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moongardengirl

If you were moving and could only take 5 with you...

moongardengirl
14 years ago

Which ones would you take?

My Pick

1)Venosa Violcea

2)Betty Corning

3)Huldine

4)Polish Spirit

5)SAC

Also I LOVE "Apple Blossom" but live in zone 4, what would you recommend that looks close to that but will live here?

Comments (16)

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    14 years ago

    Boy, questions like this are SO tough to answer :-))

    First, I wouldn't take any with me unless they are already growing in a container - an established clematis is not an easy plant to transplant successfully and they are not at all hard to replace for minimal expense. Second, my choices would be different based on my climate and my preferences.

    Here's my 5 absolute 'must-haves' for my garden:
    C. armandii, preferrably 'Apple Blossom'
    C. montana, any but 'Tetrarose' is very high on my list.
    C. cirrhosa var. balearica
    C. viticella 'Etoile Violette'
    'Harlow Carr'

    I don't have any suggestions for a replacement for you for 'Apple Blossom'.....the closest I could come would be one of the montanas but they're not going to work well in zone 4 either. You might want to look at C. viticella 'Tango' or triternata 'Rubromarginata' (which is definitely #6 on my list!). Small, pinkish flowers and a heavy bloom but a different bloom season and no fragrance to speak of.

  • nckvilledudes
    14 years ago

    I would chose any of the following US native clematis since these clematis are so underutilized and the fact that I love the bell shaped flowers of viorna, glaucophylla, addisonii, pitcheri, texensis, crispa, and socialis. Okay that is 7 but I couldn't exclude any of them since they are natives! LOL

    Of the non-US natives, I would choose Betty Corning due to her fragrant blooms and vigorous growth, Tie Dye for its unusual psychedelic coloration, fusca violacea for its chubby dark purplish brown bell shaped flowers, Duchess of Albany for its vigorousness and pink colored flowers, and Alba luxurians for its white flowers tipped with green in early spring.

  • bob414
    14 years ago

    Just curious gardengal. Why don't you like Montana Tetrarose? I went looking for it when Bill Bird posted the picture below in this forum a few years ago. I settled for Montana Reubens and have been happy with it but but think I would like the darker color of Tetrarose and still consider getting a one occasionally.

    {{gwi:573772}}

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    14 years ago

    bob, I guess I wasn't making myself very clear :-) What I meant to say was that any montana would be fine but that 'Tetrarose' would be my first choice. I agree wholeheartedly - this is an exceptional selection of montana!!

  • maggiepie_gw
    14 years ago

    I would take my seedlings.
    Most clems can be replaced but not unique seedlings.

  • bob414
    14 years ago

    I apologize for misreading your post gardengal. I read it as any Montana except Tetrarose. Now I see what you said. Tetrarose is high on your list. That's a relief because I've got a spot for it in a couple of months.

  • kitkat_oregon
    14 years ago

    Please tell me that isnt just one plant on that fence!!!! Holy Moly, it is gorgeous. Has it got other clems mixed in to take over the show later on? Kat

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    14 years ago

    Yep, that's just ONE plant!! An established montana is a BIG vine. And for that reason alone, I don't recommend combining them with other later blooming clems as the montana tends to overwhelm them with growth, plus whatever pruning hassles may occur. I guess a group III with an equally vigorous habit could work but the montana has such handsome foliage, I think it's good just left on its own.

    In my old garden, I had a 'Reubens' that grew on a fence similar to the one in the photo - I had planted it to disguise a really ugly 'Blaze' rose and it did that very nicely :-) It also grew into another rambler type, single bloom rose, so there was some later color but the rose was enormous and could hold its own with the clem.

    In my new, much more rural location, I've noticed a lot of montanas growing as I've walked my dog through the neighborhoods - they seem to be very popular around here, probably cuz they take such little effort on the part of the gardener. Should be a nice show come spring!

  • Mickie Marquis
    14 years ago

    MARMORI - I never hear anyone talking about her - but SHE NEVER gives up! She is one of those 'sterile' Estonian cv's. Love her!

    MULTI-BLUE- Blooms forever; beautiful form

    JOSEPHINE - Blooms forever, bee-utiful bloom!

    TANGUTICA - Unusual, bright and cheerful

    MARGOT KOSTER - blooms forever

    (and when you weren't looking I would sneak some more; Arabella, Roguuci and Alionushka amoung them...)

  • kitkat_oregon
    14 years ago

    gardengal, this is off topic for this thread, but could you grow a montana up an oak tree? Kat

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    14 years ago

    Kat, I've never tried it myself, but I don't see why not :-) Provided the tree was sufficiently large and mature enough to support such a vigorous vine.

    However, IMO (and this is just my opinion), I think montanas display best when used to cover a wall or fence (like in the photo) or a large trellis/arbor rather than being grown through another plant. Since they bloom in a single big blast, much of the effect is lost if they have to compete with other foliage. I guess it may depend on when the oak leafs out - if after the clematis bloom period, it could be a stunning display.

  • brandyray
    14 years ago

    I'm still a newbie, but I would take Niobe, Venosa Violacea, Clair de Lune and Arabella, not sure about the 5th one... maybe after this summer I will have a better idea. Brandyray

  • Zyperiris
    14 years ago

    I am in zone 8...and there are quite a few apple blossom clematis in the nurseries right now..what can you folks tell me about

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    14 years ago

    zyperiris, I am on my third 'Apple Blossom' :-) Not because they haven't done well - only because I can't imagine my garden without one! The first had to to be removed when I relandscaped my front yard and transplanting was not an option (much too large to move). I immediately replanted another in a different location. And now that I have moved to a new garden, 'Apple Blossom' was the first clem I purchased for my new location.

    This can get to be a big vine - 25-30' is not out of line. And it is evergreen, so can get heavy and will need a sturdy support system. It blooms very early - mine is just starting to open now. Buds are a deep pink and open to blush pink flowers -- LOTS of them! And it is moderately fragrant as well. It is not prone to wilt and is more shade tolerant than many choices. And since it is a type I, no pruning is necessary. Should you need to control size, you should prune immediately after flowering.

    This is what it looks like in full bloom:
    {{gwi:573773}}

    There is also a white flowered armandii, commonly sold as 'Snowdrift'. It tends to be a bit more widely available than 'Apple Blossom'.

  • FrozeBudd_z3/4
    14 years ago

    Because the following are not always easy to come by, these are the ones I'd be taking with me ...

    Perle d' Azur

    Florida Sieboldii 'Vienetta'

    Kiri Te Kanawa

    Jackmanii Superba ... often mislabeled!

    Victoria

    Princess Diana ... that makes six, but could not leave this beauty behind!

    ... oh, and then there's my seedling!

    {{gwi:573774}}

    Terry

  • chills71
    14 years ago

    1. I've got a splotchy clematis that I purchased as The President years ago that definitely out tie-dyes Tie-Dye. Its unique and its one that I would need to take.

    2. Asao, just because its color matches perfectly with so many other plants I happen to have in my front yard.

    3. Montana Rubens...early, scented, what else can I say.

    4. Venosa Violcea

    5. Sweet Autumn....late, scented and mine has not shown the problem of re-seeding that some complain about with this variety.

    ~Chills

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