Maybe buy a free standing trellis? I know Lowes sell some really nice looking ones. I know that had others at the Lowes here that were much cheaper than the one pictured in the link I provided. I'm new to Clematis myself but I've heard they don't transplant well. Just my two cents!

Here is a link that might be useful: free standing trellis

I'd advise a wire obelisk.

They don't climb cedar lattice well at all. At least mine don't and my husband built me fences and arbors for them with it before I discovered that they don't climb it.....

Here is a link that might be useful: Obelisk

You can also make a tee pee with rebar and a hose clamp at the top. They climb rebar really well.

Check out Vine Forum - Alina posted a home-put together trellis she just did - w/ re-bar tubing & copper wires ~ quite impessive!!!

My creation is embarrassing but functional ~ plasti-coated materials from HD ~ covered w/ greens & blooms only I will remember!!! LOL

Ah, thanks for the Amazon links. And buyorsell888, that rebar hint set the hillbilly gardening lightbulb right off. I have quite a bit of 4" square concrete mesh lying around the place, use it to protect trees from the deer, and flattened out and attached to the buildings, thats what holds up all the clematis vines around the place. Not much for "winter interest", but when they're covered with flowering vines, nobody notices.

Anywho, I bent a 7 foot length into a foot dia circle, rammed a piece of rebar into the ground, and wired up a hillbilly obelisk. That takes care of one of the vines. For those in more prominent beds in front of the house, I'll let the BH pick out something with a bit more class.

Thanks!!

There you go Dave ~ wish you were my neighbor ~ lets have a contest on C- garden architecture w/ A++ for efforts & functionality! LOL

What's a rebar anyway ~ can't shape these HD plasti-coated poles I brought home?!

After they reach maturity they cover the rebar so much that you can't see it much....could also put some sort of decorative item on top...rebar rusts and blends in pretty well.

Just for laughs ~ here's my very simply put together plasti-coated trellis/arbor that wishes she were a proud Pergola ~ (I wont dare post in the Vine Forum)!

I was going to trim off the top excess but I'll think of what to decorate w/ first! Garden gloves & clogs or garden flags ... ugh ~ I'll just trim & plug the holes!

Here is a link that might be useful: Definitely not for show!

Mine are also very much not for show, but I've enjoyed the making of them and then watching the clematis climb. I have a variety of home-made and found objects that I use as trellises and obelisks along with some nicer store-bought ones. I'm currently learning to weld so I can make more decorative trellises, but for now zip-ties, hose clamps and the ties used in concrete forms are my friends.

I use 5/16 steel rod - a bit more delicate looking than rebar, and visit the metal recycling at my local dump, Craigslist, the various dump sites around the old farm where I live, along with the local resale shops for finial and building materials.

My first effort was a pair of old wheel rims with holes drilled for the rod that holds them in place. Needs a longer rod so I can add a second tier as the atragenes I have planted on here are huge now, wire rather than bird netting, and a finial.
{{gwi:586178}}From Mar 17, 2011

This was an old lamp base I scooped from the trash, took out the wiring, drilled a hole through each shelf for the steel rod. Also still needs a finial.
{{gwi:586180}}From Mar 17, 2011

I found this folding shelf unit by the side of the road on the way to work with a "free" sign. Getting it into my tiny car was interesting, but I welded the shelves to the back unit and the side supports so it is open flat to use a a wall trellis. As you can see from the wall behind, none of this is in a finished area (family wood shop) so beautiful isn't necessary like it might be if I lived in an area where my neighbors had to look at it.
{{gwi:137653}}From Mar 17, 2011

I have a couple more that I made this week (so no photos) to support a few of my this year's purchases, with three legs of rod plus the wire cable from an old garage door spiralling up to the top for the clematis to climb and a found "finial" on the top. I'm about out of the rusty old rod that was already around the shop, so will have to buy some more for the welding practice.

My poor creation is getting more embarrassing by the day!!! The other day & saw a single width vintage metal bed piece ~ another great idea.

I have 25+ garden beds Large & smallish I tend to & a few I have to patrol a bit tightly as there are thugs ~ I planted in the days of sincere innocence (ignorance really - before tech invention educated me). In short I only go to big box store & get everything w/ 1 trip! Sigh!

Your garden is beautiful, ditas. Again, who looks at the support?
These other home-made, recycled ones are wonderful. I need to take a trip to the dump one of these days. But I think I'd draw the line at old bed springs held up with t-posts..........

Ditas! I like it! I may just have to build something like it!

Thank you ~ alaMel! I'd like to try my hand on *rebars* still DK what they are ~ I'll ask at HD ~ for next season as I'm thinking of acquiring *Piilu* (have to research on climbing habits first!

alaMel ~ be sure to post your creation, OK?!

Rebar is the type of mild steel reinforcing bar used in concrete construction for things like foundations, roads, etc. It comes in different lengths and diameter.

Here is a link that might be useful: rebar photos

Gee thanks for the link/info ~ nhbabs! Looks like I'm picking up an additional hobby! LOL Honestly, a rebar trellis/arbor will certainly look more decent than what I came up with huh?!

Thanks again!

I highly recommend Piilu! As you can see after three years you can't see the support. Though it is visible in winter and when I hard prune in spring.

click to make bigger:

{{gwi:586182}}

Thank you Bos ~ what a lovely walk & back garden bed! Piilu is in my wish list ~ no one around has this lovely one ~ sigh!

I'll try my hand on creating an obelisk since I'm thinking of one for my old Blue Bell ~ to replace the wire mesh cage I made him. So rebars here I come!!!

Thank you for posting this pic!

All of your creative supports ideas is inspiring.