Clematis climb by using the stalk part of the middle leaf. This means that they require something small to wrap this leaf stalk around.

Clematis Huldine growing over a short wall.

Clematis Rhapsody in the vegie garden

Clematis Star of India growing through an apple tree

Suitable structures include wire, thin trellis and other plants. Thick wooden trellis is ok, but you will have to physically train your clematis because it will have trouble climbing by itself. The images above show some easy ways to grow clematis.

• As a border plant, let it ramble through other plants.
• Using thin wire, in this case chicken wire. You can also wrap chicken wire around a wooden pole and let the clematis scramble up it.
• Use an existing plant such as a small tree. Pruning the clematis high up will bring the flowers to the outside of the tree, while the trunk of the tree hides any bare clematis stems.