June into July 2014: Non-vining clematis

Looking across the big island bed on a foggy morning, with Clematis x durandii clambering through its new support in the foreground

I have long been intrigued by herbaceous, non-vining clematis-- species and cultivars that lack the twisting petioles by which most clematis cling to their hosts. Many of these clematis are shorter than the big vines, but lacking their equipment for hoisting themselves, the non-vining types tend to rise straight up a way. Then they flop, and manage to rise again from the tips. The habit is politely described as "decumbent", but in the garden, it's promising… and then it's a mess. With the two or three sorts we had long grown I'd tried the usual prescriptions, guiding them through or over neighboring plants or supporting them with peasticks (brushy, much-branched stakes). I still had a mess, and often, flowers near ground level-- disfigured by earwigs and slugs.  Upside-down tomato cages seem to solve the problem, at least once we add some sort of finial to what were meant to be the legs (which if left exposed threaten the limbs and eyes of the gardener). We're using grape vine spheres, and  also the terra cotta finials meant for holding together bamboo stake obelisks. The bases of the cages need firm anchoring with long staples, the sort meant for landscape fabric. These upside-down tomato cages (I found the idea at the blog or website of a public garden I've since forgotten and can't locate via Google) seem to suit the former vegetable garden air of our fenced garden; a couple seem comfortable outside it. Caging has let me get more out of the non-vining clematis we had-- and to add a lot more kinds.

Clematis 'Gazelle' in an inverted tomato cage support, and planted just last fall. By next year the plant will be taller and should fill the cage with more stems.

Clematis x durandii in the big island bed. It's been in its spot for years, but never showed well until we gave it better support-- along with plenty of fertilizer and water.

Clematis x durandii flowers, like some other clematis, are perhaps as beautiful seen from the back.

Clematis SAPHYRA DOUBLE ROSE 'Cleminov29', first flower. The name in all-caps is a trademark name; the name in single quotes is what should be an invalid cultivar name...

Clematis SAPHYRA INDIGO 'Cleminov51' opening its first flowers on young plants. The flowers slowly open further, flatter, and paler.

Clematis SAPHYRA INDIGO 'Cleminov51'. Plant Delights Nursery has published the name as Clematis 'Sapphire Indigo', using the trademark name in place of the patently invalid putative cultivar name. Good for Tony Avent.

Clematis BLUE PIROUETTE 'Zoeblupi'.  We got this as a small plant from Plant Delights Nursery eight years ago (as just Clematis 'Zoebluepi'!) Small clematis plants can be hard to establish. This one was more or less lost in the jungle and failing to rise through a symphoricarpus shrub for all that time. I may have found it and given it a bit of fertilizer last fall or this spring-- but was still surprised to see its first flowers after all that time.

Clematis 'Juuli', planted last fall in the fenced garden.

Clematis 'Juuli'

Rosa 'Sharifa Asma', one of David Austin's English Roses, in front of Clematis 'Aliononuska' in its first year with us.  At one time the fenced garden was largely roses and their companions.

Clematis 'Aliononuska'

Clematis 'Aliononuska'

Clematis 'Pamiat Serdtsa', another first year plant, and another Ukrainian name-- both clematis were bred in what was, at least at the time, part of Ukraine.

Clematis 'Arabella',  Barry Fretwell's big hit in breeding non-vining clematis. He has written of regretting not having been able to secure plant breeder's rights on what has become a widely sold plant. We were able to get both 'Arabella' and 'Alionushka' from local nurseries.

Clematis 'Arabella'

Clematis 'Arabella' with the red and chartreuse of spigelia.