I've read that large shrubs can make excellent hosts for clems, but I'm wondering what type of clem is best to use. We have a large Sweet Olive that puts out a wonderful fragrance each year. Unfortunately, none of the family is that fond of it the rest of the year... it's just kind of "there" taking up space. I thought it would be improved with a clem growing in it and providing interest when the Sweet Olive is not in bloom. Does anyone have a recommendation of what cultivar of chem would do well there... and any advice on how to train and care for the clem underneath the bush? Thanks for any help! Ev =)
Planting clem with Sweet Olive (or other large shrub)
What about a pruning type 3 clematis? That way you could cut it back every spring and clean it up and still get to enjoy all your blooms on your sweet olive. That would be my recommendation.
plant at drip line of shrubpor close to trunk of shrub. if close to trunk, limb us the area so u can see what is going on. i grow jackmanii in very limbed up lilacs. they lilacs are really there as a trellis. they are about 9 to 12 feet high and i limb them up, and prune them form the bottom so they are open, so that there is only foliage on top 3 feet . do not have photo ,but will get one this year. jackmanii blooms after the lilacs, so it keeps the lovliness going. i also grow golden tiara thru the limbed up lilacs.
so limb up a little and prune out so there is air and light in there and plant most any vigorous clem within it.
i also just moved a tanguitica to smoke bushes, same thing i really hard prune the smoke bushes in the spring so i do not get much bloom on them, but they make a good structure with clems and the foliage is a good contrast. again, will have 09 photos to share as the summer comes on.
i have heard caroline and abundance are very pretty thru mohawk viburnam, but i have not done this combo (yet). plan to eventually.
Will the clem grow alright through a shrub that has less severe pruning? The Sweet Olive is there as a remembrance for hubby's grandmother. Many of the plants in our yard are planted specifically because they bring back fond memories of someone or someplace in our past. I wouldn't want to hurt the blooming of the Sweet Olive each year because hubby looks forward to that very much... it's just the rest of the year, the shrub isn't that interesting so I hoped to dress it up a bit. Thoughts?
you can usually prune a shrub out a bit, and limb up sightly and no one will notice. i can not comment as i do not know how dense your shrub is. post photo?
you can also plant the clem behind the shrub and train it up and over vs up through.