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disneynut1977

2 ?'s....Making own tripod trellis and pairing clematis..

Hi, I got bit by the clematis bug last year. This past summer I put in 5.

Haku Ookan

Polish Spirit

Rosemoor

Niobe

Claire De Lune

Pink Champagne

The first 4; I have put on the picket fence we had done this summer. It's a 4' high fence and I did a pattern of red, purple, red, purple. The plants I placed at every other main post. So each plant is 16' apart. Right now I don't want to completely cover the fence with clematis. These fence clematis get full sun 8-10 hours through out the day.

The Claire De Lune, I placed at the left front corner of my ranch house. It will get about 4-5 hours direct early and late morning sun, than is shaded by the house for the rest of the day. My husband is gonna put together a basic trellis and perm. attach to the corner of house for it.

The Pink Champagne is kinda placed in the middle of my side yard garden, this 1 I want to have my hubby build a basic 6' tall tripod. I do have black wrought iron panel's I could use, but decided to use them for something else and would rather have tripod's for the clematis.

I also WS'd seeds for clematis "Bells". If any sprout, I do want to train them up a short 2.5'-3' tripods at the corners of my garden walkway. These will be in full sun 8-9 hours.

For next year, I'm hoping to pick up Bee's Jubilee for the side of the house that only gets 3-4 hours direct hot afternoon sun. Than I wanted to put Empress on another tripod near the Pink Champagne. I also really want Belle of Woking; just not quite sure where I would put it at the moment.

So, my hubby is very good at wood working and has tools for it. Where could I find instructions for a simple cedar (no frill) triprod or something simular (from 3' - 6' height).

Also if instead of a tripod, he made me a 4 sided structure, could I plant 2 clematis per structure? What would go really well with Pink Champagne(already have), and with Empress(still need to get).

Thank you

Melissa

Comments (7)

  • nckvilledudes
    15 years ago

    I am not familiar with clematis 'Bells' and can't find anything listed as such on COTW so kinda difficult to offer advice on an unknown quantity. Do you have any more info on it as to type of clematis or a more appropriate name?

    If your husband is good at woodworking, try googling tuteurs, trellises, and tripods and you will come up with a wide variety of structures that he can build for you.

    I have clematis planted as close as a few inches apart on an eight foot long trellis I built. Planting two clematis on a tripod or four sided structure should be fine.

  • disneynut1977 ~ Melissa
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Here's the link for the Bells clematis

    http://www.tmseeds.com/product/7990.html
    Thanks for your advice.

    Melissa

  • mnwsgal
    15 years ago

    I have an integrifolia 'Bushy Blue Bells' that I grow through a grid like those for peonies. It gives enough lift to keep the clematis off the ground while still letting it drape. With deadheading mine blooms from spring until frost.

  • nckvilledudes
    15 years ago

    Should have figured it was an integrifolia of some sort but it does add to the confusion when a clematis is not called by its official name. I like the color of the integrifolia flowers in the picture but integrifolia the species does not vary in color like in the picture. I figure that what is pictured and being sold is a mixture of generic integrifolia seeds. That isn't necessarily bad since you don't know what different colored flowers you might get out of such seeds, but the catalog shouldn't be listing them as clematis integrifolia since that can easily be confused with the straight species.

  • wanttogarden
    15 years ago

    This is the plan I used to make three obelisks for my David Austin Roses last year. I make mine taller, a bit shorter than 8 foot. The base is about 3'. You can modify the size by choosing shorter or longer woods.

    {{gwi:216767}}

    I have multiple roses and clematises growing on each.

    Here is a link that might be useful: obelisk plan

  • disneynut1977 ~ Melissa
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thank you, thank you, thank you for your pic. I showed my husband right away and told him that's what I want for Mothers Day next year. You stated you have roses and clematis together? I started considering putting some climbers on my fence on my empty post's. Now I'm wondeing if I should do 1 clematis per obelisk and plant a climbing rose with it instead of doing 2 clematis?

  • wanttogarden
    15 years ago

    Dinseynut:

    Did you see the link to its plan on the bottom of the link?

    I used 2x2x8's for the four corners and 1x2x8 for the
    lateral supports. To make it sturdier, you can use 2x2's for the laterals too. It is a heavy structure and will support a rose and few clematis. Comparing to roses, clematises have light canes and this structure for them alone is kind of over kill unless you are planning on multiple.

    Let me know if you need more info.

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