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Eschscholzia with clematis?

M0rganaM0rgana Posts: 47
in Plants
I have bought a group 3 clematis to put in a square raised bed at the front of our house. It's not been planted yet (hardening up first). There's a trellis on the wall there. Wall is South facing.

Could I plant the eschscholzia seeds from the Gardener's World magazine in the same raised bed? Would that be good for the clematis? If not, any suggestions for companion plants to help shade the base of the clematis? 
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  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    edited April 2023
    I don't see why not, though the clematis will need more water and food than the Eschscholzia. But that can be managed.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • M0rganaM0rgana Posts: 47
    Hmm, I'm very (very!) amateur... I could put the eschscholzia elsewhere. Any suggestions for relatively well matched companions for the clematis would be much welcomed :) 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    They don't need shaded - I'm afraid that's a common myth. What they need is a deep cool root run, so your raised bed just needs to be deep enough to accommodate that, and have a suitable medium for the clematis to grow in. Not just compost. A good mulch is far more useful for water retention  :)
    It shouldn't need hardening off unless it's been growing undercover long term. I assume it's a mature enough plant though - it's not one from a supermarket or similar, is it? If it is, they need growing on for another year or so, as they're usually just last year's cuttings/slips.  :)
    Can't comment on the Eschsohlzia as I don't grow those - I only grow the Welsh poppy, but they wouldn't usually enjoy the same conditions as a Group 3 clem, as @Busy-Lizzie says.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • M0rganaM0rgana Posts: 47
    I got the clematis online from a clematis seller (Thorncroft) and it came with instructions to harden it off... it does say all their clematis are grown undercover. 

    I can mulch! 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    edited April 2023
    That's grand - they're a very reliable supplier. It won't take long to harden off though - a few days out and in will do the job. If the weather's calm, and fairly mild,  you can leave it out for quite a long time.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    Clematis are not fussy about which plants grow near their base. Escholtzias are annuals but seed prolifactly so should be no problem. The most important thing for clematis to be happy is shade created more by stones/gravel/chippings. lumps of stone which can provide shade but not deplete the nutrients in the soil.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I think the amount of water and food a Group 3 clem would need, in a south facing pot/raised bed, could result in the poppies being more leaf than flower. 
    Not something I'd do, but it's worth an experiment.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    It's not that difficult.

    To plant the clematis, mix into the soil a  handful of fish, blood and bone fertiliser and some compost and plant the clematis a bit deeper than it is in the pot. Give it a good watering.

    Sow the seeds. Give them a watering with the rose on the can. Keep slightly moist until they start growing. When the eschscholzia are growing well they shouldn't need much watering. When it's warm and dry then water around the clematis, especially during its first year.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Perhaps sowing the seed on top of the mulch could be better? Less access to the nutrients and water ?
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    I disagree about stones around the base of a Clematis, just attracts molluscs, which have a habit of munching young Clematis shoots.
    I grow dozens, and have never put stones around the base of any of them.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
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