My short ones (under 3') I usually grow where they can lean on something else if needed, and I might put one of those gridded perennial supports over it. The taller ones I usual surround with a wire support such as a tomato support, but they also are situated where there are a couple of shrubs they can lean on. I put them in full sun, and they are in a mixed bed with shrubs, perennials, groundcovers, and bulbs. They seem to be doing fine, but are just going into their third season.

I have more trouble siting non-climbers, but have used tomato cages or those gridded supports, too.

I also use the girded supports for my short integrafolias. This year I added Petite Falcon and am trying a short wire tower. These are all in free standing perennial beds near the front to give easy access.

I have two tall non-clinging vines that I use with a regular trellis and tuck the vines in and out as needed. One is in a narrow bed on the side of the garage. The other is in a perennial bed by my white pine. One blooms early and gets cut back while the other blooms until frost.

On my bucket list is a non-climbing clem, trailing down over the edges of a tall antique porcelain or pottery cylinder type container, near my entry. The gorgeous pots (cylinders) look about 4 feet high.

I've seen photos of this. Very upper class homes with a full gardening staff sorts of homes. The lower part of the cylinder would be filled with some sort of non-organic lifting up stuff to hold the pot with the clem potted in it. It's the sort of situation where these potted plant inserts are changed out seasonally so something is always in prime show off condition. The clems I've seen growing in these photos drape so beautifully and full, they could only be the shorter, non-climbing varieties.

Someday. :)

mnwsgal: what are the taller varieties that work for you on a regular trellis? I am buying more non-vining, integrifolia types to add variety to my clematis collection. So am glad to know what has grown well and stayed upright for others in my zone. I am not going to have scramblers on the ground as the rabbits would feast on them, we have to do the green chicken wire around all our clems. Nasty rabbits!!!
Thanks, Marlene

Marlene, I just came in from tucking a few vines of 'inspiration, which gets 5-6 feet tall. I bought it as an unidentified vine so did not know that it was a lax climber and put it on a 6 foot trellis. This one blooms until frost.

The other, Recta, is a much larger vine which is supposed to be fragrant but mine is not. Buy it in bloom so you can to be sure you get a fragrant one. It has tiny white flowers like Sweet Autumn. This one outgrows my trellis and into the pine tree. When it gets bulky I wrap a piece of twine around the plant, weaving it in and out so it isn't too obvious and to keep it from sagging as the trellis only has three horizontal bars. It blooms for two weeks to a month late spring/early summer and is done. Haven't had any fall bloom on it, even when cut back midsummer.

A young Asao put out the first bloom yesterday. Lots of buds on most of the others with Elsa Spath, Kakio, and Mrs. Bateman opening a few blooms today. All very late this year and still waiting on two to show up.

Thanks, mnwsgal. I will check out Inspiration. My recta is in full bloom also, (3rd year I think), love it, surprised it stands so straight without flopping. I did have some rebloom last year.
I ordered clematis for the first time ever to get integrifolias, different flowers for variety. Blooming in their pots on my deck are Star River & Durandii, waiting for Mississippi River to show a flower. Have eleven waiting to be planted. Was going to restrain myself this year, really am running out of creative ideas, have enough obelisks, trellises, gates, iron bed head & foot boards, misc to open my own nursery!
Marlene

I know that feeling!