One of the things you need to do with clem-rose pairings is match the sizes so one doesn't overwhelm the other. Gertrude Jekyll comes both as a climber (8') and as a shrub 4'x3 1/2' (both sizes taken from the David Austin website - they may be a bit smaller in NH if they get killed back to the ground in winter.) Can you check with your friend to see which one s/he has? and also when bloom time is so we know if the colors need to coordinate?

Betty Corning is a really large clematis that would be better with a large shrub of some type. I don't think I'd pair her with a rose unless it was a really large, vigorous one and I don't think any of the David Austins will be vigorous enough in NH.

She only got it last May so not much known yet. The tag says it is a shrub *OR* climber!!! She showed it to me when she got it and we were discussing it. SHe bought it to be a short climber, but I suggested to her that it probably is weather-dependent what it really is or maybe pruning-dependent.

It was probably pumped up on fertilizer so initially bloomed heavily in May/June, then a little repeat in September.

How about Arabella? I used to grow it and it was quite reliable and long blooming. I like the contrasting color and bloom form. I think it is part integrifolia so it may not climb so much. I recall I had to help it hang out on its obelisk.

Wendy, that's sort of the direction I was thinking, with a shorter height, summer bloom, and blue flowers: Roguchi, Mississippi River, Star River, Juuli, Saphyra Indigo (sold as Sapphire Indigo in the US). All of these have at least some integrifolia characteristics and so will need some support. I don't know of any shorter white or deep red that are small enough, though I think the colors would look nice with GJ's pink.

Maybe someone else will have other suggestions.