Your First Clematis to Bloom in the New Year? Let's see it.

The mentioned buds just about to open up.

So exciting!

? H.F. Young? First bloom for the season.

Looks like it to me. Beautiful!

Thank you Arlene. 'Empress' still is teasing me. She's not opened up yet this evening.

Bell of Woking has two blooms at present. I'm anxiously awaiting for her partner 'Niobe' to join in.

Nelly Moser clem. this morning;

Lily_love, that is so lovely. My Nelly is too blooming and so is Ramona. Would love to see your Niobe; not sure if I have one or not:)

Inthegarden - I love the first clematis you posted. What is the name of it?

Nelly Moser, up here, looks so different from the South.

Hi 'inthegarden' in Beaumont, Tx. Ramona? I think I've planted Ramona somewhere in the garden, for the name rings a bell. lol. Thanks for your compliment. I'll post an old pic. of BoW and Niobe together, and I'm hoping for an encore of last year's blooms. This year, with the exceptionally mild winter. Belle of Woking took off and left Niobe far behind on development for some reason. Niobe buds are there but still small.

Arlene, Nelly does have many Nelly wanna-be I think. I'll post what I believe is 'Firework'. To me 'Firework' look just like Nelly Moser, only a shade darker with the mauve pink bars on the petals.

I'll post one pic. at a time. DG hasn't allowed me to post multiple pics. lately, eventhough I've resized my photos....

So first is Belle of Woking with Niobe from year past.

Here is 'Firework' which I think it's like another Nelly-wanna be, lol.

Beautiful combo! Your Fireworks and mine even look different. There are so many clematises so close in coloring or effect that I don't feel I have to have all of them.

Here's Fireworks in my garden.

Enjoy the peonies, roses and Japanese iris while the daylilies and lilies begin to bloom but a wait until the dahlias strut their stuff.

Well, my expectation of 'Empress' was overated! For the early bloom, doesn't come close to what the photos said that it should be!

It is a pretty one though not like the photos I've seen. I have one that has never bloomed but it looks good for this year.

Arlene, that's one fine corner of the garden. Well thought out and executed plan! I love it!

Thanks. It's changed a lot since I took that shot.

Pirl that is a fine corner garden I love the look of plants nestled up next to each other - I'm definitely a cottage garden kinda girl:)

Thank you, kjuddy. I love the look of that area.

My Sunset clem is happy, have a lots of blooms. The others are doing good too, by next week I will be in clems heaven, out of the 9 clems I have 6 will be blooming. 2 Hanriis are just starting to leaf, and my slow Neobi is still just sitting there, but I am happy to know she did not die last Winter. This is my Sunset with Hot lips Salvia.
P.S Pirl, non of the Lupins came up, I think the hot Summer did them in last year. Sorry. Etelka

Sunset is so pretty, Etelka! Take lots of photos when all the clem's are blooming.

Sorry about the lupines. I've been planting babies and finding more of them to be planted. Many are now 10" tall.

Sunset is very lovely Etelka. Oh, Arlene, I purchased some small lupine from a local nursery. They are about 4" tall, so they will bloom the following spring? I understand Lupine in the natural setting (e.g. in Texas) are blooming now?

They should bloom next year, Kim, but I've had some surprise me with blooms the first year. We've tried the Texas Blue Bonnets but they only survived the first year. They must want the heat Texas can give them.

Thanks, Arlene. Look, I'll grant 'Empress' the benefit of the doubt, that she's not fully developed. Look at the blooms today:

It is VERY pretty!

Pretty blooms Etelka and Kim. Empress is beautiful.

Looks like those are huge blooms! Very Empressive!

Hi everyone. Actually Empress' just as big as Nelly or 'Fireworks' and H.F. Young. I've heard/seen that double-blooming clem. when they are not fully matured they have a tendency to have flaws? I'm still a little displeased with its appearance. It looks too much like a crossed b/w Nelly and Fireworks with the bars on the petals? In pictures from their ads. They were advertised to be uniformly pale pink, and not stripped looking is my disappointment.

Kim - sorry for the writing on my photo, copied from some online source, but this clearly shows a stripe. I liked the double look of it and that's why I bought it. We'll see how it performs this May.

Arlene, thanks for sharing that photo. Those two appear to be two entirely different cultivars to the naked eyes. At least to me they do. I have to admit, I prefer your photo over mine.

Reality is often a different world than the pictures that lead us to buy plants. I have read that environment plays a role in color but some photos are way too misleading. It has happened to me with lilies and daylilies much more often than with clematises.

Is this the first year for your Josephine? If so, maybe next year you'll like it more in its double form.

Your point is well taken. Environmental influences on the plant. Yes, it's new, I purchased 'Empress' last Fall, infact it's still in its one-gallon pot and has not been transplanted out to the garden yet.

Then let us hope next year is the magic charm and you will love it.

I noticed my 2 Ruutels are blooming, but it was to early to take pictures, it was 7:30 am. My H F young looks nice, very big bloomes. I am very happy with them this year, Hoping the Henryi will ketch up with the rest.

This is HF Young, will send Ruutel tomorow. Ruutel has a most beutiful shade of bourgondy, It is my favorite. I am still getting 2 more blue ones.

Guernsey cream this evening

One of my pansy seedlings

HF Young looks good, Etelka. We'll look forward to seeing your Ruutel clem's tomorrow.

Nice Guernsey Cream, John, and very nice irises and pansies! Did any of your seeds germinate?