Garden

[qualityshopper]

Roberta's had a 2-in-1 clematis on today which I'm seriously considering ordering. The problem is that I know absolutely nothing about plants. I've never had anything to do with planting and growing flowers in my life--that was my mom's thing. Now that she's gone, I would like to plant something by the back porch where she had a trellis. In the past, she had tried growing both a hummingbird vine and a passion flower vine there, neither of which ever bloomed. Would a clematis be a good choice, or is it the type of vine that gets overly aggressive and which you constantly have to prune. Would greatly appreciate advice about this. Thanks.

[BirkiLady]

Clematis are easy to grow and lovely. I believe this particular plant is a Type 3, which is cut back in the late fall. It's also the only type of clematis I grow in Zone 5-b. They come back each spring bigger and better. Be very gentle with the tendrils of a clematis. The need help attaching to the trellis, but be careful not to break their fragile tendrils. Once ahold of the trellis, they are there to stay.

Do not use any spray on the lawn or other plants around a clematis plant. It will turn black and you'll be starting over. They don't play well with the chemical overdrift. 

Be sure to plant other plants in front of your clematis to keep their "feet" (base of the plant) shaded. I usually plant hostas in front on mine. When trimming back the clematis in the fall, I also cut back the hostas. Both are done after a good, hard frost. Your yard will be free of critters and debris during the winter if done late in the fall.

[Fressa]

I have a few of the clematis in front of trellises and they do fine. I'm a "always learning" gardener so if I can grow this then it's easy. I only have to trim it very little. It isn't what I call aggressive. The hummingbirds love it! Not any fussing with this plant which is what I need and want. I don't think you can go wrong with this choice. Good Luck! 

[PINKdogWOOD]

@qualityshopper   Honestly, if I were you and hopefully have a local nursery (or a few of them) I'd visit them to make your purchase(s). If you can find a passion vine, hummingbird vine to just have also grab them. Even a few places like Lowe's will have really nice clematis, I see at our local nice vines that I'd pick up.

I never had luck with plants from Roberta's or Cottage Frms, I won't buy what they offer as I know I see the same plants at nurseries around me - really nice nurseries who more specialize in goods plants, a great variety and things you can't typically find ie passion vines which are gorgeous!

[JustJazzmom]

You mention the hummingbird vine & passionflower never bloomed. It makes me wonder as to how sunny the area is?

Clematis do best in full sun with mulch on their roots to keep them cool. 

Did the details list the width & height of the clematis? 

Never mind, I looked at both clematises offered & neither listed names or heights or widths. 

Polish clematis are good as they are typically disease resistant & do not get ‘clematis wilt’, a fungal disease. They are usually hybrids of the mountain grown clematis viticella. They have cultivar names like General Sikorski or Rouge Cardinal. One of the stock images is Rouge Cardinal. (the pinkish red ones below the double white on the left of the monitor.)

May I suggest you visit Bluestone Perennials or Klehm Songsparrow & look at their clematis choices. They are less in price than Roberta’s.

I just heard the video— ‘Niobe’ & Double White. I looked on Clematis on the Web a UK clematis site — every clematis ever found or made is on that site. There is no listing for Double White. 

I used to grow Niobe — gets about 3’ high in zone 7. It did succumb to fungal disease.  I replaced it with ‘Betty Corning’, a highly disease resistant fragrant pale blue/white bell shaped flowering clematis. 

If you do get this 2 in one, I would separate the roots so they have room to grow. It sounds like you get a red Niobe and this double white in the same pot.

[mousiegirl]

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@qualityshopper wrote:

Roberta's had a 2-in-1 clematis on today which I'm seriously considering ordering. The problem is that I know absolutely nothing about plants. I've never had anything to do with planting and growing flowers in my life--that was my mom's thing. Now that she's gone, I would like to plant something by the back porch where she had a trellis. In the past, she had tried growing both a hummingbird vine and a passion flower vine there, neither of which ever bloomed. Would a clematis be a good choice, or is it the type of vine that gets overly aggressive and which you constantly have to prune. Would greatly appreciate advice about this. Thanks.

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@qualityshopper   There is lots of information on google.  I grow a lot of clematis, tops in the sun, feet in the shade or you can place a flat rock at the base for shade.  You need to know what type you have, I mostly grow the type that doesn't require cutting back, but others do, google will tell you all you need to know.

[PINKdogWOOD]

@mousiegirl, @qualityshopper   I agree w/Ms QS, not all clematis are the same - some are sun, some shade, some in between. Clematis are beautiful, all sorts of colors, sizes in flowers, hghts etc. If you really want to be into clematis, do some googling and check out varieties. Check out y our yard too as to where you want to plant, if you can choose spots next to something so they can climb into, great.

If you want to buy a couple/few online, there are a few great places that specializing in just clematis. But like I posted earlier, I do find lovely ones at my local Lowes.

[JustJazzmom]

Further googling on the Double White it could be ‘Duchess of Edinburgh’ but that clematis isn’t a viticella or Polish named. 

But the stock photo here is pretty close to the double white picture QVC posted.

[RedTop]

I also suggest buying this plant local; all 3 of mine came from Lowe’s and are more than 10 years old.  

[qualityshopper]

Thanks so much everyone for all the great advice and help. Can't tell you all how much it helps to have all of this information to ensure that I choose the most suitable plant(s) for where I plan to plant it. Thanks!!