Rope for climbers

Guernsey Donkey2

I am sure I saw on this site - a few months ago - someone had used a thick rope to train a climbing clematis over from one side of their front door to the other.  The plant had been twisted over the rope which was horizontal and attached to the front of their house. My Montana clematis has been trained up a trellis, now reaching the top and I would like to train it over the stone work of the house and thought a rope would be ideal. The first picture above shows the trellis - the clematis has now reached the top so I would like to train it to go left above the door (brown on left of picture). The second picture taken this year shows the plant in flower. Thank you.

Obelixx

You need to get some good thick rope and soak it overnight in a big bin.   Meanwhile, erect two sturdy posts thru which you have drilled a hole the same diametre as the rope.   Then you pass the drained rope thru the holes, loop or tension it as you prefer and hold it in place with sturdy nails or screws either side of the hole.

This photo was taken in 2005 at Coloma rose garden in St Pieters-Leeuw near Brussels.   They have roses from all over the world, planted by continent and this was a newly planted display but you get the idea and can adapt it for a clematis which, I suspect, may appreciate having two rope levels as shown here.

Joy*

Your clematis looks lovely.  Does it have perfume and have you any idea of the variety? I have clematis envy!

AlliumPurpleSensation

This is the structure I made for my climbing roses.  I decided not to drill through the posts but found some hooks from B&Q.  The rope was an Amazon search for landscape rope, think it's 30mm thick.

Slightly different situation to yours bit might give you an idea x

Lizzie27

You could also attach a metal ring to the other side of your front door and thread the rope through that. I believe you need treated rope from a boat chandler so that it doesn't rot quickly, although you can get nylon rope of course. I used the rope from my dad's old yacht to loop between wooden posts in a circle for roses to clamber along - many moons ago!

Guernsey Donkey2

Thank you for your suggestions and experiences.  I will contact a boat chandler, to see what they have avilable.  The rope needs only be approx a metre or two, I would like it above the granite lintel if possible - it would be a shame to cover that lovely stone and yet if I have it too high the clematis will be growing into the gutter if I don't keep training it.  The Clematis is Montana Grandiflora @Joy* ,

Sheleen

Guernsey Donkey2 said:

.... My Montana clematis has been trained up a trellis, now reaching the top and I would like to train it over the stone work of the house and thought a rope would be ideal. ...picture taken this year shows the plant in flower.

Off topic... but thank you for posting this - I've just had gifted to me two of these clematis, and I had no idea what they looked like! Your specimen is beautiful - may I ask which direction the wall faces that they grow on?
Many thanks x

Guernsey Donkey2

Thanks @Sheleen I was also amazed at the beauty of the plant - grown from a plug plant over a couple of years and this is it's first year in a bed in it's final position and flowering like there was no tomorrow.  The wall faces south so gets baking hot at this time of year.  I water the plant 2 or 3 times a week, with a weekly feed whilst it is growing or flowering, so not in the winter when it will be dormant.  The new shoots are wound along the trellis backwards and forwards and quite tightly.  The plant has reached the top of the trellis now - approx 7 foot tall and wants to grow into the gutter, however I would like to train it over the top of the front door on a rope and perhaps down the other side of the door if the plant continues to grow. Perhaps in time a bird may nest in it.

Lizzie27

Best of luck with a Montana - they can be monsters once they get going, but can be hacked back quite severely. The flowers are to die for, I had 'Mayleen' and the scent was amazing.

Rubytoo

They do grow huge. And yours looks lovley I wish my house had that kind of stone.
It is gorgeous.
Good idea going to a boat/ chandlers.
A natural Hemp rope is often used and good, or Sisal is tough and stiff and another to check out is Manila.

They also often have fittings/fixings suitable.

Remember that rope sags and stretches when wet. shrinks when dry.

Also look at the rope diameters there are quite a few so a thick one will last, but also allow for a big knot. Depending on what you use a knot can be a good few inches /centimetres.

You need a metal fixing to pull through and knot or chandlers do offer an eye splice service for that  tidy loop look.  Unless you want to have a go yourself.
I can do it kind of, but it is quite hard.

Joy*

Thank you  @Guernsey Donkey2. It is really lovely. I hope that you will let us see how it progresses.