Hi Everybody. Thanks once agin for visiting and for leaving a comment. You guys are awesome.
I doubt I'm the only one that does this but if I am, don't tell me. My self image suffers enough already. I [we?] go through these weird cycles where all periphery vision darkens and the tunnel vision lights up in sync with an uncanny radar. What ensues is the absolute mandatory, compulsory NEED for a certain plant genus. We [admit it] go on line, scour the library's shelves and the bookstore, if we're rich. Then it's off to the nursery. Then countless more trips until our appetite is sated, if ever.
A few years ago, it was the genus Clematis. My radar was on high-alert throughout that spring and summer and on medium-alert the following year and remains in standby mode to this day. One minor, unfortunate detail: My cache needed cash. The entire quest could have been wrapped up much sooner if I would have followed through with that nagging impulse to rob a bank. However I've got serious issues with being cooped up in dark, seedy places, like, jail, not that I've tried it... I digress... Twenty-two plants later I can say that it's much more fun combining two highly entertaining endeavors--plant and bargain hunting! Plus I hate those ghastly orange jumpsuits.
Okay, so here we go. The top row is Clematis 'Josephine.'
Second row: Clematis 'Multi-Blue' with a Morning Glory blossom, taken two summers ago. Second row, right: Clematis viticella 'Polish Spirit.'
The third row: Clematis integrifolia 'Aljonushka'
Top row left: Clematis texensis 'Pagoda.' The three right column photos are Clematis texensis 'Etoile Rose.' Second row left: Clematis 'Palate.' Bottom left: Clematis integrifolia.
Top row: Clematis 'Purpurea Plena Elegans.' Second row left and bottom left: Clematis viorna.
Second row right and bottom right: Clematis tangutica 'Grace.'
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35 COMMENTS, Click here to add yours:
I must say that you have a nice collection of clemantis. I not seen any in my place & I guess they are not tropical.
I like the first one, look so beautiful as the flowers slowly opening its layers.
No an orange jumpsuit would have not suited you Grace, not with your fair complexion :) What a lovely collection. I especially like the integrifolias, viticellas and viornas - all the small flowered forms. Have you tried growing clematis from seed ?
These are just beautiful Grace...I have a feeling you stay on 'high alert' when searching for a paticular plant...I don't think orange is a good color for you either, glad you snapped out of that idea....
Grace ... good grief you have me clamoring now to pick up some of these gorgeous clematis .. I love the simple bell shaped ones such as Etoile Rose and Intergrifolia .. you are very naughty for putting back more "buzz" in garden brain ? LOL
Joy
PS .. although I love the colour orange .. you are too right about the jumpsuit .. not flattering at all for us ? LOL
Grace, these are beautiful. Every time I see pictures like these I want to go and buy some but not all clematis do well in my garden. I think the snails nibble the stems! I have added 4 in the last year including C. alpina 'Frances Rivis' and C. cirrhosa 'Freckles'. Freckles has flowers on now and is doing well.
Best wishes Sylvia (England)
My goodness you are a Clematis woman!!! Love the Multi-Blue, have one in the Learing Garden. (HAD a Josephine...toast) Such lovely blooms, each and every one! Love the collages.
Glad you found the tree series, come back often!
Grace:
You know that I will have more Clematis in the garden next year.... there is a veranda that would be the perfect foil for clamouring, entangling and such and C. viorna... well, its the daintiness, the pinkness... you know, a real man's kind of plant! LOL!!
Grace,
Excellent selection you have of clematises. We have 6-7 clematises and none even remotely like yours. I'm looking forward to C armandii to bloom early this spring, I bought it one day it was snowing and had to have it. See http://rlephoto.blogspot.com/2009/03/clematis-armandii-snowdrift.html
Grace, if only those jumpsuits came in pink! I haven't see the c. tangutica "Grace" before. I thought it only came in the yellow. She is very lovely.
I'm definitely a Clematis lover and bought several this summer. Now that I see yours I have to add some more to my list, hopefully I won't have to join you in the bank robbery :) Clematis viorna and texenis need live here too.
I had a couple not bloom for me this year, Ms. Bateman and Piilu, which I was bummed about.
Can't wait to see Part II.
Grace you do have a clematis collection.I love the Josephine and the Pagoda.
Hello Grace,
These photos are out of this world! You have mighty glorious collection here!
I must tell you that you would probably survive just fine if you went to jail, you could probaby get to do some community work landscaping. Maybe you could talk them into letting you wear a pink jumpsuit?
Oh, oh, oh!!! How I love clematis. You have the perfect growing climate for them, have you not, Grace? So it's absolutely fitting that you'd amass such a stunning collection. They are wonderful plants. I'm soooo jealous of the variety. And so, sooo many shades of pink, my dear!!
Like others have said I can totally see you in a fitted pink jumpsuit! Gardening gloves to match of course!
Your collection is amazing. And no, you are not alone. I fear I have the same sickness...and you know what the object of my affection is, agaves!
You have a wonderful Clematis collection. My very favorites are the bell-shaped species Clematis.
always been a bit intimidated by the multiple pruning rules for Clematis. they are lovely...may need to just jump in and give them a try. when there are problems, you will be here to answer questions, right?
I love them too. I have "Josephine" - isn't it lovely? Clematis viorna is on my wish list. I don't have enough money to satisfy my plant urges either but let's try to stay honest. I don't think either of us would look good in orange.
I love the Clematis viorna. They are so different looking as are the Clematis Purpurea Plena Elegans. I have never seen those before. You have quite a collection and those are great shots.
Hi Grace, you really picked a fine, and expensive! focus plant! Looks like your collection is as diverse as it is beautiful and the images are sublime. I was looking to see if you had the non climbing C. recta because we just purchased one at our favorite nursery. Research showed it with white flowers but the owner said this one had blue. Do you know it? My tunnel vision this year has been on Sanguisorba, last year it was geums, LOL. :-)
Frances
Grace, don't you just love them?! All shapes and sizes AND the spent blossoms of many, i.e. a favorite, C. macropetala 'Blue Bird'. If you do not have C. recta Purpurea', would be happy to share. ;)
Hi, Grace;
Happy to meet another crazy clematis woman! :)) I see we're growing many of same varieties - which is surprising to me since you live in lovely Oregon... Anyhoo! Gorgeous photos. I'm inspired to plant another Clematis - if I could just find a place to put it. :)
Impressive selection , clematis is one of my favourite vines since they are relatively easy to look after..... I spied a few I will have to be on the lookout for. Always think it is nice to have a flower in the garden with ones name.......
oh my gosh - when you want something, you really want something! I love clematis too and have begun my own little collection - I just have a few and some are new. Do you have rooguchi (or is it rugoochi)? It's a dark blue nodding clematis that will grow in full shade. My plant is in it's third year and really starting to do something this year.
Beautiful collection! I love clematis but every year I have trouble with fungus on them. I inherited the plant so I'm not certain what species it is.
We can only grow the small flowering varieties. I have the species clematis, and 'Sweet Autumn', but I would love to have a big clematis bloom, just once!
Aren't they stunning! How do you grow all of them? Do you have a dozen arbors? A mile of fence? I have one pergola and it's full with just a single sweet autumn clematis and a New Dawn rose! I'm in awe--and envy!
Oh wow! Those clematis are gorgeous. I keep trying to grow it and so far have not kept one alive past a couple of seasons. I know it will grow here I just have to find the right spot. I thought you might have identified my vine until I read that it won't grow in the shade. I also do not remember ever seeing clusters of white flowers on it so I don't think it is bittersweet. Thanks for the try though. I love all your pictures. Beautiful.
Debbie
If you have all of those in your garden I am more than impressed. Wow.
I hear you about the tunnel vision. When it strikes, it is all you can think about. Plant! Plant! Plant! insert name of plant in here. Can we say obsession?
Love your photos.
Jen
I am absolutely hooked on clematis too. I only have two right now, 'Peppermint' and 'Betty Corning'. I have been thinking hard on 'Pagoda', but I am not adding any more climbers just yet. :)
Thanks for sharing these images, I too grow as many Clematis as I can fit into my garden.
Viorna is beautiful isn't it. I grew mine from seed from 'Buckland Beauty'. There seems to be a lot of variance in the colour of the flowers, and in fact I found that on my one plant several shades of pink depending on how much light they got. That's to say the flowers on the top of the vine got more light and were darker. Beautiful in all it's varieties.
How gorgeous!
I dont think I've seen them before but if I even thought they just might survive in my climate I think I would've risked the orange jumpsuit. No, actually, its a very boring white with black stripes here. I think I would've preferred the orange. More tropical!
What a lovely obsession to have! How on earth do you find places for them all the crawl up? I'd grow a lot more vinings things if I had more walls. Your clematis collection is fabulous. I don't have any of the cupped type blossoms, now I need one!
Oh yes, I know it well, that feeling you get when you realize you must acquire a certain plant, especially that confused state of excitement and regret where you know you're spending more than you ought to, but you're not going home without that plant. It's the garden fever we're afflicted with. I certainly hope there's no cure.
ZZZT, snap, hiss - oh, no! I've nearly fried my keyboard by drooling on it! I think I need 'Palette' and Integrifolia.
Hi Grace. I just found your blog by way of Catherine (A Gardener in Progress). Wow. I'm so glad I did. Your photos are just amazing and your clematis are making me drool. I desperately want 'viorna' now. What a gorgeous bell shaped bloom. I have two texensis (duchess of Albany & another I can't remember the name of at the moment) that are the faves of my much smaller collection. I think I have nine?? I thought that was bad! I also noticed your 'Lauren's Grape' poppy on the sidebar. I grow that as well. Isn't it just a fantastic shade of purple?
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