Freestyle growth of clematis will become a tangled mess. They need a trellis of some sort they are climbers and will not grow "through" your plants but grow up and over your plants.

Actually, Treasure of Tenbury who are THE Clematis specialists grow a fair number of Clematis this way in their display gardens.
And as for being climbers..............would beg to disagree. Despite having things for them to climb up and cling to, the majority of my viticella types have to be tied up to stop them scrambling horizontally rather than growing vertically.

It works best with the types which are cut down to the ground in February, so that you can clear away the old top growth while the plants in the border are still dormant. So it does work with Purple Spider, or at least it does here. Sorry no pictures of it doing it.

Just google "clematis groundcover" and it comes up with lots of ideas and pictures of clematis doing just that, as long as I pick a group 3 plant and not too tall I reckon I should be fine. I just wanted to chat with someone who has actually done it here in the uk, rather than in the US where much of the info comes from. I can do with some groundcover too ?

Thank you loosestrife and owdboggy, I do agree with ob as I've had viticellas in previous gardens which were forever running 'away', but as I wanted them to grow up then, I never let them go. Well it sounds to me the only way to grow them here in my present garden, we are on a hilltop with abs no protection from prevailing northwesterlies or any other ..lies for that matter. Gardening for me is so much about experimenting and breaking rules and the enjoyment I get from that.

The plants they are to scramble over need to be fairly robust to take the weight, or well supported with whatever system you use.

I'll make sure they will be o.b, thanks for the advise.

I saw one once grown over a sort of dome about two feet high at the top- couldn't see what it was made of but the result was impressive. Always meant to try it but never got round to it.

There are a couple on the market that are specifically grown as ground cover. Clematis Bijou and Filigree. But as long as you choose a group 3 clematis, so you can cut it back to ground level in late winter, and choose one that grows to an appropriate size for its host, you'll have great success. I've been doing it for years. Theres hardly a shrub in my garden that doesnt have a clematis growing beside it! One word of caution. I have found that Clematis 'Arabella' doesnt flower as well unless it can go 'upwards'. But I've not noticed this with any of my others. Integrifolias are very good for this style of growing.

Thanks Karen, for that info. Looking at group 3 there seem to be plenty of great choices. How are your vertical clematis doing as I believe you are quite exposed where you are?

Very early days Resi, but so far so good. I've also added some on obelisks this year...but only short growers; and some tall growers to clamber through my apple trees etc. I love them, so I HAVE to grow them! Lol!

I just looked back at the advice here and saw your tip on c.arabella Karen..I got one from my fav plantstall on the market this week. I was hoping, vaguely remembering you said it didn't flower well when horizontal and hoping it wasnt this one but of course it was! Healthy beautiful and in bud! The dog ran through the new border this morning and snapped of 2 of its 3 stems! Not a good morning.

Oh Resi!...:(( poor you. This is not Arabella's year. The one I bought in the spring isnt doing well. First the tallest stems got cut down by cold, and now its very slowly growing from the base. I dont think it will do much this year. Heres to both our Arabella's being fantastic in 2017! I would recommend that you give it something to support it at some point.

I did and thats why she snagged them, the stems went through some low forked branches I set up, they didnt give when she barged through! As you say it's not arabella's year! At least the slugs left it alone! Thanks for your info.

Oh dear Resi...sorry! ;)