Clematis montana

In a message dated 1/16/03 6:37:35 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
mygarden@easystreet.com writes:


> it will try to grow under the new deck.  I know I will miss that mass of
> pink flowers this spring, but will not miss the weekly pruning I had to 
> give
> it all summer to keep it from coming into the house with me!  A good 
> example
> of the right plant in the wrong place.  The montanas are the perfect
> candidate for a large tree, so will start again with a small one.
>     I'm wondering when you prune your montana?  I didn't have any flowers 
> the
> first 5 years I lived here because I was winter pruning it.

We don't prune any of the clematis.  I do notice buds swelling very early.  
If they would do well with a pruning, they will also bloom without.  The 
downside of this might be in warmer climates, the flowers will all be near 
the top the vine and it might be woody and bare at the bottom.  We think any 
flowers at all are a plus.  On a period with a few sunny days you can go out 
into the garden and see green at the tips of clematis vines very early in the 
spring or even late winter.  Montanas bloom on old wood so they would be 
winterkilled (flower buds) here.  I do so envy your success with Clematis mon
tana.  The first time I went to the UK as a gardener, we landed in Heathrow 
and took a bus downtown to London. Every door frame was smothered in Clematis 
montana.  There were mounds, heaps, bowers, foaming masses of it.  Along the 
streets were chestnuts in bloom.  As many red flowered trees as whites.  
While some other tourists were looking for landmarks, I was looking at 
Clematis montana.

I have never forgotten the montanas of May in the UK.  I have a tetraploid CV 
that is supposed to be hardy but, alas, the buds are not hardy in much of the 
North.  Clematis montana and blue flowered Ceonothus are two lovely woodies 
not ever going to travel to upstate NY.  The montanas do well along the 
coast, very close to the ocean where you often see them fastened to fences 
growing laterally about four feet up from the ground covering the entire 
fence.  Sorry you have to lose your old plant, they must live forever as I, 
too, have seen great old woody bases on these vines.

Claire Peplowski
NYS z4

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