Ive only just put my first 5 in last weekend but interested in response on this for tips with my new babies x

We don't have any problem like that at all, Owdboggy. Clematis are scramblers rather climbers and will grow up and over anything! Around the house and shed we have horezontal wires about two feet appart and they have no problem with climbing these and over the roof of the shed. Otherwise they scamble happily over stumps and wall in the garden.

I don't have any trouble either, mine all wrap their petioles round the thin supports on the mesh, and you say you have proper clematis mesh, which is thin enough.. and presumably that mesh isn't completely flat, hard against the wall or fence behind, that is, the petioles can actually get round the back of each 'strut'. I do find that sometimes, early in the year as growth begins (for those which have been pruned right down to 2 buds) they need encouraging onto the mesh, but once they're on it, away they go. The only time I had one that didn't was being grown in a shady spot - I think it was making a break towards the brighter light 6 feet away, where the wall ended, but with a bit of persuasion early in the year, it was fine.

Got every kind of support for them to cling to, but no, off they go across the floor. The only ones which seem to do as they are supposed to are the big Montanas and some of the species ones. Really annoying. I planted Jasmine up the posts of the Pergola, they climb happily up the supports. Do the Clematis cling to the Jasmine? Do they heck.

Like Bamboo I train mine onto the trellis Owdboggy, then off they go, I have some growing through climbing and rambling roses and they really are looking a picture this year. I had planted a Montana in the spring in a shady spot, where eventually it would grow up into the light, and I found myself tying that in a lot, now its decided to go up instead of along.

I have a couple that 'misbehave'. One is supposed to cling to stiff plastic netting against a post but never does. The other is supposed to clamber over paeonies once their flowers have faded but prefers to explore on both sides of the line of host plants, rather than run along the line.

Should mention that these are all C. viticella types by the way. So at least they get cut down to the ground in February and maybe they will climb next year. Hah. They have never climbed in 16 years.

I have a viticella that needs tying in, 'She' kermesina, likes to go sideways. She prefers to lay her stems on the ground. I took a cutting a couple of years ago and placed in a border to scramble around the plants, but will the second do as I want. No way 'She chooses to stand and flop, looking as tho her obelisk has been removed.
I have found in the past, that if they don't like what they are supposed to climb up, they will react like a dog at bathtime

It's the viticella ones I have to persuade back onto the support early in the year, as growth begins, or else I find they've grown 2 feet along the ground. I usually only notice by about May, when I think why is that clem not growing, and have a rummage about and spot it rapidly making its way behind the other plants along the soil, heading for who knows where. At that point, I tie them to the mesh and then its fine.