Clematis Question
Last post 06-07-2009 3:39 PM by Digger. 8 replies.
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05/07/2009 05:16 PM
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Recently, I bought a dwarf clematis that was already in a hanging basket and sold as such: purposely bred for hanging baskets. It is the perfect plant for outside my cottage door, so I transplanted it in to an old terracotta pipe. Then, I remembered they like thier feet to be cool. So, here is my question: if it is sold for use in hanging baskets, has something been done to the plant type to make it okay to be in the sun (which is where hanging baskets are usually found) or has the company sold something that is not 'fit for purpose' so to speak?
At the moment it as to stay where it is, so on the odd sunny days we've had lately I've actually covered it with an old umbrella to deflect the sun and heat, which seems to keep the pipe cool. It has stopped flowering, despite my dead~heading it, but is putting on new growth, so it must be happy with its location, complete with umbrella (needed today for the rain! lol)
One is nearer God's heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth.
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05/07/2009 06:38 PM
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- Digger
- Northern UK
- 18 Jul 2005
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4,743
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Hello Celtic heart, You've not been diddled my friend it's only a rough guidline that clematis like their feet in the cool shade and heads in the sun, they like a moist root run in general, it would be helpful if you could provide the name of the cultivar? clematis flowers in the sunshine usually just fade or bleach a little but rarely is it fatal.
digger 
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05/07/2009 07:00 PM
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Thanks for your reply, Digger. Just dived out between showers to look and the ploddy label has blown away! I am dilligent over keeping labels too! Obviously there are a lot of things I've acquired with the garden that are sans label, but this just annoys me now as I only bought it a few weeks back, label was in the back of the pot!!! I have started keeping a diary to manage the garden as I am changing it, so from now on I think I must add this sort of detail into the diary also. It is a very pretty lavender blue colour with white~ish edges, pointed petals not rounded ones. Over now, and I am no way going to show what a complete techno~dullard I am by attempting to post a photo!
One is nearer God's heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth.
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05/07/2009 09:01 PM
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- Digger
- Northern UK
- 18 Jul 2005
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4,743
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Okay we're getting somewhere a little, how many petals does each flower have and how large across (roughly) are the flowers? I am guessing that this is a recent intro from perhaps Raymon Evisson and so once we know the size and number of petals called sepals on a clem I'll try and fish it out of the database, but for now I think the plant will be fine where it is in the pot, which in my humble opinion, is better than a hanging basket for such a fine plant.
digger
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06/07/2009 11:50 AM
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Okay, Digger, I hope this works! I followed the instructions for uploading photographs to the letter! This should allow you to see what I have, and how I've planted it. As you (should be able to) see the terracotta pipe does get full sun on it, and as the day progresses the sun comes around and the entire thing is in full sun for a good 6-8 hours (it is west facing) Thanks for all your help and patience.
One is nearer God's heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth.
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06/07/2009 02:39 PM
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- Susiq
- Northumberland
- 16 Feb 2008
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1,104
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What a beauty - its a little like my 'General Sikorski' but nicer! Digger is the true clem expert and will no doubt tell you exactly what it is from the lovely pics.
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06/07/2009 03:15 PM
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- Digger
- Northern UK
- 18 Jul 2005
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4,743
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Hi all thanks susiq for your kind words, you are right that it's a beautiful stunning flower, I think it's one called "Bijou" and it will make several large single and fully double flowers as per the photograph.
It belongs to prune group three, which means pruning in February/March from the ground up. The plant isn't a tall grower and should only grow to a height and spread of around 12 inches each way, the information I have is that it's a barry fretwell hybrid but I'm not too sure of the parentage or group at the moment, it is a marvelous flower though and it looks like it's in very good health indeed in your photographs ,so you are looking after it very well my friend.
digger
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06/07/2009 03:33 PM
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Thanks for all the help and advice, Digger. I guess you mean to cut it close to the ground when you say 'from the ground upwards'? Sadly, it has finished blooming now, but oh, it was so, so pretty. Took loads of pictures, and I guess I'm not the techno~peasant I said I am after all! I'm planning to let it tumble rather than encourage it upwards. Is it okay with you if I copy your advice into my diary? Just in case I lose track of this thread by February!
One is nearer God's heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth.
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06/07/2009 03:39 PM
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- Digger
- Northern UK
- 18 Jul 2005
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4,743
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Hi Of course you can copy my notes my friend, with a prune group three, the advice is to select each stem at ground level and then follow up the stem until you come to a pair of plump new buds (around Feb/March) and prune off everything above that point, some you can follow from the ground up to the second pair of new buds and prune the stem off from there. I know it sounds drastic and there may be good growth above the first pair or second pair of buds but, try and be brave and cut the stems, you will get a better display from it.
digger
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