Can I grow clematis and honeysuckle together?

Clematis and honeysuckle (Lonicera) are twining vines that need strong support. Most varieties of both are deciduous. Honeysuckle blooms attract bees and hummingbirds and are known for their fragrance. Clematis blooms are rarely fragrant but come in dozens of colours.

Choose a clematis variety that doesn't need pruning, such as Clematis Sweet Autumn, C. Montana Rubens or C. Montana Tetrarose. Most clematis vines are pruned to 61 cm (2 feet) tall each year, and pruning would be difficult to do if the two vines were intertwined.

Vigorous evergreen clematis (C. armandii) needs no pruning, except to keep it from overtaking the honeysuckle. Evergreen honeysuckle varieties include Lonicera henryi, L. heckrottii and L. sempervirens.

Both honeysuckle and clematis need full sun and regular water. Clematis needs more fertiliser than honeysuckle to bloom well. If the two vines become tightly entwined, their leaves will shade each other and cause leaf drop, so pruning may be necessary to admit more sunlight.