My Clair de Lune is still fairly new--only one bloom last summer! However, it was not blue. It was more whitish-lavender. So unless it changes with maturity, I don't think it is what you want.

Last year, on the recommendation of a poster, I also got Rhapsody--he claimed it was the bluest blue he had ever seen on a clematis, though I would still call it more of a bluish purple. But again, I don't have a lot of experience with this one yet.

Kate

I have Ramona and have seen Blue Light. Ramona is periwinkle blue. Has a lavender cast to it.

Blue Light has a huge double flower that is pretty much that same color.

Neither one is pink or reddish purple.

Lara
Here is a link to a post I made last May showing my Ramona. I can't hardly wait until all 12 of mine are blooming, gives me the sheamy shakes just thinging about. I prunned all mine about 2 weeks ago and today I gave them all a good heaping mound of cow poo and a cow poo shake or some call it a cow poo tea. Here is the link. Enjoy Sandy
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/clematis/msg051911444274.html

Thank you thank you! Sandy your Ramona is lovely. Good to know about Claire de Lune, and I will look up Rhapsody. And periwinkle is perfect!
Do any of these tolerate full sun better than others? This will be on the south side of the house, though it will be under an overhang of a few feet, and it's bottom several feet will be shaded by roses.

Thanks so much!

Lara

Lara
In the link I attached above you can see the south side of my house, which gets sun most of the day and this year in the next couple of weeks I hope to get my 4 year old Jackmanii moved that I have in a 1/2 whiskey barrel up beside that empty wall and put up a large trellis for him to climb up, as I recall I think I put 2 bare root Jackmanii in the whiskey barrel. Right now the Jackmanii's is putting up many new spouts and should really put on a show this year. Heck it might be his 5th year and last year it had probably over a hundered blooms and yes I got a second flush in the fall after I whacked it down. My plan is to move the whiskey barrel as close as I can get it to the side of the house and then use the rounded type landscape rock and place them around the front of the whiskey barrel with a space for air between the barrel and the rock to help keep some of the heat away from the barrel it's self. If I can shade the barrel with the rock I don't think the Jackmanii would dry out and I could actully keep the soil moist most of the hot summer days ahead. I'll post a picture when all is said and done and he's on his way up the wall. Sandy

I have to say "Ramona" is my most vigorous and reliable bloomer..and consider "H.F.Young" he has always done well for me..My Rhapsody has not done well but maybe will now he is in more sun..Clematis "Daniel Deronda" is another gorgeous one...Jeanne

Hahahha; Jeanne - I went looking for photos of Daniel Deronda, and I think I found one that you posted on Plant Files! It's lovely, especially with the curly stamens(?).

H.F. Young is also great; these are both ones I hadn't come across in my nursery searches. Thanks!

I am leaning toward a Ramona; how much sun do you have yours in?

Thanks!
L

Daniel Deronda is my favorite. Blooms much longer than Ramona for me and doesn't fade as much in full sun. It is more purple than Ramona though and darker.

{{gwi:578155}}

{{gwi:231211}}

I have two Ramonas...One is in full sun for the morning until about 2pm..the other has filtered sun until 1pm and full sun afterwards..they both do well for me..Jeanne

Wow! Daniel Deronda is a beautiful thing! Gonna have to find a place for him...thanks for the pictures!

Jeanne; good to know your Ramonas get a good deal of sun; I'm hoping it will do well in the spot I have in mind.

I also have another question for you; I found a 2008 thread in which you mentioned that you had new plants of Duchess of Albany and Princess Diana; do you have a preference between them at this point?

Thank you all for the info!

Best,
Lara

Lara.."Princess Di" has been superior to "Duchess of Albany" in my gardens..you should see all the new shoots emerging from the soil from "Di"..she's absolutely the best!!

And I shovel pruned her for mildew. LOL it really makes a difference where we live and garden.

I don't have 'Princess Di' but my 'Duchess of Albany' has been outstanding. Here is a photo from a couple of years ago of her in full bloom. I have never had a mildew problem with any of my clematis, most likely because it does not stay humid for long periods here.

{{gwi:578156}}

Click on thumbnail to view larger.

mnwsgal Please tell me what you have Duchess of Albany attached too and how do you get it to stay up? Thanks so much.

It is growing on an 82" tall wire trellis. I got the trellis at Walmart a few years ago. I don't do anything to help it stay up. Last year it outgrew the trellis and along the low chicken wire fence which surrounds my veg. garden. On the other side I kept it trimmed back so it wouldn't take over the neighboring trellis with its two new small clematis.

Since Duchess grows so robustly I am going to experiment by cutting it back by half after flowering this summer. Doubt I will get a second big bloom as our first frost is mid/late September to mid October. Even with deadheading it has only continued to flower lightly throughout the rest of the summer/fall for me.

This photo will give you a better look at the type of trellis. 'William Goodwin' '09 second year

{{gwi:578157}}

Ok..yall are giving me hope..maybe I should try the "Duchess" again..and pray I have the success that you've had..or maybe it's a Northern thang?..we shall find out...Jeanne

Glad you are going to give 'Duchess' another try, Jeanne. Other than deadheading 'Duchess' needs little attention from me. I received her as a birthday gift from a good friend in 2005 so that photo is her third year in my garden from a gal pot.

The ease of growing it and the encouragement of you and other posters here convinced me that I could grow more of these lovely vines and the last few years I have added over 30 other clematis as well as started some from seed.

Oh, wow, the Duchess is a lovely lady! That picture was also very helpful regarding size; she would be WAY too big for the spot I have in mind...
I'm gonna try Princess Di, as I don't have much mildew here.
Thanks for all of the help and photos!

Lara