I purchased a clematis at a nursery that was closing at the end of the fall season last year. I planted it in the fall and hoped for the best. Well, its leaves are beginning to sprout! I planted it against the house, behind a shrub as was recommended. My question is, do I have to build something for the clematis to climb on, or will it cling to the brick?
Not all clematis behave the same but the majority in the circumstance you describe would climb to the top of the bush and bloom on top of the bush, possibly getting densely enough leaved to keep the bush from getting enough sun, though with a big enough shrub they'll make a harmonious couple. If you want it to climb the wall you'll have to help it along, training it, and having at least strings if not a trellis will be a great help in that process.
Some clematis can't cling well to walls at all, but others will make the effort to cling to rough brick with some encouragement. Clematis lack aereal tendrils (rootlets) but most (not all) have very small petioles (leaf stalks) which function like tendrils so they can cling to a rough enough wall. But planted where they make their own choice, climb the wall or wend through a bush, it'll be the bush.
-paghat the ratgirl
They do best on a trellis. I planted 3 varieties that share the same trellis, one early and two late bloomers. This year one is trying to grab the peonies support and I keep putting it back onto the trellis.
Most varieties of clematis won't cling to brick. You need to buy or build a trellis.
Clematises come in a lot of different varieties. If yours came with a plant tag post the name of the variety and we may be able to give you some advice as to what type of trellis you need.
try some bird netting hung from the top of the wall.
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