Winter interest with a Clematis..help..

Ok...so I found several Clematis that will more than likely work on my mostly shaded back fence but All Clematis I've ever seen look pretty sad when it starts getting colder...I'm in 7b...Any one have any advice for something to grow with the Clematis that might help with the winterish interest...I have about 100 feet worth of fence to cover so I'm gonna have to do several plants and thought if I could do some of several it would add some interest all year :) Any advice?

Ok...so ignore the top..I'm going to do the Clematis and passion flowers in the sun...would adding in Smilax be ok...since it is an evergreen it would stay green when the others dropped off...Any thoughts? And on the partial shaded fence I'm going to try Star Jasmine...

On your zone, like mine, Kristin, maybe you would like to try Crossvines for evergreen. It blooms in early spring profusely and sproradic there after. Easy care vine, and lovely all year round. Clematis Armandii is an evergreen that provide Star shape creamy white flowers a little earlier than Crossvine. Also Blue Sky vine, although, this one will die down to the ground when 1st frost hits. Passi you've many options; the native Maypop blooms for long season, then the fruits. Other passi to try are Lady Margaret, Brazillian Passi.
Good lucks.

check this site out

http://www.howellsonclematis.co.uk/Pages/Gnews19.html

This message was edited Aug 24, 2007 12:09 PM

heres another

http://www.plantdel.com/Catalog/Current/Detail/05855.html


and

Winter-flowering clematis
C. cirrhosa 'Freckles': produces cream, bell-shaped flowers all winter, with orangey-red spots inside the flower. It requires a mild climate. Pruning is not necessary.
C. cirrhosa 'Jingle Bells': produces creamy white flowers, which have a delicate lemon scent, during the Christmas period. It requires a mild climate. Pruning is not necessary.

Thank you! I actually found another that is a version of the Cirrhosa..called Wisley Cream that is nice that is also considered an evergreen...Gonna give that a try..if I can find it...