How many plants on an arch?

Just wondering...

How many plants is too many for a garden arch?

I've got one of the very basic metal ones, and have one rose and one clematis on each side. The trouble is it still looks quite sparse but it is in it's second year.

When I went to my Dad's last night his arch, in it's first year has on one side a honeysuckle, a rose and two clematis. And it's completely smothered!

I just wonder if I should wait and let mine fill out or plant another clematis each side. Or will it all get too full and then a breeding ground for diseases in the future.

I'm training my roses in Woo's zig zag fashion and that is working a treat, but my clematis flowered very early and hasn't put on any new growth since. I wonder if I should cut them back to spur them into action before the autumn comes, or leave them. They are group 2 so don't need cutting right back in theory, but I think they could have benefitted from it!

 

Firstly, don't cut those clematis back, just leave them be and if you still want to cut them back in February and down to a foot or so from the ground.

Secondly, i think arches and large obelisks look very good with multiple plantings and suit a couple of roses, a couple of clematis and possibly a lonicera too.
On a large obelisk here i have clematis Niobe, clematis balearica (which is evergreen and winter flowering), Rosa Pink Perpetue and Lathyrus latifolius and this combination means various colours, forms and always interest.
I would apply the same idea to your arch, if it was me !

 

Hello VP! Haven't seen you around much recently!

I'm the type of person who finds it very hard to plant one thing where I can plant six. Generally, however, I have lived to regret this approach as I have often ended up with a tangled and rather uninspiring mess. Roses in particular like air and space if they're to thrive and look their best. Personally I'd give things another season or two before I started to add complications.

Louise, I planted Clematis balearica some years ago as I had read that it was one of the better tempered evergreens. After a slow start, it suddenly romped away and threatened to swamp not only my little garden but my neighbour's as well! It's very good at rooting wherever it touches the ground. I have now tamed it but it put up quite a fight.

 

Hmmm, interesting to hear about your balearica Claralou, i hope mine is a tad more genteel or i'll be having stern words with it !

 

Thank you ladies. Really helpful advice.

I think I'm going to leave the arch for one more year to enable me to get a good coverage of Rose framework. I might also cut back those clematis and see if they're more successful next year starting from lower down.

Clara Lou, I am struggling to finish a cuppa while it's hot these days! Seem to be so harassed! But a quieter few days are enabling me to indulge myself in some GC time!