5 Best Companion Plants for Clematis

Clematis is one of the flowering plants that adds vertical beauty to your backyard garden. From shades of purple, pink, blue and white, its vibrant flowers climb easily over trellis, fences or arches, transforming the plain into an eye-catching floral display.

Clematis shines in its own right, but growing cultivated plants around it is essential for both health and beauty.

The right companions can cover their roots, improve soil moisture, and block pests.

What benefits does companion planting bring to Clematis?

As mentioned above, companion planting offers several advantages to clematis starting with root protection. Low-growth plants such as hostas and hardy geraniums shade the base, keeping the roots cool and preventing moisture loss.

It also improves soil moisture by reducing evaporation and maintaining uniform underground temperatures. This helps clematis thrive, especially during warm months when the soil tends to dry out quickly.

When it comes to pest control, certain companion plants, such as marigolds and alliums, can naturally block pests that can harm clematis and reduce the need for chemical sprays.

Finally, combining clematis with other plants improves the overall garden aesthetic. A mix of climbing blue and bushy companions and flowering companions add layers, colours and textures for a more attractive display.

5 Best Companion Plants to Grow With Clematis

Clematis may be the beauty of climbing your garden, but the plants around it can make all the difference in their health and appearance.

The right companions keep the roots cool, support their growth, and create a stunning layered effect on the landscape.

1. Sea Hollies (Eringium)

Sea Holly brings dramatic talent to your garden with its pointy silver flowers, beautifully contrasting with soft, star-shaped clematis flowers. They are drought-resistant and, like Clematis, thrive in well-drained soils.

Thanks to their deep Taplout, the sea holies do not compete for moisture near the surface. This makes them the perfect neighbor for Clematis.

Their bristle texture helps to stop deer and rabbits, providing natural protection for the more delicate clematis grapes. The structured leaves also add interesting shapes and year-round visual texture to garden beds.

Additionally, sea holies are magnets of bees and butterflies, increasing pollinator activity and contributing to the health of the entire garden ecosystem.

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2. Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)

Japanese maples have the perfect Japanese hues for the roots of clematis, which prefer to keep them cool during the day soak. Their elegant branches allow the clematis to naturally cover inside or around them.

Fallen leaves act as light mulch, retaining soil moisture and helping to improve structure over time. They gently decompose and feed the soil without overwhelming it.

Clematis can climb small maples without damaging them, creating a layered appearance of flowers covering the flowers over fiery red or golden leaves. The vertical pairing looks artistic and calm.

In autumn, the intense colour of maple shines through the late season’s Clematis bloom. Even when the clematis goes dormant, maple maintains beauty and structure throughout the winter.

3. Ground Cover Rose (Rosa Spp.)

The roses on the ground cover or carpet spread low and wide, shading the base of the clematis grapes, keeping the soil cool. This living multi-effect helps to maintain the moisture balance that Clematis loves.

Both roses and clematis enjoy rich, grown soil and can benefit from the same fertilizer. Their needs are perfectly tailored to feeding, watering and pruning.

The thorny stems of roses provide light physical support to cling to when the clematis begins. When both mature, they complement each other with impressive contrasts of foam and bloom style.

Roses bloom on the base and as the clematis climbs up there is a continuous vertical flower show. The fragrance combinations are fascinating along the aisles and fence lines.

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4. Flowering sweet peas (Latylus odoratus)

Sweet Peas are fun early seasonal climbers, especially when they are still founded in the spring. The soft, fragrant flowers fill the vertical space.

These legumes fixate nitrogen in the soil and naturally concentrate for the benefit of heavy feeding plants like clematis. They act as live soil conditioners during the growth cycle.

As the summer heat begins, clematis peaks and the sweet peas fade fade as they offer a seamless transition of bloom time. This creates a certain color for the shared trellis or obelisk.

Sweet pea grapes can also be easily removed at the end of the season, clearing the space and airflow for clematis to thrive in the late summer and fall.

5. Decorative grass

Decorative grasses such as blue fescue, fountain plants, or feathered leadglasses are the perfect companions to offer premium textured leaves to balance the boldness of a clematis bloom. They provide soft movement and shape contrast.

These grasses gently cover the soil without suffocating the base of the clematis. This will cool the roots and prevent weeds from creeping up.

Their fibrous roots improve soil aeration and drainage. It also helps to stabilize the base of the arbor or trellis from erosion during rain.

In winter, when the clematis returns, ornamental grass keeps the garden visually interesting. Their dry plumes and foams provide year-round beauty and shelter for beneficial insects.

Clematis bad companion plant

Tall, aggressive shrubs like lilac and forshusia can overshadow the clematis and block the grapes from the required sunlight. They also compete fiercely for nutrients and hydration, and Clematis struggles to prosper.

Large, thirsty trees such as maple and willows have a wide range of root systems that quickly drain water. Clematis prefers evenly moist soil, so the roots of nearby trees can lead to drier, stressful plants.

While vast ground covers like mint and vinca may seem useful, they tend to suffocate the clematis base. Clematis requires airflow around the crown to prevent corruption and disease.

Heavy feeders like tomatoes and cabbage extract many nutrients from the soil. Planted nearby, they can leave the clematis weak and weak unless you regularly correct the soil.

Plants with aggressive spreading habits like bamboo and ivy can invade the roots of clematis. They push out space and make it difficult for the vine to properly establish.

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Conclusion

Clematis is an amazing addition to any garden, but choosing the right companion plant will make all the difference in how well it grows and blooms.

Good companions like hostas, ornamental grass, or Japanese maples, can help support their needs. It cools the roots, improves the soil, and enhances the visual appeal of the garden.

Avoid planting aggressive or overly competitive seeds nearby, as they can steal the water, light and nutrients that Clematis depends on.

With thoughtful pairings, your clematis not only thriving, but also creates beautifully layered, balanced garden spaces that look great throughout the season.