Had it in my old garden and it grew like a weed. But it was planted quite close to the pet bunny condo so maybe benefited from some extra nutrients from that source :-) It is a LFH or pruning group II so susceptible to wilt. I would not consider it any harder to grow than any other group II. It also tends to produce the double flowers with the early bloom and more single flowers with the later bloom.

gardenat902, Why not a purple colored clematis to cool down the pink of the John Davis?

gardengal - Hehethat could be! Thanks for the feedback. Glad to hear it's not any more difficult than any other group 2. I found it strange to have somewhat of a "warning" of it's difficulty. Even if I don't grow this one on the arbor w/ the John Davis Roses, I may have to grow it elsewhere!!

true-blue - Do you have any suggestions? I love purple clematis - am attempting to grow 2 diamantina right now on another arbor by themselves. Just planted them this spring so they are still very small and no blooms.

If you have any suggestions I'd love to hear them :o) I'm not so good at matching things, I usually just pick something out and plant it without much thought but I wanted the roses and the clematis to look nice together and not clash. I really like double blooms but am not opposed to a single bloom clematis. Thanks!!

I'm not saying that the won't go well, far from that, if you like it go for it. You can also plant a white and a purple!

In my garden John Davis flowers in early June, a week after Multi-blue normally. If you plant a group 2 clematis, you'll probably have flowers on the same time, and then you'll have a 2nd flush in september. If not you can go with a group III and have flowers in July/ August.

I grow only 2 group II clematis, both of them purplish. Multi-blue and a Franziska Maria.

Multi-blue has been really a great carefree clematis for me. It's starting to bloom now. What I really like about it, is that it's bloom can go through thunderstorms without a hitch. Mine grows at the foot of a young Quadra rose. We'll see how they will fare.

Franziska Maria is a lovely double clematis. In my experience, it's long to establish and it is for the very patient only. Mine flowers only once. Probably due to lack of sun. It flowers after John Davis, in July just before the pink Ville de Lyon. It doesn't like the afternoon sun, especially in heat waves, the flowers sort of melt :-)

This is for you to see the effect purple/ pink. See if you like it. John Davis is lighter pink than Ville de Lyon....

I think a contrast would be nice if I can find something pretty to go with it. :o)
Thanks for your help on planning the time line. That is super super helpful!!

The John Davis roses I planted are babies. I was told they are extremely slow growing, which is why I was thinking about getting some clematis on the arbors with them. I know they do well together and I thought itâÂÂd be nice to get something covering them since the one I have them growing on is old and kinda ugly. Do you think itâÂÂll be an issue if the clematis make it up the arbor first?

I do really enjoy the combination of purple and pink. I think I like FM more than multi blue, but I donâÂÂt want something that will take long to establish. And this arbor is right out there in the hot hot sun. I think I will take a look more at multi blue. ItâÂÂs very pretty. :o) Thank you so much for your help!!

It depends on the clematis; if you plant a Sweet Autumn or Tangutica, yes, it will stifle/hinder any slow growing rose. However, if it's a medium sized clematis, I honestly don't think it will be a problem. A lot of people mix and mingle their vines.

Perfect - I think I'm going to go with multi blue. :o) Thanks so much!!

Just one note, if you go with this selection, you'll probably have a simultaneous flush of roses and clematis roughly the month of June( in my garden clematis starts end of May, John Davis a week later, their not at the same location though).

Then nothing in July and August, till September, and then Multi-blue, unless you plant a July, August flowering clematis too, if you've got the space. Or you can plant belle and multi-blue to have some contrast in September. Or you can plant some morning glories for the 1st year or two. There are many possibilities as you see!

Again, I can't guarantee how it will work, or who will engulf what and what other clematis or vine you can plant ( too many variables, size of the arbor, own root roses, different growth rates , etc)

On my small arbor it is possible that my Quadra engulfs Multi- blue and shade it out completely. (Only one side of my arbor is full sun) and force it to fight back :-)

Thanks for the thoughts. I actually ordered two multi-blues last night :o)

I am more concerned with getting the arbors covered with foliage than I am with blooms all season long!

We will see what happens!!!

I covered it one year with morning glories and another year with a mandevilla until the clematis went from sleep to leap mode, i.e. the 3rd year!

One has to be creative:-)

Congrats on your multi blues. Enjoy the process, it'll be fun.