Love the gazebo. How many would depend on which types you would want to grow on it. One montana of a variety that gets huge could easily cover it. Type IIIs I would cram as many as I could, probably spacing them a foot or so apart. Then again I am one of those that think that more is better when it comes to clematis.

I personally like flowing shapes so why not an undulating irregularly shaped bed?

What would you edge such a bed with the keep the grass out? I don't think I have any Montana. I believe they are all type II and III. If I can get my hands on some more of those landscape interlocking pavers it would be nice but they are too heavy for me to work with. I may need to check out some kind of bender board.

Depends on the type of grass. I would definitely use something that you bury deeply if you have any of the grasses such as bermuda that sends out runners. If you don't they will find their way into the beds. I don't have to worry about that but there is some green metal border material that you put into the ground. The local Lowes and Home Depots carry it.

Thanks. I have the runner kind of grass.

No advice to give, but I am crushed with jealousy. I hope you'll take lots of pictures as the project progresses so us poor yard-less souls can live vicariously through you?

Lol, Violetta, I will. It may take me a while to finish it so its a good thing they are going to live in pots for a while. If I had the ability I would have one big flower bed and no grass. There is always hope that I win the lottery and can hire a gardener to do my bed building and digging, lol. Anymore suggestions for things to plant with the clems?

Climbing roses?...

I was thinking about that. I have two that came with the house that aren't doing very well where they are now. I don't think they get enough sun. I may move them back there.

I suppose I could always move to Texas and do your gardens for you :)

Let me dream.......Having no idea what would survive your climate.

Absolutely climbing roses. White clems with coral roses. Purple clems with pink roses. Red clems with blue roses.
I see delphiniums as well. I see hybrid tea roses or peonies with shorter variety clematis at four points around the arbor making a square around the circle. Butterfly bush at points between. I like the undulating edges around the square. A tiered look without the upward/downward grade.
A path that enters at a different location that meanders to the entrance of the arbour. Make it a secret. Are you going to sit within? I hope! A water fountain inside?

Lowe's had an interesting new product here. Recycled tire edging. About 6" wide by one deep, 18' long roll. The only draw back was it should have been designed as a "T" shaped product. Thereby inserting the stem to about 6" under ground. Then it would be ideal. As it stands creeping grass is a pain. Oh wait....grass is a pain! The deepest edging you can buy will slow down the creepers.
Not having any idea what your water conditions are like I would suggest soaker hose made from recycled tires available here at HD buried in the bed about 10-12" down makes a 100% water-wise watering system. That would be put down before you start planting. Mark it so you don't cut it with a shovel.
Gosh, I wish I knew more about what withstands your hot summers. I can plan that for here but would it suit.....I'll dream a little more while I am weeding tomorrow (for someone else!!)
Dana

Had a second look at the arbour. Pea gravel inside, landscaping fabric underneath of course. Leave a circle around the little fountain and underplant with...I'm thinking Japanese painted fern but Texas would be too hot for them. Try a short fan like leaf style plant that suits partial shade (eventually). Preferable silver and dark greens. Toss some of those acrylic stone things you get at the dollar store around on the pea gravel, or quart stones, to pick up the light and sparkle.

I better quit before I get in the van and take a short drive!!!! to the sunny south.
Dana

Ps: I would have a need to cover the fence to hide the neighbors! Miguel could better suggest short clems for your climate to do the trick.

Lol, Dana. I want a privacy fence very badly. The neighbors behind me are getting one soon so that will be one side taken care of, lol. The backyard has an uphill grade and is pretty far away from the water faucet so I am having to think of way to get water up there. Some of the plants you mentioned its too hot for like peony but you gave me some wonderful other ideas. This will be a work in progress for a while I think, lol. Glad I can keep the clematis in a pot for a while til its ready. Yes I do want to put either a water feature or a something like that in the center and ground cover like mulch or gravel and maybe a bench. I haven't even started on this bed yet. Still working on the new one in front but it was a good deal so I got it, lol. I figure I can get it planned and planted as I can get it done. Thank for the ideas.

The soaker hose is just that a hose made of recycled tires. Typically you drag your regular hose to it, attatch and turn the water on low. Leave it for about an hour and it should supply 1/4 to 1/2" of water in that hour. I run about 800' in total at my house. Some are on splitters so I water more than one area at a time. Reduces water usage by miles. Ensures even distribution of water and to the roots not the leaves and surrounding mulch. Since you don't have winter you need not worry about freezing. Lay a regular hose along the path to this garden out of sight (just below surface of said path) and you don't have to drag anymore. Just change hoses at the house for the different areas.

good luck
You will post pictures when its done won't you?
Dana

Of course I will post pics. I finished my front bed today and it looks great. I planted some clematis up there on some little trellis things. Unfortunatly I lost the name tags last year. These were my first two. I thought one was dead and was very happy to see it put out new growth. I planted the Pilau clematis I just got from Jerome as well. It was taking off and climbing stuff already and it had hardly any top growth a week ago just huge roots. I am very pleased with the things I got from Koi gardens. I have to get more trellises or get busy on the gazebo beds, lol. I will take some pics of it tomorrow when its light out. I had to leave for an appt. before I got everything cleaned up. Still have some empty pots to put away out there. We do get winter but only have a hard freeze a few times a year. I think putting the soaker hoses under mulch there would be a good idea then I can just drag the hose up there and screw it onto the soaker hose end. I don't have a path going to it through the lawn and its all uphill so I probably won't put one or it will wash away. The lower part of the yard is flat then the center is sloped hill then the top half is flat where the gazebo is. The upper part of the yard is much higher than the lower part. I will try to remember to take some wider pics of the backyard so you can see what I mean.

What a fabulous gazebo! Loving clematis like I do, I would probably make a graph of various clematis: growth patterns, colors, and dates of full bloom, then stager the plants: clematis#1 (early spring blooms) clematis #2 ( June blooms) clematis # 3 (maybe late bloomers). Planting: #1,2,3,#1,2,3... and so on.

That way your gazebo would be covered with the green vines and different colors all summer long! Maybe plant any roses (even bush roses) Good luck!

That gazebo is wonderful.

My climbing roses are always covered with black spot so I'd be more inclined to plant knockouts or something similar that is more disease resistant on the outside rather than climbing but that is just my wet climate.

I'd be thrilled to get rid of all of my lawn if DH would let me. For some reason he links it to his manhood. Even though it is full of moss and weeds because it is too shady to grow.....

That's funny. I guess no man equals no lawn!
I have no man and No lawn!!!!LOL :)

When you have time buyorsell888 spray roses every 10 days or so with 1/2teaspoon of baking soda to 1 quart of water. Add a drop of dishsoap. If done starting now or sooner in zone 8 you should avoid the black spot altogether.
We all have oodles of time though don't we?
I currently have about 40 roses, fear not, most of them are miniatures! Only the minis, and only the ones in the south side of the house in a row on their own (on the boulevard) seem to get blackspot. Go figure that one out.
Works great.
Worth a try to catch it early.

Fool4flowers. I would die without my peonies. Especially the Japanese tree peonies!
I suppose there is something to be said for a long winter. Just not sure what it is!
Dana

Lol, my man likes his lawn but if he doesn't get rid of some of the weeds I am getting rid of some more lawn, lol. I love peonies. I wish I could grow them here. I have dahlias right now for the first time and hope they will stay alive once it gets hot, lol. Here are some pics. Please excuse the mess I still am not totally finished. Most of these plants came from the clearance rack so they might look pitiful right now but they will come back alive and fill out I hope. The first pic is wider shot of the backyard. The yard is more wide than deep so I can't get it all in one shot. I am standing in the lower flat part looking up the slope to the upper flat part toward the gazebo. It doesn't show up very well at a distance with nothing on it yet. Check out my donkey we stuff with plants yesterday, lol. I need to get some moss to hide the pots. The clematis is on the trellises.

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