Most clematis would die in the ground there. Water sucking firs! They have shallow roots. A big pot support's plants better sometimes.

Yes, if you are going to give it extra water in the summer you could grow it up the tree. How big is your fir? If it is quite large you could grow a clematis montana up it. They get quite large-30' and bloom in May. There are varieties in pink or white, and some are fragrant which is a plus. They bloom on old wood(type 1) so there is little pruning. You could put bird netting or hardware cloth along the stem so it has something to cling to until it gets to the branches, or you could simply tie the stems to the trunch of the tree. Eventually they get woody and need little support.

Another large variety is clematis armandii. It is evergreen and gets very large as well. It has fragrant white flowers in March and April and blooms on old wood as well.

There are so many varieties of clematis. A couple of white and pink varieties that bloom well for me are Huldine, sweet autumn clematis, Marmori, and Hagley hybid. These all bloom on new wood. If you let it grow unpruned in your tree, eventually you will not have blooms along the trunk, just up in the tree. If you want blooms along the stem then you would have to hard prune it every spring(type 3).

There are varieties of clematis that bloom on old wood and new wood(type2). They usually have large showy flowers. Wada's primrose, and John Paul II are white/pink varieties that have bloomed well for me. It blooms in April and May on old wood and then again later in the summer on new wood. If left unpruned they can get 20-25 feet tall.

Clematis grow very well in the Pacific northwest. You can go to clematis on the web and look at photo's of different varieties. Here is a photo of clematis montana rubens growing through a purple plum in my yard. It is 5 years old.

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Karen

Here is a link that might be useful: Clematis on the web

Karen....that pic is beautiful....thanks for sharing! Thanks for all the suggestions and the website...I have been researching all of your suggestions. I went out last night....wanted to see if I could dig a hole next to the fir tree I want the clematis to climb....the soil was very moist, and I was able to dig a hole large enough with running into any large roots! I like the idea of an evergreen clematis, but it's not absolutely necessary. Are there any yellow clematis that would do well?

Karen...you were asking how large the tree is. Here is a pic of the tree (or part of it)...it's a very large tree...but limbed up very high, so don't think the vines would reach a limb! I will look for the hardware cloth. Would it be important to leave a "space" between the hardware cloth and the tree for it to wrap around...or do I just nail or screw it right to the tree?
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Don't mind the construction mess in the picture....the shed/playhouse is currently being built. The area to the left of the fir tree will be cleared out as I am building a "memory place" for my 14 yr old niece whom we lost to cancer last year. There will be a pondless waterfall and a bench for sitting...I am going to put climbing roses (white) on the chain link as those were her favorite. For the backdrop (to hide my neighbors blue shed) I may put a line of arborvitae, or a privacy screen with a vine on it...haven't decided yet...just don't want to take up much space with whatever I use for privacy.

Thanks for all your help!

Wow, that is a big tree. You would have no problem growing a large clematis on that. The clematis that have yellow flowers are the small flowered species type. They usually have nodding yellow bells and some of those get very large in size. They are in the type 3 pruning group. They only bloom on new wood. You would have to cut your clematis back every year to get blooms on the lower part of the plant. Some varieties I grow are serratifolia, rehderiana, and tangutica. None of those are evergreen. You can look those up on the website also for photo's.

Climbing hydrangea, honeysuckle(fragrant yellow flowers, some are evergreen)or a Jasmine would also be other options. They all get very large as well.

Yes if you plant a clematis you have to leave a space between the chicken wire and the tree. The clematis has to have room to wrap it's leaf petiole around the wire. You don't want the wire against the bark or over time the tree may grow into the wire. I would have it climb the sunniest side of the tree.

I think a Montana would be best but they are not evergreen. Have fun researching your vine. You will have to post a photo in a couple of years. I am sure it will look great with whatever you choose. Karen

Gold Heart Ivy would look nice growing up the bark of the fir tree. A clematis would be better suited against the shed.