Which clematis should I buy?

saxonrosecliff

I have spent to day building a trellis with bits of wood and I'm quite pleased with it! I want to attach it to fence posts and grow some sort of clematis up it. It will be a screen to give us a bit of privacy from nextdoor as we currently only have a low wall between our gardens. Nextdoor are in full agreement with my idea by the way.

So what I am looking for is a clematis or other type of climber that has very dense foliage and is quick growing. Clematis Montana has been recommended to me but the only drawback with these is that they appear to only flower early in spring and I would ideally like something that flowers all summer.

I know nothing about clematis except the ones we have already are a bit weedy and not dense enough so can anyone recommend a variety?

starjumper

My montana is excellent and keeps foliage through the summer which is great, it grows so fast we (probably wrongly but it's not killed it yet after 8 years) hack it back twice a year and it flowers spring and late summer for us. We've had other clematis but they are a bit wimpy in comparison.

[Deleted User]

You can always plant more than one variety so you have flowers from early spring to autumn

angelavdavis

As well as clematis, I would recommend a golden hop - grows like fury, fantastic leaves and finally the hops which are always a nice addition.

As Van suggests, I would plant more than one variety of clematis - an early one and a mid summer one to spread the flowering period. I don't know of one that lasts and lasts. Honeysuckle will also generally flower longer than a clematis.

Horace

Rhidherana (I think thats how its spelt) is another clematis variety that grows like billyo. It has yellow flowers that look like bluebell flowers and it is scented too which is an added bonus. I seem to recall that when I had one it grew well and flowered for most of the summer.

Davesnave

angelavdavis wrote: »

As well as clematis, I would recommend a golden hop - grows like fury, fantastic leaves and finally the hops which are always a nice addition.
quote]

Yes, I thought a Golden Hop would be great in my front garden, but as you say it 'grows like fury,' so after a season or so, it was time to say 'Goodbye.'
Easier said than done, because what this plant does above ground is only half the story. I ended up digging everything in that border out, just to remove the hop's roots, which had gone under all the other shrubs & plants.

I'd have another, but only if I could grow it as a specimen in isolation.

saxonrosecliff

Thanks for all the suggestions. I thought of honeysuckle but I never seem to have much luck with them. The hops sound good but I only have a small garden so don't want anything too rampant! I will investigate the other kinds.

Davesnave

I forgot to make a suggestion; Clematis 'Etoile Rose' or others of the texensis group. It is vigorous, but you cut it to the ground every spring, so there are no old, dead looking stems. It is supposed to suffer from mildew, but mine never has. It doesn't get clematis wilt. Mine is used to give privacy to a courtyard and, by now, has just about covered a 8' x 6' trellis.

zzzLazyDaisy

Try combining a summer flowering clematis with an evergreen clematis, that way you will have privacy in the winter.

This one is evergreen and flowers in winter

http://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk/ProductDetails.asp?ProductID=11270

or this evergreen climber which flowers from winter through till summer

http://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk/ProductDetails.asp?ProductID=11377