Combining the colors of a Queen Elizabeth rose with a light blue Clematis is a stunning combination of pastel colors. When they are in bloom it is hard not to just stand there and look at the flowers!

WELL DONE!!!!

This must be one of the great classic flower combinations in the history of gardening. I can open almost any of the many English gardening books I have and I will find a variation on this theme.

And yet... when I mention this kind of combination to American gardeners in this part of the country... they look at me with a puzzled expression and say something like, "You mean you deliberately let that vine grow into and through that shrub?"
And then, maybe, "I gotta tell ya fella, we just don't do things like that around here."

I laughed [to myself] when I heard that... but then memories started kicking in... and I can now safely say........
[1] In all the American garden books I read, and all the plant design classes I took in college... I never once heard of anyone planting Clematis and Roses together.
[2] I never had a client ask for a combination like this.

Another great combination is Roses and Catmint:

I grow several clematis into my roses!