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Planting position for arches

jomorrelljomorrell Posts: 3
in Problem solving
I am planting a climbing rose and clematis for each of 2 new garden arches. I will have a narrow stepping stone path through them so wondered whether to plant inside or outside the arch as there will be lots of room inside. Presumably I will train the plants through to both inside and outside, so does it matter? Also I planned on planting the rose on one side and clematis on the other, or is it best to let the clematis grow through the rose? 
Many thanks 

Posts

  • Butterfly66Butterfly66 Posts: 970
    I would plant on the outside. You can then control the amount of growth coming through onto the inside.
    Roses and clematis looked lovely mixed together but I would only do so if the clematis is one that you cut down hard - group 1 and 2. That way you can do all your pruning, rose and clematis at the same time.  I think the group 3 types risk overwhelming the rose and all the growth will be in the way when you want to prune and tie in your rose. Having said that if your rose is a rambler you will be pruning after it’s finished flowering so you’d have to be careful of the clematis anyway.
     If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero
    East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    Just to clarify group 3 clematis you cut down hard,
    group 2 you can treat as group 3 or it's just a tidy up cutting back to healthy strong buds.
     group 1 you usually leave but they flower early so will be over before your roses flower 
  • Butterfly66Butterfly66 Posts: 970
    K67 said:
    Just to clarify group 3 clematis you cut down hard,
    group 2 you can treat as group 3 or it's just a tidy up cutting back to healthy strong buds.
     group 1 you usually leave but they flower early so will be over before your roses flower 
    Whoops, I knew I should have checked 🙄 Thanks @k67
     If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero
    East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Roses definitely on the outside of the arch so you can train them up and over and the arch will support the growth. Maybe the clematis at the front edge of the arch? Trying to train anything on the inside of the arch might be tricky. Some group 3 clematis are well-behaved, I have Warsawska Nike which has large, deep purple blooms and that behaves itself. I think it’s the montana type you should avoid, which will swamp the arch, rose and the rest of the garden if you let it!
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • jomorrelljomorrell Posts: 3
    edited April 2021
    Thanks everyone, the arches are metal and very open see photo. The roses are bathsheba and A Shropshire lad and the clematis are both group 3. Thanks for your advice 👍🏻
  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,134
    You'll be surprised how quickly the interior will fill up and risk blocking access, so definitely plant on the outside, and use one plant of each on each side. Viticella clematis, which fall under Group 3, can be cut back at the time you need to prune the rose, so these are often recommended as companions. Lots of choice here, but try to choose varieties that will not totally swamp your rose.
    https://www.taylorsclematis.co.uk/search.php?mode=search&page=1&keep_https=yes
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Outside
  • jomorrelljomorrell Posts: 3
    Cambridgerose12 said:
    You'll be surprised how quickly the interior will fill up and risk blocking access, so definitely plant on the outside, and use one plant of each on each side. Viticella clematis, which fall under Group 3, can be cut back at the time you need to prune the rose, so these are often recommended as companions. Lots of choice here, but try to choose varieties that will not totally swamp your rose.
    https://www.taylorsclematis.co.uk/search.php?mode=search&page=1&keep_https=yes
    Ah so you think 4 plants on each arch? 
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