Gardening : Versatile Clematis Offers Palette of Colors : Vine: Long admired in England, it is ideal where garden space is limited. Admirers say it does well in Southland climate.
Flowering vines add color and vertical interest to gardens, and are especially useful where garden space is limited.
Some people may be discouraged from growing them because they want to install trellising or arbors, but there’s a very versatile vine that’s been a mainstay in English gardens for centuries--clematis.
Savvy garden enthusiasts cherish clematis because this graceful vine covers itself in a breathtaking array of flowers. These range from spectacular dimensions of up to 10 inches per flower, to dainty star-like flowers.
Since these vines are non-invasive, they grow well among host plants such as trees, climbing roses and other vines. They also can be trained to grow up fences, cascade over arbors and cover house walls.
There are more than 250 varieties of clematis, and the color choices are vast--from the snowy whites to the very popular blues, purples and lavenders. The graceful flowers are also found in shades of pink, red and yellow, and some also offer fragrance.
The virtues of clematis are appreciated in England, where they’ve been popular for centuries. Their appeal has also been recognized in the East Coast. Several species of clematis are even native to America.
But the clematis controversy rages in Southern California because of the misconception that this isn’t clematis country. Pamela Ingram, owner of Sassafras Nursery in Topanga Canyon, is one of the leading experts in clematis culture in Southern California. Originally from England, she is an expert gardener.
“It’s just not true that clematis won’t grow here,” she said vehemently. “Each year we sell 300 to 400 clematis vines, and thousands of our customers are growing them, mainly due to our influence and education. Clematis can be grown successfully by novice and experienced gardeners alike.”
But there are some definite horticultural requirements which must be met for elematis to thrive.
“They like their feet in the shade and their heads in the sun,” Ingram explained. “They need good, fast-draining soil since they don’t like to stand in soggy soil. Since the roots are tender, they do well with a good covering of mulch. But the vines require some sun for flowering.”
“It’s also a matter of common sense,” she added. “If the garden is in a hotter environment, the vine will need more shade. And the vine needs more sun if the garden is heavily shaded.”
To those skeptics (many are professional gardeners), Ingram retorts by pointing out her own success in growing clematis. One of her favorites was C. Jackmanii, which reached three stories high before it was destroyed by a fire.
“It was a spectacular sight with thousands of blooms,” she said.
Bryce Martin is an amateur garden hobbyist who has also had success with growing clematis. His garden is in the San Gabriel Valley, which experiences both hot temperatures and occasional frost.
“Clematis can do very well here as long as people use good gardening practices like enriching the soil with lots of organic amendments,” Martin said. “Also, many people make the mistake of growing clematis by themselves. Their roots need the shade, which is provided by a host plant, and they also look better when their dormant period is camouflaged by another plant.”
He grows seven different varieties,. Some climb up trees in his garden; others are entwined among roses and other vines. They provide colorful flowers much of the year since some are spring bloomers, others bloom intermittently during the year, and one variety blooms in the fall.
Phil Miller of Rogers Gardens in Corona del Mar, also advocates growing clematis. “They’re wonderful vines because they’re easy to maintain and are so attractive.”
Visitors to Rogers Gardens can see clematis planted for display. Miller likes to interplant them with red passion vine, stephanotis, Madagascar jasmine and bower vine
Like other Southland nurseries, Rogers Gardens sells clematis by color rather than by named variety as Sassafras Nursery does.
Purchasing them by color is a disadvantage when it comes to pruning. Clematis are distinguished by flower size, large-flowered hybrids, and species and small-flowered hybrids. They also can be categorized by their growth patterns.
Some flower only on new wood, others on old wood, and some on both new and old. Although they don’t require pruning in their first few years in a garden, in time they should be pruned, and it’s best to know the named variety for pruning requirements.
“Since ours are growing in with other vines, we don’t prune them at all,” Miller said. “We discourage people from pruning clematis because we feel they don’t really require it unless their size gets out of hand.”
Ingram disagrees, and teaches her customers how to prune each clematis variety which they purchase. Clematis also require adequate water. But Ingram points out that since clematis can be planted in the same hole as their host plants, they can thrive on the same water.
She also uses soil polymers at the bottom of the planting hole. These granules absorb and hold water near the plant’s root zone, and are an effective water-conserving technique. Ingram also advocates clematis as patio plants since many varieties do well in containers. She also advocates using soil polymers in the containers.
Clematis need regular fertilizing to sustain their strong growth and flowering habits. They should receive monthly feedings during their growing season.
One reason gardeners have been discouraged at their efforts to grow clematis is that if the plant hasn’t received adequate water, its leaves turn brown. Too often, the gardener believes the plant has died and yanks it from the ground. But with regular watering, the plant will regenerate with new growth from the leaf axils and new shoots from the ground.
When planting, it’s important to place the join (the juncture of roots and stem) several inches below the soil. This encourages new shoot production from the base.
Clematis are excellent cut flowers and also offer anther decorative benefit. Most varieties produce interesting seed pods with fluffy tails that are attractive in arrangements.
Clematis are usually sold spring and fall, with the largest selection available at nurseries in spring. Rogers offers bare-root vines in fall.
“The advantage to purchasing bare-root is that the plants are small, so the price is much less, usually $3.99, instead of approximately $25 for the larger vines in five-gallon containers,” Miller said.
“The disadvantage is that since the plants are small, they’ll need several years to grow before they freely flower, although there will be blooms on them in their first growing year.”
Clematis are also available through mail-order sources. The advantage is that often a larger selection is possible, but the plants are small and will take several years to become established. As gardens reduce in size, and patios and decks increase in popularity, clematis can be an effective means to produce colorful flowers.
CLEMATIS SOURCES Local nurseries:
Burkard Nursery, Pasadena
Rogers Gardens, Corona del Mar
San Gabriel Nursery, San Gabriel
Sassafras Nursery, Topanga Canyon
Sperling Nursery, Woodland Hills
Mail order:
D. S George Nurseries
2515 Penfield Road
Fairport, N.Y. 14450
Wayside Gardens
P.0. Box l Hodges
S.C., 29695-0001
White Flower Farm
Litchfield, Conn. 06759-0050
