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fragrantgrower

Clematis Sugar-Sweet Blue

Ugh. Another fragrant clematis to tempt me!
Sugar-Sweet Blue is supposed to have a sweet gardenia like fragrance?
Who knows but I want to sniff it along with Sweet Summer Love! Laugh.

-Robert

Here is a link that might be useful: Sugar-Sweet Blue Clematis

Comments (30)

  • true_blue
    10 years ago

    Robert, there are so many supposed fragrant clematis. What is missing in the descriptions is the "type" of fragrance: Scented (i.e. you put your nose in the flower and with a dose of imagination conjure and then convince yourself of fragrance), then fragrant which you really recognize a distinct fragrance and then wafting, which takes you unawares and that's the type I love.
    The problem with Clematis is that you need to wait at least 4/5 years to know if you've been had or not ;-)

  • Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Aw, don't be waking me up from my dream, True Blue! ;)
    The site says the fragrance fills the air around the flowers.
    It wouldn't lie to me would it? :)
    Guess we won't know until someone actually grows one and waits 4 or 5 years and finds out!

    -Robert

  • true_blue
    10 years ago

    Robert, trust me, I don't want to wake you from your dreams, I want to wake myself from mine, mine being x aromatica this year! Each year when I see a new (or an old forgotten one) on the market, I have to resist temptation, if you know what I mean!

    I know what they say about the fragrance, but unfortunately the nursery business has a habit to exaggerateâ¦.

    I normally don't want to waste my time/ money on plants, which are faintly fragrant or scented, unless the flowers is spectacular.

    But like you, I like to dreamâ¦.

    And sometimes the fact that it takes such a longtime for a clematis is not so bad. You just plant them somewhere and forget more or less about them. And then one year you'll be surprised by a whiff of fragranceâ¦.

  • true_blue
    10 years ago

    Robert, I found another one for you: Orange flower scented ! You could buy them together and let us know in 4/5 years!

    I have to say, regardless of all the rant, if they were available I would have got them right away, and then would have thought of where to put them afterwards!!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Sweet Summer Lilac

  • Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    You are a terrible enabler! ;)

    Thanks! I'll just add another one to my wish list!

    -Robert

  • true_blue
    10 years ago

    Lol!

  • Maggie (Vancouver, BC 8a)
    9 years ago

    So funny. This clematis was mentioned in newspaper today so of course I googled it. And guess what popped up? This thread! Of course, because you are the experts:)

    Anyway, interesting because 2 "fragrant" clematis were mentioned. 'Fragrant Star' supposedly has light vanilla scent but Dave's Garden says it has 'no fragrance.' However, it does say 'Sugar Sweet Blue' is "very fragrant"

    What does this mean? I think it means you two need to buy this plant and let me know the results! ;)

  • Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Haha. I ended up buying it. Didn't really do anything last year. I was afraid the Jasminum officinale or the Zephirine Drouhin rose had smothered it. A month or so ago I noticed some green shoots coming from the stems. Hopefully it did survive and will finally bloom this year so I can sniff it! :)

  • Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Oh, yea. Forgot to add that I received an email last year from someone who saw my post and their plant bloomed but they said there's no discernible scent. Who knows?

  • true_blue
    9 years ago

    Robert some clematis are notoriously fickle with their fragrance and some are not, so don't despair. I would wait a couple of more year before making a decision.

    Betty Corning was found in US in the 30s I believe. It was described as very fragrant, but nowadays it is "strongly" fragrant only in the UK, as the US original seems to have lost its "strong" fragrance. I still got it last year. I was pottering close by it and was surprised by a wafting fragrance. Imagine my surprise when I found the "culprit" being a single flower of her majesty, Betty :-)

    My x aromatica flowered last year, and it's flowers were insipid and scentless, someone warned me about it on GW, but I had to try it, as some on an European forum touted its fragrance. So, we'll see.

    Maggie, as for more clematis, I'm out of space, thank god :-)


  • Maggie (Vancouver, BC 8a)
    9 years ago

    What - there's always room for more clematis, they're so skinny! :)

  • Maggie (Vancouver, BC 8a)
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ps. I have to confess, if I see either of the Sugar Sweet variety, I'll prob buy it :)

  • true_blue
    9 years ago

    There are many fragrant clematis you can grow in your zone, armandiis, montanas to name a few.

    There is also sweet summer love.

    I won't give you a longer list, some of these guys are not skinny at all !

  • Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I went out into the garden just now and inspected my plant. Turns out I went for Bob's suggestion and have Sugar-Sweet Lilac, not Blue.

    It also looks like a mouse or some other critter may have chewed at the base of the stem. Little jerks!


  • true_blue
    9 years ago

    I think you got lured away, by the promise of orange blossoms.....
    Sorry to hear about the mice :(


  • Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Haha. It's true. I'm a sucker for orange blossoms. :)

    Think I'll find some mesh to cover the base of the stem. :)

  • true_blue
    9 years ago

    That would deter them and maybe invite a cat...


  • Maggie (Vancouver, BC 8a)
    8 years ago

    Breaking news, Trueblue...Phoenix Perennials here in Vancouver has both Sugar Sweet Blue & Lilac. And they have a new Canadian mail order service so you can order both! (I think these are pretty skinny haha). I went to the nursery & they hadn't arrived yet. (However there was a 'Fragrant Star" in bloom, which I sniffed of course. No smell. But it was a bit chilly/breezy so who knows.) Now I am in a quandary as to which one to buy. They both sound so good. I read a Seattle blog mentioning that a 'Blue' arrived with a flower and it was fragrant. Hmmmm


  • Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    You'll just have to get both of them! :)

  • Maggie (Vancouver, BC 8a)
    8 years ago

    Of course, Robert, you are not helping, haha. How is your Lilac doing? Has it recovered from the rodent pruning?


  • Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Happy to say it's alive and winding its way up the roses. :)

    No buds yet that I can see.


  • true_blue
    8 years ago

    Thanks Maggie, good to know. Thankfully I have no place left for any clematis anymore:-)
    I'm also a bit weary about fragrant clematis in my zone. If they have flammula in their blood, so to speak, they might be partially hardy in my zone.
    As Robert said the best way is to buy them both and try them both. Depending size and vigor you might get 1 flower or two this year or the year after.....

    Oh and don't forget to get this one too, if you can find a Canadian source ;-)


  • Maggie (Vancouver, BC 8a)
    8 years ago

    Hmm I'm starting to suspect the answer will always be "buy them all" ;)

  • Maggie (Vancouver, BC 8a)
    8 years ago

    Btw I think because Robert has the Lilac, I will buy the Blue, then I'll wait for him to rave about the scent before I get the other one, and vice versa. Smart eh

  • true_blue
    8 years ago

    Maggie, joke aside, considering it takes at least 3 years for clematis to really show if it's a fake or not:
    If you have the space, means and you love fragrant clematis, it's best to buy them all:
    1) In case one doesn't survive.
    2) In case you love/hate the one you bought and wondered why you didn't buy the other that Robert is "over"-raving about :-)


  • Maggie (Vancouver, BC 8a)
    8 years ago

    Gosh, True, you are a most eloquent and persuasive advocate ;)
    That was me "trying" to be more practical and money-wise btw. I was feeling a bit guilty because on that nursery trip that yielded no Sugar Sweets, I could not resist buying a c. floridus sieboldii. Not fragrant but gorgeous, and one that's been very difficult to find for many past years. I also got another michelia - 'Inspiration.' (Phoenix Perennials is great, hope you browsed their "Fragrant" section)
    In any case, the Sugar Sweets are not arriving until maybe June, so I have until then to decide. I'm on the waitlist for them of course.


  • true_blue
    8 years ago

    I had a phase of fragrant clematis.
    Many if not most of them died, due to our cold climate and my part shade garden. Right now, I have hopefully 3 left, unless one of the dead ones, decides to resurrect :-)
    But those that flowered, scented divine and bid their farewell, left an eternal imprint of joy, happiness & peace on my psyche. I prefer collecting these moments of bliss....

    The price of a those 2 clematis is a price of meal in restaurant. Skip a meal or have a starter and you'll feel less guilty ;-)




  • Maggie (Vancouver, BC 8a)
    8 years ago

    Truth :) So wonderful to help bring forth something beautiful...
    I remember a story where someone measured everything by how many ice cream cones he could buy, like "that's worth 10 cones." My unit of measure has always been shoes. Maybe now it should be plants :)


  • nothing fail
    4 years ago

    So, what is Sugar Sweet Blue fragrance after all? Anything like Gardenia as advertised on US sites?

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