Most clematis do well in full sun. Knowing your geographic area would help with suggestions. Do you have bloom color and/ or size of bloom preferences? Bloom time? Is this the only clematis for the location?

The list I started typing was getting so long that instead I encourage you to visit some online clematis sale sites.

Here are two that have given me excellent customer service
Brushwood Nursery

Donahue's Clematis

NHbabs - Yes, one type growing up from 2 sides. I have purchased from some of the nurseries you mentioned. Silver Star Vinery sent me tiny little plants last year for the first time which was surprising. Usually their plants were decent size. Who aside from Bluestone and SSV sends large plants?

I have about 8 jackmaii on the property so far because I love it. I can plant it anywhere shade or sun and it just romps after year 3. I have also Princess Diana. I love her but she is too short for this arch. I have Prince Charles - also too short. I have tried many many other varieties but they are just not as robust. I have a lovely light purple one that took 5 years to get established in shade but I have no idea of the name. John Huxtable I love but I have lost 2 of the 2 on another arch and have to keep replacing him. Maybe he needs more fertlizer, I don't know. I have Crystal Fountains which is too short for where it is but I love it so much I keep it anyway. There is a gorgeous actual blue clem (unnamed) I bought from a box store eons ago, but he won't climb. He just romps on the ground so I let him. So for this arch, I want something as vigorous as jackmanii that gets 12". Does anyone grow sweet summer love? Or have a better variety?

Also I have a huge 4' tall garden fence in need of something to cover large sections. Will an upwards growing vine run horizontally instead?

mnwsgal - I have and have had many clems. But as I mentioned above only a few do well and only one covers a huge arch. Of brushwood and Donohue's which one sends the largest plants? Thanks for your help.

None of Donohue's list the length they get. That is very strange.

They both send starter plants that I let grow in a gal. pot for a season in a holding bed before planting that fall or next spring. Living close to Donahues I like to visit their greenhouse and select gal. sized plants, most in bloom, during their spring open house. I do not know if they will sell a gal plant via mail order. I have gotten a list from Donahue's during my visits that include the clematis they grew that year with description, size of flower, expected size of growth, and pruning category.

Donahue's also supplies many of the nurseries and big box stores with gal. plants. I prefer that size though have bought smaller ones and all have grown well.

I wound up getting from Brushwood again. Luther Burbank, "10-13 feet, vigorous, huge flowers." I still need jackmanii superba for my new tall wood fence and something for a 4' high long long long garden fence which is metal filigree in full sun. Any suggestions? Do you think jackmanii would cover a large portion even though the growth would be mostly horizontal? It is probably a stupid question... I really love that tough old clem. The color is just gorgeous with yellow roses or orange begonias and crocosmia.

Huldine and Betty Corning are two that get especially large in my garden, both lovely as well.

I forgot about betty corning. If I can still find her when I am ready for round 2, I am definitely going for that.

Kermensina is tall and vigorous as is Carmencita IME. Ville de Lyon is another large one.

Some other vigorous favorites that don't grow quite as tall for other spots:

Little Bas

Venosa Violacea

Mikelite is really long blooming

HF Young (type 2 prune unlike all the others I've suggested)

and I really like the tiny flowers of Avant-Garde.

For something smaller and a bit different look at C. alpina Stolwijk Gold which is an early bloomer.

This year for the first time Brushwood is sending out gallon-sized plants so I know nothing about actual size or performance of those, but even their quart sized have done well for me directly planted in the garden.

Bluestone's are tiny, not large, but have vigorous roots.

Joy Creek sent plants in varying sizes the one time I ordered from them, quarts and gallons IIRC.

Silver Star and Hummingbird Farm all send out plants of about the same size IME, plants grown in gallon pots that have been removed from the pots, so not as big as local nurseries, but bigger than from anyone else. I think the owner of SS had some health issues (car accident?) last year, so that may have been a reason for less robust plants.

I plant them all directly in the garden since I tend to neglect plants in pots so they may not survive the summer.

Thanks for the awesome list! That should keep me busy for awhile. Perhaps I will gibe SS another chance.

I have only done mail order for clems from Joy Creek (local nurseries carry a wide range of varieties) but the plants I received from them were big (1G size) and well developed. They also seem to carry some less common cultivars than most other sources.

You can sort through their clematis listings/check availability here.

I have seen photos on this site of sweet autumn trained horizontally on a low fence which is very impressive.

My neighbor has kindly allowed me to plant clematis along his low fence. I prefer using a variety of clematis rather than one kind which allows for some bloom all through spring/summer/fall. They are planted fairly closely and only require a bit of tucking here and there while letting the vines drape over the fence