RE: clematis questions

Alyce, you write:  I'll reconsider the placement of the purpurea plena elegans.  I did note the height when I bought it but your post made me think about the fullness of viticellas.  I don't want to actually drown my tuteur in foliage because I have a choice round river rock on top of it for a finial.  

Exactly my point.  Sometimes the structure is as much the "art" of the garden as the plant.

I grow my purpurea plena this way:  I have a large tomato cage (the 4' type) over it, it also has to have to 4' stakes on either side of the tomato cage for support.  I cut it back 2 times, first the usual 1' height in early spring and then again to have 3' in May or June, to control the size a bit, and then let it grow up and over the cage, water-fall fashion, into a Silver King artemesia and some oriental lilies.  It's a nice combination in July and August, but does require the extra effort of cutting it back in May or June to control its ultimate size.  

Oh!  Would I love to see some photos of your combinations of clematis, 

I will send you some privately if you can receive attachments?

plus your types of display supports -- trellis, building, shrub, tuteur, post, etc.  I use birdhouse posts, plain posts, trellises, tuteurs, (my tuteurs are homemade

I have a chain link fence around my property which I loathed until I discovered what a perfect support it is for vines.  But MOSTLY I grow my clematis through roses and shrubs (which is how they grow naturally).

A few tips you might appreciate:

1. Often I want to grow a clematis through a mature shrub but sometimes the bed is so crowded or the ground difficult in this area, less than ideal for clematis.  So I just get a large weather-proof pot and hide it in the bed between plants at the right location for the clematis to grow into the shrub while reaching for the strongest sunlight.  Works great.  Basically, it is a mini-raised bed with optimal growing and watering conditions for the plant in a tough place.

2. I stumbled across a great, long-lived trellis material: the runged, iron BOTTOM (where the mattress sits) to toddler or youth beds or any bed that does not have the standard box spring on the bottom.  I just paint them green and put them out in the garden against a wall or fence for extra height.  It will take forever for them to rust and you can't even see them once the plant is grown up.  I've gotten these free from people getting rid of them.

Do you have 'Andromeda'?   

No, but what a beauty!  I'll keep my eye out for that!

I am really fortunate living in the Pacific Northwest because clematis grows well here and many people have display gardens.  It is a good chance to see them "in person" before buying.

Also, if you have a doc file/index of just the names of your clematis,
please send it to me privately ( --warning, this could bring more questions.)

I do and will get it together for you.

Nice to find another addicted clematarian on the list!

Susan Saxton

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