Ester..you are experiencing exactly what many of us have touted on here about newbie blooms versus more mature blooms...Blooms on a baby clematis will more often than not be off coloured & smaller than what the blooms will be on a more mature clematis vine..what you are seeing is closer to the true look of Clematis "Nelly Moser"....Jeanne

So, Jeanne...which are the "true" Nelly Moser flowers? The giant pale white ones with the sort of pale pink stripe, or the extravagantly pink but smaller second batch of flowers? I'm just ecstatic to have it blooming at all this second year, and have it with so many new large shiny green leaves. What a contrast to the sickly runt of the nursery's litter that I planted last year! The nursery even consented to give me a discount on this Nelly because it was the last Nelly they had and it was admittedly a "loser" looking plant. I guess it liked the Plant-tone fertilizer I used, its early March pruning, and its regular watering. Go Nelly go!!

esther, sometimes first blooms are weaker colored, and sometimes later blooms are somewhat smaller. As your clematis matures, you will probably see less variation than you are now.

I think I've read that Nelly is one of those that likes a bit of protection from the hot afternoon sun, by the way--tends to fade in the hot sun. But I haven't grown Nelly, so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about. : )

Kate

Plus, we had crazy temperature swings this spring, so that could have also resulted in the difference in blooms.

Nelly does fade badly in hot afternoon sun and is on all lists of "Clematis for shade".

Variation of flowers is perfectly normal :)