Blooming Clematis at My Farm
The clematis is blooming beautifully at the farm this season.
I have always loved these flowering vines, and over the years I have grown many varieties of this lovely plant. When I bought my Bedford, New York farm, I knew I wanted to build a long, winding pergola and have clematis growing all over it. After the pergola was constructed, I concentrated on creating a palette of blue-flowering cultivars. Each year, the floral display gets better and better - and this summer, the blooms are just spectacular - nearly every post is completely wrapped in stunning shades of lavender, blue and purple clematis.
Enjoy these photos.
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- There are several different varieties of clematis planted along my winding pergola, but each pair of posts supports the same kind.
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- Clematis is a genus of about 300-species within the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. The name Clematis comes from the Greek word “klematis,” meaning vine.
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- Most species are known as clematis, but it has also been called traveller’s joy, virgin’s bower, leather flower, or vase vine. It’s also been called “Old Man’s Beard,” because of the long fluffy seed heads that look like an old man’s beard.
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- The standard clematis flower has six or seven petals, measuring five to six inches across. Colors range from lavender to deep purple, white to wine red, and even a few in yellow.
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- The uprights for this pergola are antique granite posts from China originally used as grape supports. They’re perfect as posts because they don’t rot over time like wood does. A friend of mine acquired a lot of stone from this valley and I purchased a couple hundred of these posts. I only wish I had bought more of them.
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- Steel wire is wrapped around each post, so the climbing tendrils of the clematis vines could attach easily.
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- Clematis ‘Blue Angel’ is a large-flowered variety with four to six-inch blooms. The flowers have ruffled edges and yellow green stamens.
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- Known as the “Queen of the Climbers”, Clematis plants will train onto trellises and fences, or arch gracefully over doorways.
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- Some clematis cultivars will bloom in partial shade, but to really thrive, they need at least six-hours of sun each day.
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- This is clematis viticella ‘Betty Corning’, which has slightly fragrant, bell-shaped flowers that bloom from summer to fall.
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- It typically grows to six-feet tall and features single, nodding, pale lilac flowers with recurved tips. ‘Betty Corning’ was first discovered growing in Albany, New York in 1932.
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- This is Clematis ‘Blue Ravine’ – brilliantly colored soft violet blooms with leathery-textured foliage.
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- Once established, clematis should be watered about an inch or so weekly, and more deeply during dry spells.
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- Clematis prefer moist, well-drained soil that’s neutral to slightly alkaline in pH.
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- The roots of clematis should be kept shaded to keep them cool and moist. This can be done using low growing plants or with two to three inches of mulch around the base of the plant to help retain the soil moisture. On this post, Clematis ‘Blue Angel’ is growing alongside a vivid violet-purple Clematis ‘Jackmanii’.
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- Clematis ‘Parisienne’ has large flowers that are light violet-blue with overlapping petals. They appear extravagantly in early summer and then repeat later in the season.
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- The timing and location of clematis flowers varies – spring blooming clematis flower on side shoots of the old season’s stems. Summer and fall blooming vines flower on the ends of only new stems. This is is Clematis ‘Eyers Gift’.
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- Be careful not to overwater clematis as it does not like standing water or wet feet.
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- Across from my undulating pergola, at the base of my bald cypress trees, we’ve planted more clematis.
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- Clematis is one of the most popular vines, adding height, color and beauty to many gardens. This looks so pretty against the bright green foliage.
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- The blooms appear constantly all summer, making their everblooming nature a must-have in any garden.
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- Ryan uses twine to support these climbing vines.
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- Twine, some leftover rubber hose, and sod staples are all he needs.
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- First, Ryan cuts a piece of old rubber hose – about five-inches long.
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- This will hold the twine without damaging the tree.
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- Ryan threads the twine through the hose.
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- This hose will sit on one of the lower branches – on this tree, about five or six feet from the ground. The piece of twine should be about 10-feet long.
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- Here is the rubber hose on the branch.
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- Ryan ties a knot at the bottom.
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- And, using a mallet, Ryan secures the twine to the ground with a sod staple.
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- The twine is now taut.
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- Ryan gently secures the clematis vine on the twine – eventually, the clematis will reach the branch and support itself up the trunk.
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- I love how the clematis looks against these bald cypress trees – as if they have always been there.
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- Most clematis have a light weight structure and can grow atop or through other plants without harm. This one has already grown along this branch.
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- It is important to understand how each cultivar blooms in order to properly prune them. Every variety should be cut back to about four or five-inches from the ground in late winter or early spring the first year after it is planted – to promote a bushier, stronger, tighter growth habit.
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- Every year, these clematis vines look more and more beautiful. If you don’t already have clematis in your garden, I hope this inspires you plant one or two or three…
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