Beautiful Clematis Blooms
The clematis is blooming so beautifully here at my Bedford, New York farm this season.
I have always loved these flowering vines and over the years, I have grown many varieties of this exquisite plant. When I moved to this property, 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 - stunning lavender, blue, and purple clematis. I also have some growing across the carriage road on the trunks of the majestic bald cypress trees.
Enjoy these photos.
-
- Right now, these beautiful flowers stand out as soon as you near the winding pergola. There are several different clematis varieties planted here, but each pair of posts supports the same kind.
-
- Wire is wrapped around each post, so the climbing tendrils of the clematis vines could attach easily. The uprights for this pergola are antique granite posts from China originally used as grape supports. They’re perfect for use as posts because they don’t rot over time like wood.
-
- Clematis is a genus of about 300-species within the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. The name Clematis comes from the Greek word “klematis,” meaning vine. (Photo by Ryan Mesina)
-
- They are native to China and Japan and are known to be vigorous, woody, climbers. (Photo by Ryan Mesina)
-
- Clematis leaves grow in pairs along the stems. The clematis leaf shapes vary with different varieties, but knowing how they grow can help differentiate them from other vines.
-
- Most species are called 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 similar to an old man’s beard.
-
- The standard clematis flower has four to 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. (Photo by Ryan Mesina)
-
- For this area, I chose various shades of purple, blue, and lavender.
-
- Some of the flowers are very light colored – almost white – with interesting centers.
-
- Many clematis are lightly scented. Flowers vary in shape and sizes. They can be flat, tubular or bell-shaped and can be as small as one-inch wide.
-
- Some clematis cultivars will bloom in partial shade, but to really thrive, they need at least six-hours of sun each day. Just think, “head in the sun, feet in the shade.” The vines like sun, but cool, moist soil. (Photo by Ryan Mesina)
-
- Once established, clematis should be watered about an inch or so weekly, and more deeply during dry spells.
-
- Some of the cultivars grown here include ‘Parisienne,’ ‘Blue Angel,’ ‘Jackmanii,’ and ‘Eyers Gift.’
-
- This is Clematis viticella ‘Betty Corning’, which has slightly fragrant, bell-shaped flowers that bloom from summer to fall.
-
- Here is another bell-shaped clematis variety in pink.
-
- Known as the “Queen of the Climbers”, Clematis plants will train onto trellises and fences, or arch gracefully over doorways.
-
- It can take several years for a clematis vine to mature and begin flowering prolifically. To shorten the wait, purchase a plant that’s at least two-years old. Clematis also prefer soil that’s neutral to slightly alkaline in pH.
-
- 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.
-
- Across the carriage road from my pergola, I also have some clematis vines planted at the base of several bald cypress trees.
-
- It is important to understand how each variety blooms in order to properly prune them. They 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.
-
- Clematis plants are also heavy feeders and benefit from a low nitrogen fertilizer such as 5-10-10 in spring, when the buds are about two-inches long. Alternate feedings every four to six weeks with a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer and then continue this alternate feeding until the end of the growing season. The blooms appear constantly for many weeks making their everblooming nature a must-have in any garden.
-
- Guests love to photograph these beautiful flowers whenever they visit. This photo, and several others, was taken by our Creative Services VP, Ryan Mesina, who is an avid photographer.
-
- And look what’s coming next – wait until you see all the gorgeous tiger lilies, Lilium lancifolium, that flower in mid to late summer and come back year after year. A hand-full of these are already opening. It’s another dramatic transformation in this pergola garden and I can’t wait to see all the many orange blooms.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
