Clematis growing the ground

[piskieinboots]

Have any of you tried growing a clematis along the ground?

I was reading a piece over the weekend where this had been done - I am going to trying it through my conifer bed.

Edit - in case the editor will not let me amend the stupid typo in the heading ... it should say 'Clematis growing ON the ground'

[piskieinboots]

I'm guessing from your silence that you haven't tried it out - I'll report back when I've planted and it has either worked or not

[Tam]

I have grown clematis on a large mound, about ten feet by ten feet, and it looked very good and was a haven for all kinds of creatures. It was, originally, meant to grow up a trellis, but I'm afraid the trellis hung around for about eighteen months and was eventually clad with a rambler rose. This was many years ago, but, at the moment, I have generally got one or two clematis branches growing on the ground unintentionally

[Snadger]

Apparently you can do the same with runner beans........................but I aint tried that either!

I imagine that with clematis it will root wherever it touches the ground so the tangle caused by it rooting could be a bugger to weed?

[piskieinboots]

dunno Snadger - I'll let you know

[BrideXIII]

dunno Snadger - I'll let you know

well they do like their roots in shade, and there is not a lot that likes growing under conifers, i'd say it was well worth a try.

[piskieinboots]

I'm not claiming for the idea, it was in the article I read - but as you say Bride, worth a try ...isn't that what we love about gardening

[SMS6]

I thought they liked their roots in the shade and heads in the sun, so I would expect them to try and grow upwards to the light all the time?

[Snadger]

Which cultivar are you growing pixie?

[piskieinboots]

who's pixie

Here is a good clip, from this site:
Along the ground! Yes - we are talking ground cover planting here! Clematis are absolutely fine wandering through a shrub border - smothering weeds as they go. Together with this, Clematis monatna types and Clematis armandii, will both perform magnificently as ground cover planting on an otherwise difficult bank

[nick the grief]

Get a copy of the Victorian Flower Garden, they'll show you how to do it

What they did was to lay branches over the ground and then they will weedle their way through the branches and cover the branches in a green mound. being horizontal (ish) they should flower better as there will be a restriction in the flow of sap.

I'd be careful of Montana's though they can be thugs - I've got one that grows about 12" a week in the summer!!! I'd stick to the larger flowered hybrids in various colours for a real smack in the eye

Hope that helps

[Snadger]

who's pixie
[/I]

Close enough! I get called snager quite a lot...........among other things!