Jeanne, how does your Violet Elizabeth do? I'm not impressed. Mine is three years old and has had one greenish pale bloom.

BoS...Mine hasn't done Squat either..but mine was just planted this past Spring..but I love the pics of the blooms and want it to flourish in my gardens SO BADLY!!..Some Pruning group 2s are a pain in the you know what IMHO!!..And that must be one of them...did you hard prune it?..I do all of mine!!..at least their first prune season...that one might need it more than once????...Some children need a spanking more than once in my book..LOL...Jeanne

Hi Jeanne - Thank you for all the great suggestions and for pointing me toward the search engine on COTW. Lots of useful information on that site!

I also wrote to Chalk Hill asking for help and the following are the suggestions that their manager Murray Rosen gave me...

Ascotiensis
Prince Charles
Emilia Plater
Dominika
Perrins Pride
Etoile Violette
Blue Belle
Ernest Markham
Ville de Lyon
Lady Betty Balfour

I see that some are the same varieties that Jeanne suggested.
Does anyone have any experience with any of the others?

Erin---

The only one out of your list that I didn't mention previously is "Lady Betty Balfour"..Even tho she is a Pruning Group 3...she has been slow to get established in my gardens...she is in year 2 for me...so I am hoping that that 3rd "Leap" year works for her!!..And she definitely is late blooming...she is one of the last to start blooming for me...I don't have her companioned with a Rose but with another Clematis...Clematis "Rosemoor"..another that is best done as a pruning group 3...Jeanne

Like Jeanne, I'm a fan of Vitacellas. They rebloom quite nicely and the smaller flower looks great with roses.

IMO, to much is written about what to do and what not to do. And many of these authors live in different climates and zones than you do. Experiment, if it doesn't work try another one.

Save money by getting young plants in the early spring and potting them up in large containers and let the root structure strengthen. Then plant.

Carol

Jeanne --
I've got two of the Ramona clematis you mentioned. They're winding through a rose arbor in a partial shade location. Ramona is a beautiful lavender color that almost glows in the early morning and at dusk. Heavy bloomer, large blooms. Bloomed a little the first year, a good show year 2, and this year went absolutely crazy. Love Ramona!

I was planning to try a Rhapsody clematis, advertised as a sapphire blue, in a part shade location with a Lady Banks yellow climber. I have another Lady Banks in a very sunny location near the back terrace where I was thinking of putting a Crystal Fountain clematis.

But I hadn't considered the pruning issues -- guess I need to check to see what pruning season they are. If anyone has any better suggestions for blues, I've still got time to change my mind before October planting.

Gayle

Gayle..I am thrilled you are seeing the vigor and beauty of Clematis "Ramona"..she is so underestimated and talked about one of the wonderful Pruning group 2's IMHO. I have clematis "Rhapsody" but he doesn't seem as vigorous or floriferous as "Ramona" BUT that may be because he is in more shade..I am considering moving him..maybe someone with him located in more sun can speak differently about his attributes?
I also have clematis "Crystal Fountain" which is in year two for me..she was wonderful this year..I have her container grown with a drip system to her pot..she hasn't gotten very tall for me..only about 4-5 feet tall..tho mine is in morning sun and afternoon shade..
Climbing rosa "Lady Banks" is a huge vigorous one time bloomer and I would suggest planting a pruning group 3 if I was you..Purples and blues both look fabulous with yellow and call me kinky but I love red with yellow roses too..I have climbing rosa "Teasing Georgia" companioned with "Barbara Harrington" & "Mme Julia Correvon"..two deliciously vigorous reddish pruning group 3's...Jeanne

Two years later my Violet Elizabeth still isn't a good performer and my Barbara Harrington isn't either.....

"Violet Elizabeth" wilted two years ago and still nothing!! My "Barbara Harrington" is doing wonderful in her pot along with "Huldine"

I have Gravetye Beauty paired with a Sombreuil climbing rose and it has done fabulously. It blooms more or less spring through fall for me.

Harlow Carr is another one I have that works well with climbing Iceberg.

Negrijianka has also done well with an apricot colored rose.

wanda

Is the Rhapsody clematis a true blue? And what about Crystal Fountain?

Clematis "Rhapsody" is a true blue whereas "Crystal Fountain" has tinges of purple in the tepals...Jeanne

I was just reading this thread, but was wishing I could see some pictures of roses with clematis. Can anyone share some pictures of their favorite rose/clem combos? THANKS!!

I like Don Juan and Mrs. Cholmondeley together.

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I have a Cecile Brunner rose that I will be planting this spring. It has small pale pink flowers. Any suggestions for a clematis to plant with this rose?

This is my only rose. I'm not a rose person as don't like plants that have thorns. This rose is a special gift. I have more than 30 different clematis.