Look into any of the spring ephemerals - the wild flowers that come up the spring, flower and then disappear in the summer - there are a number that like damp places and could handle the water needs of the Clethra, and could be very attractive in the spring, but disappear when the Clethra came into its own. The above caveat about needing to dig suckers applies, but most of the suckers off mine, if I don't procrastinate about pulling them, come up easily and can be clipped off at the root, near the shrub. Look for a natives nursery, or connect up with your local plant-rescue organization and/or native plant society, and I am sure you could get plants. Just, if you do buy from a nursery, try to ensure that the plants are nursery grown, and not ripped out of someones' woods, with or without permission. If the Clethra is in shade, or part shade, ferns are anotehr possibility, as is bergenia (hardiness?) or columbine.

YR, I grow all my clethras in a such shady conditions that clematises will not bloom there, so I never even attempted to try such combo, but I think that clethra with its suckering habit might not be a good host for the clemmi. Another possible contra to this idea is that clethra's lateral branches are not thick enough to support a massive vine. On another side I think this could be a lovely combo, especially considering the fact that clethras leafing out very late and clematis foliage will decorate it early in a season. Hmmm...now when I start thinking about your idea, I think I might try Jacmanii on one of mine C.barbinervis which is approaching 12' mark and have top 6' in a full sun. Thanks for idea.

Hey, Jenn: I have white-flowered Akebia growing all over the place, and you can take all the clippings you want, or I can try to layer it for you. I don't remember what kind it is, but I'm pretty sure I got it at Raintree Nursery several years ago. I also have Abeliophyllum distichum 'Roseum' (pink), but it's not sending out enough branches at this point to clip. Maybe by the end of the summer.... For some reason, the white ones didn't make it.

The local garden centre offers it here on a regular basis - noted for shade, part shade, preferring moist to wet acidic soil but will tolerate some dry soil. Tagged as a zone 4 plant. I have never taken the plunge with this particular plant - very dry, alkaline conditions around here.