here' Claire de Lune blooming alone in a grouping of her with Ramona and Varenne. now these have only been here a couple years but Claire and Ramona are older plants. Varenne is only two. But Varenne was Much later that the other two and is just now blooming.

Part of pairing is experimenting and keeping in mind that bloom times will vary due to weather etc. If a pairing isn't working I try a different pairing or adjust my expectations, having all blooming at the same time vs having something in bloom at different times. Because it takes so long, three years in the ground for a good display, we are hesitant to make those changes but better that than being disappointed every year. This year I moved several clematis because the combo wasn't working for me. Hopefully the replacements will please me better.

When I choose my combinations I look at what has worked for others. There are many photos shared on the gallery section of this forum and others can be found doing a search here for combinations. These give me an idea of different clematis that bloom at similar times then I make my own choices. Sometimes I then post asking for comments on that combination.

Guernsey Cream is an early bloomer here. I would choose a type three with a longer bloom period to go with the rose.

I am interested in what you decide to do.

thank you for the encouragement, I get frustrated when the picture in my head doesn't work out!
I think that eventually Guernsey Cream and Dortmund may get together on their later bloom, I have searched on Clematis on the Web but there isn't one quite that color that blooms in Jun here.
Am wondering if I cut Guernsey Cream way back in spring if it would slow it down enough to bloom at the same time.
roseberri

I don't usually get a second bloom from cutting type 2 clematis back after first flush because the frost comes too early here. They also often die back close to the ground in the winter so I treat them like a type three. JC is still an early bloomer in June. Another experiment for you to try. Good luck.

The rose that Guernsey Cream is paired with is only about 3 to 4 weeks behind, Guernsey Cream blooms in mid May here and Dortmund in the second week of June so maybe it will work. even with the very cold winter GC didn't die back much for me. For the other grouping I wanted something in the red-purple range to go with the Ramona and Claire De Lune and on thinking about it, my Ernest Markham (which bloomed for the first time since I got it) did bloom at that time . it is not quite the color I was wanting but close enough. But I may just let Varenne go another year as it is so young , it had died to the ground and when more mature it may survive better and bloom a little sooner.