Clematis

[Nyboy]

My love of clematis started in my early 20s. I was so broke some days I had to choose between gas or food. I was in Caldors one day when in the garden isle a saw boxes with photos of the deepest purple flowers ( purple my favorite color). They where bare rooted Jackmanii clematis vines $2.39. I debated for a while, I really didn't have any spare money to spend on a plant. My love of purple won out, I picked out a vine that was just showing green growth. I had never heard of clematis before, the box said head in the sun feet in shade.I planted against my dog run, picturing in years to come a wall of deep purple flowers. The 1st year my clematis grew very little, I was ok with that thinking it was growing strong root system. I heard with perenial 1st year they sleep, 2nd year they creep, 3rd year they leap. That's what it did, didn't put on any real growth till 3 year. At that time it flowered for the 1st time 2 deep purple flowers on the whole vine. For years after it never flowered again, it live for about 10 years only producing 2 flowers the whole time. A couple of years after planting my jackmanii I read about another clematis in a garden book Sweet Autumn the authors favorite clematis. Buy this time I was in a little better shape with money and went to a good nursery for my vine. Sweet Autumn was a rapid grower from the start, its flowers might be small but the large numbers make up for size. That started a life long love affair with clematis. Do you remember your 1st clematis?

 

[ninnymary]

Yes, I killed it. Then years later I decided to get another one, I killed that one too. Well third time's the charm. I've had one in a pot for several years and it's doing great! Gets morning sun only. It's a purple one but can't remember the name. I do know it's not a Jackmanii.

Mary

 

[Larisa]

I bought a few years ago purple. He is very nice, too, blossomed on the 3 year. Last year, I planted with small white flowers. I did not want to buy, but in the advertisement has been written: "You want to have a white cloud of fragrant flowers like the foam in your garden?"
Of course I want.

Hopefully, this cloud does not disappoint me.

 

[Nyboy]

@Larisa are you allowed to mail order plants from counties outside of Russia ?

 

[Larisa]

@Nyboy Officially it is forbidden ...)))))))

 

[aftermidnight]

Ohhhh, Clematis another addiction of mine. My first clemie was 'Barbara Jackson' had it for a good many years but it finally died, not the biggest flower but I had it planted on the north west side of our little woodshed and it was a real standout. I've been looking for another but haven't managed to find one yet, maybe this year I'll be lucky. I have quite a few clemies now, single flowering and doubles, but I can always find room for more.

A few pictures in anticipation of what's to come...

Dr. Ruppel


Guernsey Cream


Proteus


Silver Moon


Westerplatte


Fair Rosamond...this is one of the few large flowering ones that has a fragrance, like spring violets.

I have a few more pictures if you're interested, I've been collecting and growing these beauties for over 30 years.
Annette

 

[Carol Dee]

I have so far killed or allowed to die at least 3 clematis. DH insisted he wanted on for the cattle panel arch and planted on last summer. We will see if he fairs any better than I did.

 

[Smart Red]

Ah yes, Clematis! I purchased my first one as a set of three. White, lavender, and purple way back in the dark ages of house building -- maybe 30 years ago or more. All are doing great although they were all cut down short when we covered the eaves.

The next two came much later -- maybe 12 years ago and are still planted in pots in the semi shade garden. I'm guessing the pots are now bottomless cylinders, but still pots. They were waiting for the building of the garden shed where they will climb to the sun.

 

[aftermidnight]

Some of the Montana's are good for covering sheds etc. I have one planted on my lath house, I used to grow a lot of fuchsias but this clematis covered the whole thing and it became too shady for the fuchsias. We did cut it back severely one year, too much to compost so it went to the landfill, it actually filled the box on our truck. It wasn't long before it was covering the lath house again. Not the showiest of flowers but the scent is lovely, like breathing in chocolate with maybe a touch of vanilla.

Montana wilsonii
My neighbor kept saying how much they loved this one and waited for it to bloom every year, I didn't thing it was that spectacular until I viewed it from their dining room window, they can see the roof of my lath house from there. The small flowers are not the brightest of whites so in themselves not impressive but in mass, not too shabby.

I did a cutting for them and it now covers a little cottage at the back of their lot, a piece escaped over the fence and climbed to the top of this cedar at the back of our garden, beyond the fence is a 4 lane highway I bet it has people scratching their heads as they drive by wondering what kind of flowering tree it is LOL.


Annette

 

[so lucky]

I think I saw a little sprig of that Sweet Autumn growing at the edge of the foundation plantings last year. My DH thought he got rid of it several years ago! I love it but it can take over quickly. He didn't like the make-shift trellis I had constructed. Can't say I blame him. But that vine did smell heavenly.
One thing you need to watch on the Sweet Autumn clematis is the runner bugs (army bugs?) in the fall. They can devour the largest vine in no time.

I haven't had a clematis in several years. Maybe it's time to think about it again.