I think a white flowered clematis would look great in between the roses. I think another colour of clematis would be too much or possibly clash.

How about Elsa Spath? http://www.helpmefind.com/clematis/l.php?l=2.50356&tab=1

https://www.brushwoodnursery.com/collections/clematis-d-g/products/clematis-elsa-spath

Rebecca

Elsa looks really nice! Do you guys know a clematis that is really blue? Maybe something like Perle d'Azur?

I just purchased bonanza and rhapsody . Both blue but a little different shades of blue !

There is also a clematis called "multi blue".

If I do get a white one it is definetely going to be Duchess of Edinburgh.

I'm editing this post. I don't know why this pic showed up first! Oh, well. This white one below is Ninon. I like the maroon anthers. It only grows to 4 feet tall, so probably too short for your needs.

Good timing! My goal for today is to get some of my clematis in the ground. It's 5pm and I've only done two. It's so hard to decide who goes with who, isn't it? Here are a few pictures of the ones that have blooms to help you out.

Diamantina I love this one! I bought this 2nd one because I loved the one I had so much. The blooms are 4-6 inches and double. A fluffy pompon look.Lovely blue/purple color. Blooms a lot. One of my favs. About 7' long. Small bloom on this one because it's in a tiny pot.

Rosalie A new one for me, but I like it. Supposed to bloom all summer.

Mrs. Yuki: Deep violet with yellow stamens. 6-8' tall. Very dramatic color! Love it! Hope the color shows up "true" in this picture.

Texensis Etoile Rose: 10 feet tall. Pretty nodding, 2" pink flowers. All summer bloom.

Franziska Maria: Another favorite one. Just added a 2nd one, I like it so much. Big (really big) 5"-7", blue/purple flowers. They are double, but in a totally different way than Diamantina. Not so much like a pompom. About 6-8 feet long for me. It's a good one. I've had my first one for about 5 years, no problems. I'm going to take a picture of both a new bloom and an older faded bloom, so you can see how they look at both stages. Hope this helped, or at least was entertaining:) Lisa

One more. Samaratin Jo: Nice Violet pink. Darker edges, paler centers. Good bloomer. 5-7 feet long so far.

Lisa those are breathtaking!! I wish I could grow them here.

Blue clematis and roses of almost any color are wonderful combos! I'm glad to see that 'Elsa Spath' was recommended. I am right now waiting for her to arrive next week from Brushwood Nursery. I ordered ES because I thought her blue color would combine nicely with roses, even though I would prefer group 3 for pruning. Besides a few other good blues already mentioned, there are a few blue choices in Evison's collections. Also 'H.F. Young' and, among small-flowered, C. durandii.

The President is also a good one. Something has been eating on mine and it's past it's prime, so not the best picture.

Lisa, your scabiosa and 'Prince Charles" match perfectly! Such an enchanting garden corner. I've always wondered about the color of 'The President' because it's blue on some photos but then purple on others. What's its real life color in your garden?

Well.....you're right. In this pic it does match the lavender scabiosa perfectly, but in "real life" it is definitely a blue as opposed to lavender. Its a pale color, rather than dark or saturated. It's one that's not stingy with blooms either. Prince Charles covers himself in charming, nodding blooms. I can't believe I almost forgot to include this one. I guess because it just started blooming, and I had to hunt for a few open blooms. Lisa

Anyone have pictures of their Rhapsody/Elsa Spath? Is it actually more blue or purple? With a lot of these "blue" clematis, the pictures make it really hard to tell.

I need one that is truly blue (if there is such a thing).

I love Huldine, a very pretty white and have her growing with Clair Matin. She is literally bullet proof and flowers more than any other clematis I have grown. On her third year and growing like a weed. Later bloom than some of the others with nice repeat. I also have 'Perle d' Azur' a soft lilac color, or 'Blue Light' which is a bit deeper lilac double with a pronounced center. . All get minimal care, just a bit of fertilizer now and again. None are really blue though just varying shades of lilac. Probably the closest to blue is 'Betty Corning' or 'Roguchi' but these still lean toward lilac and are more nodding and bell-shaped. Both are pretty but not a typical large flowered clematis.

sharon

"I need one that is truly blue (if there is such a thing)."

Here's from the book of one of clematis aficionados, Christopher Lloyd. He qualifies his section on 'Blue' clematis in that "'Blue' has to stand in quotes because even the bluest clematis has a strong tinge (or taint) of mauve in it, but... there are so many clematis that come indisputably into the mauve-lavender-lilac bracket, that when they do verge on blue it becomes necessary to call them this."

Since all suggested clematis here come in nice blueish colors, it seems to me that it boils down to the choice between more lavender or purplish hints, and also lighter or darker shades, in its blue coloring so that it complements the specific rose.

Ruguchi is a deep blue almost navy and is so gorgeous!!

My photos of rhapsody show it as violet but in real life it is a royal blue. I like it very much but just bought it .

I love Roguchi too, Lilyfinch. I have three, but not one is blooming yet. Mine can look royal purple or navy blue, depending on the amount of sunlight and age of the blooms.

Of all my clematis, I think Prince Charles looks the most blue, especially after having been open for a bit in full sun. It fades a tiny bit to more of a pale blue with almost a grey cast. That doesn't sound attractive, but it is. If this post is still going, and anyone is still interested, I could take another picture in a few weeks, after all of the blooms open and age a bit. Lisa

I agree with Lisa. My Prince Charles is the bluest 'blue' clematis I've ever seen. Mine is a soft blue and IMO goes with every color rose I can imagine. It's color and size would not distract from the rose, which is your focal point, but rather compliment it.

So glad to hear prince Charles is so fabulous! I have one but it's new and just starting to grow. Behind buff beauty, I think they will be so pretty together.

lisa please do share pics !! I love clematis and roses and would love the inspiration

I will. It just has a couple of blooms open now, but has a ton of buds almost ready to open. Lisa

After seeing how beautiful 'Prince Charles' was on Lisa's photo, yesterday I made a quick tour of our local nurseries to see if I could find it for my garden. None had it in stock for now but there were quite a few Evison clematis and I took a photo because of this discussion. 'Cezanne' (left) and 'Zara' (right) are both considered blueish, but 'Zara' is much closer to blue than 'Cezanne'. Unfortunately the lighting at the nursery makes it look more lavender than it actually is. I suspect that the same is with 'Prince Charles' because Lisa and others wrote that it's much more blue than what it appears on photos.

Though it wasn't in my plans, I actually bought 'Zara'. Talk about enabling :-) You can see her in my entrance area that is slightly better in showing the blue tint (on the left is a totally unplanned 'Mary Rose' DA that I also *had* to buy - perhaps it can help compare to how it might look with GJ's pink color)

Vesfl, very nice! I'm not familiar with 'Zara', but it looks great. You will love Mary Rose, that's her bloom up there in the picture with Crystal Fountain clematis. Lisa

When does Rhapsody bloom for you guys?

Mine is just starting to set buds now. It blooms off and on from late spring through summer. We had a longer, colder winter than usual, but it seems to be right on time.

Is it really not the bluest in your garden? Compared to Prince Charles, it seems really deep blue just going off the pictures on the internet. By the way, I heard Rhapsody was fragrant; do you smell anything?

Rhapsody, in my garden, is a bright and lively purple. I just checked to see if I had any photos from last year, and I don't. Hmmm, I do not recall a fragrance. I will remember to notice this year. My Sweet Summer Love is very fragrant, but definitely not blue.

For pale blue, there is Blue Angel. Some photos show it as lavender, and some blue. Mine is new and I have not seen a bloom yet.

Thanks flowers!

I was just wondering, what influences whether a clematis looks more blue or more purple?

This might be interesting, or not... It could just be one I forgot I planted, but I don't think so. Does anyone recognize this clematis? (Definitely not a blue one, sorry Constant Gardener.) It's on Mary Rose, along with Crystal Fountain, but I followed the vine to the ground and it's definitely it's own separate plant. It looks enough like Crystal Fountain to make me wonder if I have a seedling. It was almost dark when I took the photo, but the colors a fairly accurate. What do you all think? Anyone recognize it as a known variety? I will ask over on the Clematis forum, if necessary. It is rather unusual.

That is interesting, Lisa. Even the yellow center is a little different than most clematis. If it is a seedling, would that mean you could name it? Keep us posted.

Constant Gardener, Strawchicago did some experiments on deepening the color of roses, but I don't know if it would be the same with clematis.

Lisa, it looks like a sport on Crystal Fountain. Evison's Diamantina, a very double form in dark purple, is also a sport of CF. It's just a guess and someone else here or on the clematis forum might have the answer.

I can't wait to plant 'Mary Rose'. Look at these gorgeous flowers on your photo. There are already a few blooms open on mine by now and it looks very nice as a shrub too.

Yes, Mary put out some amazing blooms this spring. She's such a good pink. You will love her.

By "sport" you mean a shoot that produces different flowers, or seedling, from a seed? I have two of the Diamamantina. They are still small but I think I'm going to love those purple pom poms. Lisa

I think that a sport is a mutation without seeds but it can be a new division growing from the root. I'm not an expert on this so someone with breeding experience might help you on how to find out if this is a sport or not, but it's definitely a new looking clem, and also lovely at that. How exciting!

The only thing I know about clematis is that they are perfect companions to roses, do well in my cold zone, and I love all the bloom colors and forms. I bought two yesterday - Blue Angel, a ruffled pale lavender/blue and Venosa Violacea, violet with white bar. Have wanted VV for years but has always been sold out.

Lisa, your Crystal Fountain is completely different than mine. Mine is medium lavender/blue. I much prefer the lighter color of yours with the greenish tinge. Maybe the difference in zones?

I think mine is so light colored because I have it planted in a lot of shade. It keeps it pale and brings out the lime green color. Lisa

Your sport is beautiful Lisa if that's what it is!

I have one ragged bloom left on rhapsody and indeed it does have a light fragrance! Have to bury my nose in it of course. It's almost like honeysuckle or soapy. Hard to pinpoint. I've never thought about fragrance unless it was sweet autumn or Montana type !

That must be it, Lisa. MIne is in total sun. Now, I need another one to plant in a shaded area. Love the coloring of yours.

Lilyfinch, my rhapsody is just setting buds and I can't wait to see if it has fragrance. That would be nice to make up for Bajazzo. All this lively color is on the arbor to the chicken coop area where color runs wild.

I just realized that Vasue has already mentioned that Blue Angel is a favorite of hers. Sorry, Vasue. I'm glad I re-read some of the posts. I was happy to see your glowing report on it. That must be where the name got stuck in my mind. I agree it would fill Constant Gardener's requirements very well without overpowering the roses.

I'm new to clematises so I was just wondering, how long is the bloom time (how long do the flowers last) and how many times do they bloom? I guess it depends but how about for Rhapsody?

How about Saphire Indigo? Very deep blueish purple. I am going to grow it as a ground cover.