Mikelite is a favorite of mine (one of the only clematis I have 2 of), a hard prune plant that never wilts, like all type 3's I have grown. Wine with a lighter area mid-petal and a big boss of creamy stamens. It blooms a long time in my garden and gets to 8'-9' according to Clematis on the Web and IME; CotW also has a photo that is color accurate on my computer. Here's mine in its first summer in the garden after fall planting. It's in all day sun, so difficult to find a time that the flowers don't photograph overexposed, so the ones in shade on the left side of the photo are closer to reality for the whole plant.

It's on the edge of the big field behind the house, an area particularly susceptible to vole damage, and I was heart-broken when the voles got into its buried wire mesh enclosure this winter, but after a delay, it is sprouting from whatever roots remain! Based on my experience this is an enthusiastic grower that blooms sooner after planting than many.

Consider planting two clematis on your trellis. A white early bloomer and a later pink or bicolor. They may even have some overlap in bloom time.

Mngal...2 for the price of one hole. That's my idea of efficient.GGuernsey cream is very early and quite lovely. It would do early that the busy ground covers would not be so far along.

Hi Barb, I will look up your suggestion. I have other questions anout planting on arbors which I'll pose in a separate post

Thanks for gettin me started