Clematis became a great favorite of mine when I discovered all the interesting things you could do with them. I began by planting them under my once-blooming old garden roses. They soon twined through the foliage and provided the illusion of a second bloom season -- although they were very odd-looking roses. I did the same with a huge old lilac. It took about three years, but right now there are frothy white blooms all over the top of the 9' tall shrub.
The same trick worked nicely with the roses on my arbor. I grow the climber, New Dawn -- a gorgeous pale silvery pink bloomer that seldom goes out of flower. The first flush in June is spectacular. After that, however, things slow down quite a bit. A pretty white-flowered clematis twines through the rose to give it a little help.
There are many varieties of clematis. Some flower in early summer, some in fall. A few have quite a long bloom season. Some have small flowers, others are large, or even double. As long as they have their roots in cool shade (or mulch) and their tops in the sun, they are relatively easy to care for.
Another way that I like to use vines are as groundcovers. Years ago I planted a Japanese Hall's honeysuckle on a dry and shady bank that was too steep to mow. Hall's honeysuckle is probably one of the most rampant plants around (unless you count kudzu) but in these conditions, it remained relatively restrained. However, when the backhoe arrived to dig the foundation for out greenhouse, the honeysuckle was in the way. The backhoe operator dug it up with his bucket and deposited it out of the way. I attempted to move it but found that I couldn't budge it. I left it there.Two years lates, it stilll sits on top of the ground where I left it. Blooming. You want a tough vine? I vote for this one. But only if you give it really unfavorable conditions. Otherwise I disclaim all responsibility.
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