A Proclivity for Clematis
Margaret Ransohoff
If you visit my garden in summer, you will see clematis growing in every corner. It is probably my favorite perennial and I have devised many ways to take advantage of the color and dimension they provide. I may not be the person to advise on pruning or identify cultivars, but I do have years of experience incorporating them into my landscape design and can suggest ways to get the most out these gorgeous, hardy plants.
The first rule for growing clematis is to plant it in a location where it receives plenty of sun, with shade at the base. The old adage is: head in the sun, feet in the shade. They also like moisture, so don’t place it in a dry spot under the eaves or at the base of a large tree.
Because they don’t have tendrils or twining stems, they use leaf petioles to attach themselves and need a structure that accommodates this. The MOST IMPORTANT STEP in achieving an attractive result is to provide early, targeted support that will allow the vines to create the effect you envision. In the spring, when the vines begin to climb, YOU (not the clematis!) decide where it should go, provide a sturdy structure (stakes, strings, twist ties) and continue to guide the stems BY HAND for a few weeks or until they are on the right path. You’re the boss; move and manipulate the vine to go exactly where you want it. These plants are tough, so the handling won’t hurt them. These attentions at the beginning of the growing season will pay off!
When I began growing clematis, I placed them in the usual spots: on lampposts, trellises and fences. Over time, I realized that with some extra effort in the spring, the plants could be trained and shaped to better fit and enhance these locations. My first experiment was with this Jackmanii (#1) , an old fashion cultivar that blooms heavily and is easy to grow. The plant had become so dense that I could now split off a section and train it to grow along the nearby railing, tying it at about one foot intervals. The lamppost also has several strings from bottom to top to support the heavy vine and assure more even coverage. Without this, it becomes uneven, top-heavy and can fall away from the lamppost. My other Jackmanii (#2) outgrows its ironwork trellis, so when it reaches about three feet, I gather the vine into two sections and train one to grow up the copper downspout. Because the downspout is smooth, the vine must be tied at intervals to keep it attached and growing upward.
Most clematis need some manipulation as they grow to look balanced and evenly cover an area. This vigorous Ernest Markham (#3) is planted at the outer corner of a fence. When it reaches the top edge, I gather the vine into two sections and then train them to grow horizontally and in opposite directions. This looks much better than letting it grow into a one large mass that flops over to the inside of the fence.
I longed for colorful vines against these stone walls, but unlike ivy, clematis can’t climb this surface. Using H.F. Young, a vigorous twelve foot variety, I came up with a method that would allow the plant to cover the stone (#4). I use tall stakes to guide the plant up to a string lattice that I weave through the open stonework. When it reaches about five feet, I coax it left and right onto the strings so that it will spread evenly. This requires a lot of time and fussing, but I love the results.
For another H.F. Young, (#5) you can see a clematis growing on a flat stone wall. To achieve this, I attached a foot-wide strip of plastic garden netting to small nails that were put into the stone to support Christmas lights. Here again I use tall stakes to get the vine up to the net and then let it climb, with some coaxing to spread it out evenly. It’s important to select a variety that grows tall enough for this type of location.
Rose pillars or similar structures look great covered in clematis and add colorful, vertical elements to a border. (#6). I plant several varieties with different colors and bloom times on each pillar to prolong the display. This also makes the pillars look dense and luxuriant.
The newest method I’ve utilized for adding more clematis to the garden is to plant them underneath azaleas or other shrubs (#7); they grow up and through the branches and then cover them in flowers. Because clematis always reach for the sun, they will first grow straight up. When the vines reach the top of the shrub, I arrange them by hand to get even coverage. This trick will give you an extra month of color from an azalea, tree peony or other small shrub. The vines shown here are only two years old, so I expect even better results in the future. A small, patio size clematis works best.
I also get an extra month of bloom from my wisteria vine by augmenting it with clematis Avant-Garde (#8), a ten-foot vine with petite double blooms. It climbs nicely up and through the wisteria and needs no additional support or guidance.
My most recent clematis acquisition is this groundcover clematis called Sapphire Indigo (#9) , and it is outstanding. I planted it in a clump of hellebores and it smothers their leaves in deep blue flowers. It starts blooming in June and is still in flower and sending out buds in August. It’s remarkable. This is a totally carefree plant with no stakes or ties needed; just let it ramble and guide it if you’re fussy. I’m dreaming up new locations for this one!
These techniques are particularly useful for older vines that now have a lot of volume. You can get a new look from an established plant by guiding it in a new direction. Spring is the time to start new clematis in innovative locations. Be creative and use unlikely garden structures as supports or let them entwine with existing shrubs. With their vast array of color and size, I can’t think of another plant that adds more color, drama or dimension to the garden than clematis. There’s no end to the clever ways they can weave themselves into your own landscape dreams.
