Friday, May 2, 2014

I'm in Love With Clematis

The trellis adorned with white clematis--probably the vintage variety 'Candida'
First blossom opened on Easter Sunday.


The tints of pale green in the white blossoms are so fresh and delicate/

Can you tell I love to look at these, take photos--their season is so short.

Nellie Moser--the second to bloom and a standard cultivar.
Both Candida and Nellie Moser were in place when we moved here.


I purchased this one last summer after seeing 'Blue Angel' on Briony's blog at crafty cats.
This variety is H. P. Youngs, and the third to come into bloom.

I didn't realize how easily clematis self-sow, until finding this small Nellie Moser clambering up a nearby nandina shrub.

Nellie in all her glory of pink.

H. P. Youngs

I wish I was more clever with my camera.

Candida blooms are going gently to seed.


I over-wintered a root of H. P. Youngs which separated itself from the plant in the nursery pot.
Last week I carefully extracted a small well-rooted new plantlet of Candida.
I'm planning to collect seeds of all three clematis--just because--to see what I can do with them.
And because I must have clematis when we move to the other house.
I'm eyeing spots on the north, west and east walls there--the east wall is heavily shaded, so perhaps not a good candidate.
My gardens increasingly overwhelm me with the physical attention needed, but the rewards 
are so very great.



10 comments:

  1. All so beautiful. Is that called blue angel, the recent one you purchased as my blue angel is much paler than that.
    Briony
    x

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  2. Brioiny; Blue Angel wasn't available to me locally, but I found this one, "H.P. Youngs" within days of seeing your post last year. The flowers have a definite purple cast to the blue.

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  3. Can't believe how far ahead of mine your clematis are! My Nellie Moser is covered in buds but there's no sign of them opening yet. Candida is lovely, I really like the combination of green and white in flowers.

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    1. Rowan; I think of an English spring as being ahead of us--but surely there are as many variables there as anywhere in the US. Our spring has been slow this year.
      I could look at the Candida blossoms for a long time--always appreciating that green/white shading.

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  4. You are doing just fine with your camera. The photos are wonderful and I really like your 'Candida' too.

    Are you potting up plants to take from this garden to your new home?

    Have a lovely weekend ~ FlowerLady

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    1. Rainey; I am potting up some divisions of perennials which have done well--not to leave this garden looking bare, but wanting to take with me plants that are special. Some were purchased with gift money, some that I started from seed.

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  5. By the look of those wonderful blooms clematis loves you too! They seem to be quite indifferent to me despite my attempts to woo them.

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    1. John; I can't take credit for these other than giving them a new trellis to replace the tangle of chicken wire which supported them. I note that although the vines are planted on the south side of the house, there are large stones covering the root area. I've read that clematis like their feet to be cool [?]

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  6. I love YOUR clematis. I can't get it to grow here and I'm not sure why. I've given up on financial grounds.

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    1. Em; I admired clematis for many years in the pages of gardening books and catalogs. I was overjoyed to find two of them growing here--added the third one last year. I've read that clematis like some sun but their roots need cool/shade. I hope I have success with them at the other house--I think it will be a western exposure.

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