower Farms in my e -mail the other day and thought of you immediately. Definitely relates to growing Clematis in shrubs, roses, ect......... "Large-flowered Clematis usually grow about 6Â8 feet tall, making them ideal companions for Climbing Roses and many shrubs. The wiry vines will scramble through the branches without adding excessive weight to their hosts. Clematis like full to partial sun with a bit of shade on their roots, so this pairing works to the vine's advantage. Clematis climb by means of grasping petioles -- the stem-like base of the leaves. When it meets a potential support, the petiole coils around it tightly. The best support is therefore rather narrow, such as the branch of a Rose or the crossbars of a wire or steel trellis. In the Reading Room section of Gardening Help on our Web site, you'll find Christopher Lloyd's article, The Virtue of Vines, with an illustration of how to lead Clematis vines up into shrubs using bamboo stakes. Sweet Autumn Clematis is the exception for partnerships. This vigorous plant is likely to overwhelm most hosts. Instead, provide a sturdy support, such as an arbor or fence. Indeed, it is the perfect way to camouflage a chain-link fence. Plant your new Clematis with the crown three to four inches below the soil level. This protects future buds, and allows the plant to re-sprout if its top growth is damaged. The pruning of Clematis vines causes lots of trepidation, but it doesn't need to; the plants will keep growing after their haircut, and you will learn timing by experience. The general rule: prune out four-year-old stems after bloom, because flower production tends to decline. Varieties that bloom on new wood (including Sweet Autumn Clematis) can be cut back severely early every spring, if desired. Plants that bloom on old wood (last year's growth) can be pruned lightly right after bloom, if needed to control size. For plants that bloom twice, you may remove weak growth in spring, then prune lightly if needed after the first bloom. Our Clematis growing guide gives a list of varieties and their pruning groups to help you decide when and whether to wield your clippers. The Gardening Help section of our Web site contains an A-Z list of growing guides plus articles and tips on gardening and design, videos, and much more." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lynne...See MoreHelp: need a clematis to grow through the burning bush
Comments (5)One of the challenges for that pairing is root competition. BB has vigorous roots, so you will want a Group 3 clematis that is a strong grower. A few that come to mind are Prince Charles, Ville de Lyon, Polish Spirit. And Jackmanii is always good. You will also want one that is mature. A 2-gallon plant should have enough roots to get off to a good start. Anything smaller and the roots may struggle in that bed. Make sure when you buy it that the pot is mostly roots and not mostly dirt! The other challenge is placement. You can't plant it too close to the shrub -- again for the root issue. Normally I would say plant it outside the drip line of a mature or almost mature plant. But if you are pruning the shrub regularly, it is hard to say just where the natural drip line would be. fwiw, I pruned 3 BB's severely for about 10 years and finally gave up and just removed them. They can take a very hard pruning, but it was too much work when I had better things to be doing in the garden. Mostly I pruned them to avoid flower production to keep the seedlings out of the woods. It was not completely successful....See Morebuyorsell888
15 years agonckvilledudes
15 years agomichael_in_chicago
15 years agoalina_1
15 years agomichael_in_chicago
15 years agoalina_1
15 years agomichael_in_chicago
15 years agoalina_1
15 years agoharryshoe zone6 eastern Pennsylvania
15 years agosweetpea_path
15 years agoflowerfan2
15 years agobuyorsell888
15 years agoKaveh Maguire Garden Design
15 years agoprairiegirlz5
15 years agomnwsgal
15 years agosweetpea_path
15 years agoflowerfan2
15 years agobuyorsell888
15 years agoflowerfan2
15 years agoalina_1
15 years agoflowerfan2
15 years agoalina_1
15 years agoalina_1
15 years agosweetpea_path
15 years agoflowerfan2
15 years agoalina_1
15 years agoSuzapruner
11 years agoHazel Thoren
7 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
7 years agoAlana8aSC
7 years agototoro z7b Md
7 years agothreedogsmom
7 years agototoro z7b Md
7 years ago
Related Stories
GARDENING GUIDESGot Allergies? 9 Plants to Avoid and What to Grow Instead
Having allergies doesn’t need to mean giving up your garden. Here are some options that will let you garden sneeze-free
Full StoryHOUSEPLANTS10 Top Plants to Grow Indoors
Brighten a room and clean the air with a houseplant that cascades artfully, stretches toward the ceiling or looks great on a wall
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Clematis Virginiana
Devil’s darning needles, a vigorous vine native to eastern North America, likes partial shade and many types of soils
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGrow Your Own Privacy: How to Screen With Plants and Trees
Use living walls to lower your home and garden's exposure while boosting natural beauty in your landscape
Full StorySUMMER GARDENINGHow to Water and Refresh Your Potted Plants Over the Summer
Keep container gardens looking lush by cooling them down when temperatures rise and by giving them a seasonal spruce-up
Full StoryCONTAINER GARDENS8 Easy Container Plants to Grow From Seed
Get beautiful blooms and herbs in summer by starting these choice garden picks from seed in spring
Full StoryGARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIESGreat Design Plant: Columbine Grows Happily in Shade and Sun
Its ethereal beauty comes from complex forms and wide-ranging colors, but columbine’s benefits are highly attractive too
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Grow Blueberries for Their Fruit and More
Eastern gardeners should consider growing blueberry plants for their delicious fruits, bee-friendly spring blooms and brilliant fall foliage
Full StoryHOUSEPLANTSWhat to Know About Growing String of Bananas Plant
This quirky, trailing succulent is easy to grow on a bright windowsill or out of a hanging basket
Full StoryLANDSCAPE DESIGN8 Ways to Grow More Plants in Small Spaces
Use plants to bring your pocket garden to life
Full Story
harryshoe zone6 eastern Pennsylvania