Clematis 2014

Hi everyone. This appears to be peak time for clematis in the SE regions. Beautiful show in your garden Annette. 'Nellie Moser' today.

And she's looking very pretty!

So nice!

I blinked, and there were 100 more posts!

Glad Mother Nature is taking the bull by the horns.

Marcia

Beautiful Kim. I had Nellie Moser at my last house, but I haven't replaced her here. Your picture has inspired me to consider getting Nellie again.

Here's Crystal Fountain, who burst forth with blooms today, in pictures 1 and 2, #3 is Chantilly, #4 and #5 are Barbara Jackman in my cement pot on the driveway. I'm glad BJ survived our crazy winter in the pot.

Edited to change the name of Picture # 1 and 2 to Crystal Fountain.

This message was edited Apr 29, 2014 8:29 PM

Nelllie Moser was the second Clem I had gotten. I have 2 now. I have to say she has never disappointed me. Even when she was stomped on and broken off,she came back strong. I have killed a couple, thought I had killed another, but I see it coming back, small but it is there. More manure for it and epson salt drink this year.

I am still concerned about my hydrangeas, I was looking at old pics from last year and saw that by May 17th they were all leafed out. They are putting some leaves out way down, but that is all. I might have to do some real cutting back this year. My lime lights and Strawberry Cream is doing great, but not the others.

Lily love your Nelly looks just like mine full of blooms And Cem9165 I LOVE that Josephine gonn have to keep my eyes open for her.

Here are a quick few pictures of my clems on Sunday

1. The President - he is really putting on a show this year
2. Up close with The President
3. Nelly Moser
4. A shot from further out of Nelly Moser so you can see the number of blooms

Great photos!

Nelly Moser is so reliable. The only time she's resentful and shows it, is during a very cold spring.

Marie - My hydrangeas are looking sad. I'll check the Limelights today but so far Tokyo Delight is the one I've noticed that has tiny leaves. Most have very little to show - just a touch of green to let me know they're alive.

Don't forget - this is a good time to examine your new growth on clematises if you want to layer any of them. The new stems, between a foot and 24", are the easiest for me to layer as they are still supple.

Here we are ready for the two day storm, I tought I get a picture of my Gipsy Queen before the wind blows it away. Also my Blue Ice is blooming way down on the wire. Hanryi is putting out lots of buds, but no flower yet. After the long tripp I am still tired but the show must go on. I have 2 more times to cook and I will have my 3 months off. I need the time for the house, been putting of cleaning and it looks like the tornado already hit inside. How can one little lady make such big mess. One day at the time, like the song said. Etelka

I am loving all these pictures. Mine are looking on the verge of popping open. But this cold snap might slow them down a little. But I know that by mid may I should have a nice show.

My hydrangeas aren't doing very much....a few green tiny leaves way down by the bottom of the plants.....some are doing nothing! It was a hard winter, too many zero & below zero temps......

So full and so beautiful, Etelka. You might want to tie them to the wire so stems don't break.

Homes can get a mess even when we sleep. I'm certain the dust and dirt gremlins must visit even as we're all in dreamland.

Marie - I hope you're right!

Marilyn - same here. Lots of bottom greenery.

Lovely 'Josephine'! Gotta have her on my wish list Annette. Also glad to see many tips on caring for these beautiful vines.

Pirl..how Pretty..I planted "Ashva" somewhere in my gardens..

Very nice combo, Kim.

Thanks, Jeanne. Ashva is so dainty but not tiny.

Kim, in my delirium posting late last night, I stated my pictures #1 and 2 in the post ending in 756 was Josephine, it's actually Crystal Fountain. I realized my mistake just now, and corrected the error. Sorry for the confusion.

I cut a lot if my flowers before the storms came through last night. I have not used clematis in flower arrangements before, but I decided to add some Arabella to my vase with irises. Arabella is still looking pretty happy this evening.

Annette

This message was edited Apr 29, 2014 8:41 PM

Seriously beautiful, Annette!

Thanks Arlene, now I'll have use more clematis in floral arrangements. I didn't know they would hold up so well in water. I tend not to cut my flowers, I like to enjoy them in the garden.

Same here. I brought a bouquet of irises and clematises to a Memorial Day event and the hostess raved on and on about them. The former president of the garden club was there and remained silent.

Wow, that's unfortunate. You would think that another gardener would share in your joy of getting your plants to bloom successfully, so that you could share them with others.

This message was edited Apr 29, 2014 11:02 PM

So lovely to see...

I'm also stingy with my flowers in the garden, just hate cutting them. But once I've done it, careful not to denude any one area, I don't really miss them there, and just love having them in the house. Hmmmmm... Dilemma!

My Arabella hasn't shown herself yet. Many Clems have nice fat leaf buds coming, but some do not, and those who went to bed without much stem are absent so far. Such a long, late spring! Ouch!

So fahr only a sprinkle here, maybe we will get more rain. The Clematis are happy, so what else is importat. Here is Haryi on the top of the world, late but climbed on top of all others to bloom. Also my double V is blooming, smaller bloomes but very pretty color. I got 3 of them, maybe next Winter one will go to the back. Etelka

I woke at around 3 this morning to a loud down pour of rain. It is suppose to rain all day and night here. I will be checking the gardens to see if there was any damage.

Annette - I took it as a compliment!

Pam - I do that as well. I don't want to strip any one area of flowers so I'm cautious. I also think flowers last longer outside than inside and yet I want to see them in vases!

My Arabella (thanks to Annette's photos) arrived last week. I'm still debating where to plant her. Some clem's are lazier to wake up than others.

Etelka - your clem's are looking good. I know Venosa is inexpensive at the big box stores but that doesn't stop me from loving it. Now it's a lot of stems popping up at once (but it is two plants).

Marie - everything is wet here but we haven't actually seen any rain yet. The radio forecast said the heavy rain will arrive tonight.

Pirl, where did you order your Arabella from? I need a second one for the other side of the arbor, but want to make sure I don't need to order two first. Mine went in the ground very late last fall, then winter was so harsh, I wouldn't be too surprised if she doesn't make it.

I'm also worried about Venosa Violacea, Hagley Hybrid, and Asao. My two oldest clems, both noid's until they bloom, are in fine shape. Last year's TLC really made a difference. Thanks Pirl, and all the rest of you Clem mavens!

Brushwood. Don't be too quick to give up on it.

Lots of mulch always helps in late fall. I'll bet all your clem's make it even if they're slow now.

Our Vino is next to Ruutel. Poor Vino is off to such a pitifully slow start compared to Ruutel, which wasn't bursting into growth on 4/13 but has grown so much since then (not so for Vino).

Our Omoshiro (#1) has only two stems but a few buds.
Omoshiro (#2) not many stems and no buds.
Omoshiro (#3) many stems! No buds.

They aren't far apart so it has to be the genetics of each plant.

Another "slow to get growing" is Blue Moon/Claire de Lune. It's SO slow.

You're probably right. Except for Arabella, the questionable ones are all in more shaded locations, where everything is slower to emerge. I have species tulips blooming in one place and just barely coming out of the ground only a few feet away where there is less light.

Interesting about Blue Moon... Is Silver Moon another slow grower? I just re-read the info on the nursery's site. Their plants are 2, 3 and 4 year sizes, not 1 2, 3. I'm still glad I'm getting the bigger ones. Also, I wonder when they'll be shipping them out. Their website says they ship in order received. They're in Mass, so experiencing just as late a spring as we are... But I'm getting antsy, should probably give them a call.

More shaded locations could easily be the issue. Funny how the bulbs even want more light!

I don't have Silver Moon.

While they're in the greenhouse they're growing under ideal conditions. I know we all get antsy but you'll get a happier and healthier plant while you wait to receive it.

I'm waiting for two more packages, neither of which requires a greenhouse, but staying patient as I tend to the too many dahlias I bought and am putting downstairs, under lights. I need a good hobby for January and February that doesn't involve ordering plants and the subsequent mayhem when they arrive in such quick order!

I know what you mean! Bluestone's 50% Friday specials did me in. I thought I was being so conservative by only ordering one or two plants, so I got multiples. Problem was, I did that several times, so now I have 2 boxes arriving today, Yikes!

Too rainy to plant right now....hopefully the sun will shine for the next few days & dry things up....the garden is a mud pit!

Pam - it's always a relief to share our ordering dilemmas with others!

We did get a lot of rain! I think I'll wait until Saturday before I even think of planting. It's been nice getting two days off!

Not sure what the darker and lighter pink are, but the small purple is Rooguchi, the large purple is Daniel. Princess Diana about to bloom.

#2 looks like Fireworks. Compare yours against mine and see what you think.

#3 could be Bourbon (second photo).

It could be Bourbon, and the other was a no-name on the sale table at Lowes. Could be Fireworks.

My Bluestone boxes were stuffed with wonderful plants... I got my whole wish list- Yummy!

DD called the clematis nursery in Mass to add on to her order. No surprise, their season is running late because of the weather. They expect to ship in 10-14 days, could rush if necessary... But it isn't. I'm just happy to know what they're doing.

You're quite welcome, happytail.

So glad you're so happy with the order, Pam, and even happier that there will be a bit more of a delay with the clem's. You'll receive better plants because of it. In the meantime you'll be very busy attending to the new delivery so you won't be split in two trying to decide what to plant.

You're so right! And hopefully by the time the clems come, these March chills will be gone... We might even have real May weather by then! But I'd settle for what we usually get in late April. We haven't had that yet.

So happy to see everyone's pretty blooms. It's a nice reminder of what's to come.

First buds I noticed yesterday were on a clem I don't remember the name of....it has very small leaves for the size of the vine.....

Pam - having too much to do can be too much turmoil. I'm sure you'll be happy with the clematises when they arrive.

Marilyn - do you recall the color of the blooms?

Of course not, Pirl! Should be blooming shortly & I'll post a photo.......